Converting the bus — mechanical, power, water, gear, tours
When I first started looking into bus conversions, this was one of those questions that genuinely worried me. I’d watch YouTube tours of finished builds and see people with open shelving, heavy TVs mounted on walls, dishes stacked in cabinets, and I kept wondering, “Wait, when this thing goes around a corner or hits a … Read more
When I first started digging into what a bus conversion actually involves, this was one of those questions that seemed obvious but also kind of daunting. Like, of course you have to remove the seats, right? But then I started reading forum posts and watching videos and realized there’s way more to it than just … Read more
I’m going to level with you, when I first started researching bus electrical systems I thought I’d be able to figure it out in an afternoon. Solar panels, batteries, inverter, done. How hard could it be? Well, I spent about three weeks going down a hole of YouTube videos, forum threads, and spec sheets before … Read more
So you’ve got your bus, you’ve maybe ripped out the seats, and now you’re staring at a hollow metal tube thinking, “How do I actually make this livable?” I’ve been down this research rabbit hole for a while now, and insulation is one of those topics where everyone online has a strong opinion and half … Read more
Water is the thing that separates a converted bus from a road trip vehicle. You can sleep in a bus with no plumbing. You can eat cold food and use gas station bathrooms. But once you have running water, a sink, a shower, a way to wash dishes at 10 PM in the middle of … Read more
You’re standing in your half-built bus, looking at the roof, wondering how many solar panels you actually need and what all of this is going to cost. Maybe you’ve watched a dozen YouTube videos and you’re more confused now than when you started. Sizing a solar system isn’t as complicated as people make it sound … Read more
You’ve got the bus. You’ve been staring at that empty tube of metal for a week now, maybe walking back and forth inside it with a tape measure, trying to picture where the bed goes, where the kitchen goes, whether you even have room for a bathroom. This is the part where most people get … Read more
You bought the bus. You’ve got a Pinterest board full of ideas and a YouTube playlist 200 videos deep. You’re ready to start ripping out seats. But before you do, let’s talk about the mistakes that trip up almost every first-timer, so you don’t have to learn them the expensive way. The most common skoolie … Read more
You’ve seen the beautiful builds and the summer road trip videos. But what happens when it’s 15 degrees outside and your home is a giant steel tube? Can you actually live in a bus through winter? Yes, you can live in a skoolie year-round, even in cold climates, if your insulation and heating are solid. … Read more
You’re planning your skoolie build and the water system feels like the most mysterious part. Where does the water come from? How does it get to your faucets? Where does it go after? I had the same questions when I first started digging into this, and the good news is it’s way simpler than you … Read more