Hello

[BJFreeman]

I am not the usualy CNG user.
I live in a motor coach (bus Conversion) and Just bought a CNG 40 foot Bus as my parts supply to convert to CNG.
The bus is a low floor transit with roof top tanks.
I will be stripping it down and making a high floor with storage bays.
I plan to replace the chassis with aluminum, leaving the power train as is.
it has IL G cummins with a 400 Allision transmission.
I hope at some point to replace the allison with a EP50.

[jblue]

Re: Hello

I am not the usualy CNG user.
I live in a motor coach (bus Conversion) and Just bought a CNG 40 foot Bus as my parts supply to convert to CNG.
The bus is a low floor transit with roof top tanks.
I will be stripping it down and making a high floor with storage bays.
I plan to replace the chassis with aluminum, leaving the power train as is.
it has IL G cummins with a 400 Allision transmission.
I hope at some point to replace the allison with a EP50.

Sounds like you have time and money to burn!!

Be sure to take pictures and post them of your project as you progress so we all can drool ..

[BJFreeman]

Re: Hello

Sounds like you have time and money to burn!!

Be sure to take pictures and post them of your project as you progress so we all can drool ..

yeah at 68 I looking to keep myself busy and the saying about men and their toys.
But I got the bus at a steal. If figure if NG ever become prohibitive I can move to methane produced by land fills and dairy farms.

I am also considering a hydrogen system, since that is readily through electrolysis of water. A wind generator and water and I got hydrogen. Hydrogen is a differnt tanks system but same engine.

[larrycng]

Re: Hello

Where you going to put the batt pack if you install the the EP 50. Using a fuel cell to power the electric portion of the EP 50 would be unique with the proper capacitor package for a buffer and you use the fuel cell in stead of a generator set. CNG the would be good fuel for the IC portion and you steam reform the cng for h2.

There was a man who had fuel APU for an 18 wheeler that had an h2 reformer driven from the transmission PTO It would produce enough h2 during his drive time (10 to 12 hr) to run the fuel cell while the truck is parked (running the microwave, TV, air conditioner, referierator, etc.)

Sounds like a neat idea -- good luck

Larrycng

[BJFreeman]

Re: Hello

Battery pack is usually on a pull out tray. you talking a few 6foot long 400lbs of batteries. This is a 40 foot vehicle so lots of room.
The Batteries are about 180KW so there is plenty of reserve to power the "house" requirements. On top of that the IL G will start up to recharge the battery pack, through the EP50. So except for the IG L starting batteries, the 300Vots dc is dropped down to 24vdc to run the Vehicle lights, and invert to 115VAC for House power. The inverters will run a lot cooler and are designed to handle 10KW.
Currently I charge house Batteries every 20 hours for 4hours, when stationary for long.

I have canned the Idea of a fuelcell since it would have to be ~200KW and that is large. I may use the Capstone Turbine. they are a small foot print and more versitle than fuelcells. also they are not as cranky about not having impurities in the Hydrogen. the Capstone Turbine will run on multiple fuels, so it can run on CNG as well.
http://www.capstoneturbine.com/prods...tions/cchp.asp
Note: I am a stock holder of this company.

[larrycng]

Re: Hello

I like the turbin idea better, and you are spot on about the purity of h2 in fuel cells; 5-9's is pretty pure and costly

I'll check out the RV since I've been RVing for good number of years. We had bus conversion on a GM 3751 back in the 60's

have fun

Larrycng