Bus dies if I turn off AC

[Xist]

I have had a few buses do this, but only as a Soldier, not as a school bus driver. Yesterday they sent four of us 187 miles each way to pick up a bus, but it turned off on its own while I was inspecting it, so we left it, and they gave me this.

Of course, the Soldiers wanted AC, although they insist on opening windows. I think they want to watch the world burn. Running the AC keeps the bus in high idle and someone told us yesterday the bus was fine as long as we used high idle.

I really do not like getting zero MPG. There is some shade, but just dirt for sitting. I need to stay in my driver's seat right next to the dog house (the engine is right next to me), so there is a great deal of heat, and of course, I am in full uniform.

Again, I think that solar parking should be more prevalent in Arizona.

Or they should make it rain. If it ain't raining, you ain't training.

[Frank Lee]

Sounds like a "blast".

[Xist]

We can back with less than half a tank, which I reported when I turned in the keys. I am a fueler and yesterday we filled up all of the functioning vehicles in anticipation of today's convoy to Flagstaff, three hours by car from Phoenix, four hours in or behind a tactical vehicle.

I mentioned needing to fuel the bus yesterday to my Sergeant and he said it needed actual diesel, not jet fuel. I woke up early today to take care of everything, I was just delayed obtaining the keys.

The battery was dead.

Military vehicles have a great system called the NATO slave. You have a giant plug, you run a giant cable between two trucks, and you never need to touch the batteries. However, you mention jumper cables to weekend warriors and they keep thinking of slave cables.

Finally, my Platoon Sergeant secured jumper cables and was coming up with his car, when he was told to stand down, he could damage his vehicle, and maintenance was on their way. Maintenance connected jumper cables and then realized their truck was 24v, while the bus was twelve, so the Maintenance Sergeant went to get his F350, but used a tiny battery pack to jump the bus, which I kept running until it died on its own.

It started back up. My Sergeant had just told me to stop for fuel when we left and then catch up, but the senior staff was furious when they found out that I had not taken care of this, so they sent me to sqauare it away immediately.

It only put 23 gallons into a 65-gallon tank, but now it will not start--our mechanics think the starter went out, but I have at least half an hour until the civilian mechanics are supposed to arrive.

This completely interferes with our training!

[Arragonis]

Wait till you get NATO style Tea.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

I need to stay in my driver's seat right next to the dog house (the engine is right next to me), so there is a great deal of heat, and of course, I am in full uniform.

Front-engined buses should've been phased out, or at least have the doghouse better insulated.

[dirtydave]

are you in Arizona now? What are you training for?

[Xist]

Arizona National Guard Annual Training.
From what I understand, having the engine beside the driver is relatively inexpensive and has the shortest turning radius. I definitely wish that it had better insulation, though.
As far as I can tell, the Army mechanics were able to get the bus started and someone else drove it to a shop. It seems like the original civilian mechanics did something wrong.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

From what I understand, having the engine beside the driver is relatively inexpensive and has the shortest turning radius. I definitely wish that it had better insulation, though.

Having the engine beside the driver should be supposed to not affect the turning radius so much, while a bonntetted bus sacrifices space for more seats compared to a forward-control bus at the same lenght. Anyway, I still regard rear-engined buses as a better solution.

[Arragonis]

Forward control and rear engine will reduce the turning circle - combination of a shorter wheelbase and the wheels can turn further.

Most buses and coaches are built this way, except for some reason US "School Bus" type coaches.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Forward control and rear engine will reduce the turning circle - combination of a shorter wheelbase and the wheels can turn further.

Most buses and coaches are built this way, except for some reason US "School Bus" type coaches.

The pass-thru luggage compartments are another advantage from the rear-engined layout. BTW there are already rear-engined schoolies in America, and eventually they might get an increased popularity due to the available space to fit alternative-fuelling systems.