Ambulance information

[Oscar P]

I'm going to try posting this here as there seems to be a good wealth of knowledge about ambulance conversions here. If there is a better site to glean information, please direct me.

I'm considering doing an ambulance/rv conversion and I have a couple questions to start directing my path. The first is how self contained the ambulance box itself is. I have found a box only (came off an F350), local to me in good condition. I also have a '97 Dodge 2500 4x4 that has been retired from regular use and is just sitting around. Is the box unit self contained enough that I can still get the benefits of starting with the box (ie: lighting, electrical, heater, AC), or does the box rely on extensive upgrades to the vehicle itself? I don't mind doing minor upgrades to the Dodge, like upgraded alternators or added batteries, however if most of the brains of the box come from the vehicle, it doesn't make since to start from square one.

Second, has anyone done this type of thing (transferred a box onto another platform), and if so, could a link or suggestion as to where to find it be pointed out?

Third, I'm experienced with metal work (extending vehicle frames, fabricating, etc), but how different is the standard box from the front to the center of the wheel wells vs. a normal long bed frame?


I don't want to swamp with questions right away, so I'll stop at these three until I feel like there is a good time to bring up more. However if anyone wants to throw out things to consider, I am all ears. I'm reading and learning as much as I can from other builds, but I'm admittedly new to dealing with ambulance box's so I don't want to overlook anything.

 

[cjken]

The two boxes that I have experience were somewhat self contained. Generally there is a control console in the cab. If you can get that with the box it would be best even if you end up eliminating most of the wiring. Interesting is A cutoff to isolate the power to the box from the cab.
I did have to cut the wires for the front flashers and sirens when separating the box from the cab.

I can’t find pics of the box I fitted on my current truck. They probably exist on my original thread which is on here somewhere.
Here it’s on the truck

 

[Oscar P]

Does the control console do much controlling to the box, or is it mostly just useful for the power shutoff? On the two boxes you have worked with, you said they were "somewhat self-contained". Does this mean the box is more involved than just a main power feed running from the cutoff switch?

I don't mind getting rid of the little things like sirens and lights, but I have this nightmare in my mind of wires running back and forth from the cab to the box that trigger little relays and switches and whatever else to make the stuff in the back work. I would love to find out that here is basically one main power cable running to something in the box, then from there the "something" in the box sends power to various needs.

 

[tmo2460]

Does the control console do much controlling to the box, or is it mostly just useful for the power shutoff? On the two boxes you have worked with, you said they were "somewhat self-contained". Does this mean the box is more involved than just a main power feed running from the cutoff switch?

I don't mind getting rid of the little things like sirens and lights, but I have this nightmare in my mind of wires running back and forth from the cab to the box that trigger little relays and switches and whatever else to make the stuff in the back work. I would love to find out that here is basically one main power cable running to something in the box, then from there the "something" in the box sends power to various needs.

That wasn't my experience when I stripped my entire box of everything including the electronics. There was a pile of wires running from the front control console to the main control board in the rear. The console had its own bundle of wires that ran mostly to the main board but also to a few other places. There was a main "relay bank" that carried 12v power and switched all the major box loads, but it was connected to a "computer board" that took the input from the buttons on the console and switched the relays from there. Your best bet may be to find the relay bank and wire your own 12v supply and control switches to it.

Like cjken said if you were able to keep that panel you could simplify things, possibly. I think with some careful planning you could preserve the function of a divorced box but I am afraid it won't be as plug and play as you are hoping.

Additionally, mine had its rear heat and A/C tied to the main engine coolant/refrigerant loops and I suspect this is the common setup (i.e. not a self contained system like on an RV) You'd have a bit of a project for yourself there as well to get that up and running. Not impossible or really even all that complex, but not plug and play either. My ambulance is a Horton Type III, so the box you found could be different than mine. Hopefully patoz can chime in, his build is using an ambulance box as a self contained trailer and he may have some more insight into what you'd like to accomplish.