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It's amazing how the answer can elude you for a long time, then suddenly, bang, the problem is solved. Years ago, I had a GMC M135 2 1/2 ton truck. I installed a new carb (the same carb was used on the truck, and on the M114 armored personnel carrier) on it, and all of a sudden, it hesitated...

I believe that this is the newest version. They used to have a different INPOWER controller that used a plug-in connector, but the current version appears a lot more durable.

As summer comes to an end here in MN, I'm gradually getting all the winter-prep stuff done, and getting ready for a winter of accomplishment on the buggy. A few weeks ago, I fell into four Whelen scene lights - the new LED M9 scene lights. Each is rated at 36 watts, and they will go nicely in...

Anyone selling a vehicle who "accidentally" forgets 200,000 miles is a little suspicious to me.

If an ambulance module was upgraded / refurbished, conversion to LEDs was a very easy project. Since virtually all of the ambulance emergency lighting used to be Whelen, even the AMP connectors are the same, so it becomes a Plug & Play project. The old halogen and strobe fixtures all needed new...

Since the bulb or strobe tube is a concentrated light source, halogen & strobe fixtures need a cutout to accommodate the reflector. The fixtures usually are 2" deep to take advantage of the two inch wall depth in ambulances - both for the light path, and to keep a very hot halogen bulb away from...

That space under the roof just left of the AC equipment is usually wide open in most modules. A lot of wiring comes through that area, and it usually is best accessed by removing a warning light or scene light. If you remove both, you have one hole to look through, and one to work through. The...

Standard ambulance inverters (Vanner) come with an Anderson connector already installed on their input cables. It's standard for one or more main cables to be plugged into the Vanner's GFCI receptacle, then those cables feed other equipment. If you install an ambulance inverter correctly, it can...

Since you have a Medic-Master, that space was originally used for the module air conditioning evaporator & blower. The cutout on the left side was directly over the radio cabinet, which they used for an air return plenum. You had a vacuum pump on the left side wall that was used to operate the...

When I bought my buggy, I took the advice of a gent who drives them for Mayo Clinic, and also an ambulance electrician. They told me to stay away from the Mercedes engine, the Caterpillar engine, and the IH engine. I was told that the only engine that I wanted was the Cummins. I went that route...

Welcome to the asylum. We all have challenges with these creatures - but if we didn't enjoy challenges, we'd all be driving Winnebagos.....

Things are where you find them - I saw a Fire Department Equipment For Sale listing that showed a pair of Whelen Pioneer LED light mounting buckets for $20/each. They are now in my garage. The light pocket in them is 4 1/4" x 9" x 2" deep, so they'll fit int he side of my ambulance just fine.

Unless I miss my guess, you're handling that generator with a Big Joe die handler, probably the 1000# unit.. I have the same unit, except mine has a pedal-pump instead of a battery operated hydraulic pump - I used to have one with a battery lift pump, but the battery was always dead, so I traded...

Ear plugs on the road sound just like driving the military Gamma Goat. That ugly creature had a Detroit '53 series diesel just behind the driver's head, and with only a canvas cab for noise reduction, it came with a hearing protection warning on the dash. The 'goats had a fairly short military...

That's a great location for a generator - and 7 kW to boot! Since it's designed for RVs, is it quieter than a typical diesel? Frazer ambulances powers the entire module with a 5.5 kW Onan gasoline generator - they use a 12 volt converter for whatever has to run on 12 volts. Why a gasoline...

It might be worth checking on whatever difficulties you might run into with bringing an ambulance in from the US -- duties, licensing & registration, whatever. Used ambulances in the US are all over the place, and the prices may be a lot more reasonable.

Well, then -- welcome to the asylum!

Thinking about it a little more, you can't be the only person replacing a Mercedes with a Cat. There should be info on the swap on the internet - maybe even from Freightliner?

True. It becomes a giant PITA. You need to come up with an air compressor, AC compressor, 270 amp alternator, etc. Some that's on the Mercedes may transfer, but some won't. Hopefully, the vehicle electrical circuits won't be a PITA as well. I have a pdf of the Freightliner FL-series service...

With any luck, the Mercedes will just need a tweak or two -- I've seen the Cat C7 in quite a few applications, with apparently good results. Can you track one down at less than a painful price?