Buying & Building a Medium Ambulance into an RV – The FAM-BULANCE

[rlrenz]

Marine is the only way to go. I've talked to several ambulance mechanics and electricians, and they all tell me that Blue Sea is the only supplier they like for electrical components. Some of the builders use Paneltronics, but Blue Sea is available anywhere. Once you have a Blue Sea part number, check the price on Amazon - I've found that they are very reasonable on Blue Sea (Still expensive, but as reasonable as it gets).

If you check out marine water heaters, the only cheap ones are the ones with a powder coated tank - stainless steel construction runs a lot more. That's why I bought the one I did buy - 316 stainless is hard to beat. In my case, it will be installed in the same cabinet as the generator since the sink will be directly over this cabinet. I'll have to figure out a way to keep the heater shut down if the water system is empty - maybe a pressure switch might be a simple solution.

 

[patoz]

Yeah, I love Blue Sea stuff! I already have an account there (as well as Amazon), got their master catalog in the mail, and get their email news and updates.

My sink will have to go over the wheel well where the CPR seat is now, and for some reason I was thinking of trying to mount the water heater under the sink, but that obviously won't work because of the wheel well. However, the compartment where the generator will go (#2) is adjacent to it, so a side entry for the plumbing will be easy. Another plus to mounting it in the generator compartment may be, it may absorb and retain some of the heat generated by the generator when it's running.

 

[rlrenz]

I talked to my ambulance electrician friend about my ambulance inverter's charging capabilities, and he mentioned that it's final charge voltage is probably higher than I should have if I plan to leave it connected all winter - he suggested a smart charger, and mentioned that he liked NOCO chargers.

So, considering that my 4 group 31 truck batteries have a replacement cost of about $125 or so each, I just ordered a 5 watt NOCO solar battery maintainer from Amazon to help help keep my batteries warm and happy. I think it can handle the deep cycle battery that will be added just for the refrigerator and some new misc. 12 volt loads (TV, DVD player, AM/FM/CD radio, and some LED interior lighting), but it may be small for the main truck battery bank of 4 group 31 batteries.

After some skull-sweat, I also ordered a NOCO 7.2 amp battery charger/maintainer from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LWTHP2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). My plan was to set it up with a cigarette lighter plug on the output so I can easily plug it in, and then I had a sudden burst of intelligence--- I'm also going to install a lighter receptacle on the panel for the refrigerator's deep cycle battery and adjacent to the Onan generator's battery as well. NOCO also makes a 120 volt inlet/passthrough (A Port-Plug) - its a 120 volt plug in a housing that gets installed on the outside of a vehicle, with a short cord and a receptacle that goes on the inside. I also ordered one as well. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ANV81S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). This will be installed near the cab's passenger seat so a charger can be easily connected. I could do the same using the existing module shore power connection, but this is something that darn near anyone could figure out in a pinch, plus the dedicated connection also means that a lighter extension cord could be used in a pinch as well.

 

[patoz]

I used the Marinco version of that on my pontoon boat to power up the Guest (Marinco brand) 10 Amp Dual Battery Charger/Maintainer I had installed inside the fiberglass console.

The difference in this and the NOCO is, this has the receptacle built into the back instead of on the end of a pigtail. It is primarily designed to work with the Guest charge and has a proprietary locking mechanism built in. The pigtail however, could be an advantage especially if you're mounting it in a tight spot such as a wall.

Don't forget to also add some Blue Sea Systems Dual USB Charger Sockets for charging cells phones, etc.

I'm also considering changing out some of my interior outlets to these 2U AC 15A Outlet w/ 2x USB Charging Ports, or something like it.

If you get a chance, would you take a look at these Eccotemp Tankless Water Heaters, and let me know what you think? They have various sizes, including a portable version, that run off of electricity, NG, or LPG.

 

[rlrenz]

Downright amazing. I've never seen a combined AC & USB receptacle before. Right now, I have five 12 volt sockets in the cab - three of them are 10 amp, and the other two are each 20 amp. The 3 x receptacle unit has two USB ports as well, so the cab is in pretty good shape. I was planning to install a few of the Blue Sea USB ports in the module, but this combined package gives me food for thought. I am a bit concerned about having a 5 volt receptacle included adjacent to a 120 VAC receptacle, though.

The pass-through I have on order lets me set a 120 VAC charger on the cab floor out of the weather, and plug the charger inlet into the pigtail, and the extension cord into the outside inlet. I'll probably leave the charger connected all winter.

The cab's 12 volt sockets - the two on the side of the control panel are new, and the triple set on the side were relocated


I've seen heaters similar to the Ecotemp before, but the AC versions are real power hungry, and the propane versions are something I didn't see an application for - I'm only going to have about an 18 gallon fresh water tank since I plan to to more moteling than camping, so a heavy duty water heater is kind of overkill -- I'd have way more capacity than I would have water. Your earlier recollection of using an engine mounted heat exchanger is obviously one solution, but with a trailer-mounted ambulance, it wouldn't be worth the headaches.

 

[rlrenz]

My 5-watt battery maintainer showed up today. The darn thing measures about 15" square, so it would take an ambulance-sized dashboard to hold it. Since it's designed for IP-65 weather resistance (blowing dust), it will have to stay out of the weather (maybe a Zip-Lock might work for outside apps?). The data sheets state that it has a limited charge capability, but that it can maintain batteries "of any size". We'll see.

I'll run the Vanner charger until the battery voltage says she's charged, then I'll plug the maintainer in and watch the battery voltage over the next few weeks.

Tune in tomorrow (or in a couple of weeks)---

 

[patoz]

I love that console, and it's very similar to what I want to build (even the color) for my F250 tow vehicle. As a matter of fact, I'm saving that picture to use as a model.

The USB/AC outlets have been around for 4-5 years, we just didn't know about them. They are NEC approved, so I assume they are perfectly safe. I know NEC says you can't have low voltage and high voltage in the same box, but apparently they made an exception in this case. And I'm glad too, since I'm not gutting the interior walls of mine, I won't be able to run new 12VDC wiring to the outlet locations, so these will help quite a bit. And a lot cleaner looking too!

As soon as you put your 'stamp of approval' on that little 4.2 gal. water heater, I'll probably order one also. That is perfect for a sink while in a pay campground, plugged into shore power. As for the LP fueled one, I was thinking not only for off-grid type stuff, but for disaster or bug-out situations also. The 4.2 gpm SureFlow pump I already have will lift water 15', so all you would need to do is add a diverter valve and a suction hose and you could draft water from almost any source.

 

[rlrenz]

If the receptacles have an internal transformer / rectifier, then they would probably comply with NEC requirements since the device provides the 5 volts, and it isn't otherwise present in the electrical box. It would certainly be a simple way to have a USB receptacle without having to run separate wiring.

At one time, I had considered removing most of my console, but after looking inside, I figured out that the wiring changes would be a major project, plus the console was actually kinda handy.







As you see, I added a new cover that removed the abandoned radio ports and the siren opening and added two drink holders. The present cover is just painted MDO plywood - as soon as I order some matte finish Formica, it will be overlaid. The large console provides space for a doggy bed when I'm driving - my 9 Lb Shih-Tzu camps out in the doggy bed so he can see out the windows, and also take a nap. The side of the console will wind up with a CB radio (I need to keep the top clear for my pup), and a charging base for one of my Streamlight flashlights. In addition to the console's cup holders, I have two dash mounted cupholders as well.

By the way - the consoles are nothing fancy. They are built from plywood, and covered with Formica or something similar. The covers are held on with oval headed stainless steel screws that rest on finishing washers. They are held down with a simple angle bracket.

The water heater has been shipped, so I should know in a few days just what it looks like. I won't get it installed until next spring, though.

 

[rlrenz]

I ran the beast yesterday, and noticed that the voltmeter was sitting at 14+ volts, which usually tells me that my batteries are VERY low. This morning, I checked the battery voltage, and saw that I was sitting at about 12.1 volts, which indicates about a 50% charge. I decided that I would run the Vanner inverter's battery charger at the 55 amp rate today, unplug overnight, and then check the voltage tomorrow morning, If it is still down, I'll run the Vanner for another day and check again. Once the voltage tells me that I'm close to a 100% charge, I'll plug in the NOCO maintenance charger, and I'll probably leave it plugged in all winter. Once it warms up in the spring, I'll set up the solar charger for the summer. For those of you who are wondering how battery voltage & charge relate, there's one more variable -- temperature. Let the batteries sit overnight if you can so the air temperature will be close to the battery temperature, then the following chart should cover things:

 

[Gentleman Adventurer]

rlrenze;

Nice build. I just finished reading your thread. I was going to recommend 30 or 40 pound bottles for ease of use. Glad you found them. I too am getting to the creaky stage.
Propane makes sense to me, you already have it (no third fuel) stores forever(even ethanol free gas doesn't do that), no messy refuel on cold, wet, dark nights.:wings:

One additional thought; My Yamaha 2400IS is getting a trifuel carb, natural gas is the third capability. Generally Natural gas is available even in power outages etc. I can plug it into my BBQ tap and keep some lights on and the fridge running when the power goes out.

One question, is your Ambo 4wd?

Keith

 

[rlrenz]

rlrenze;

Nice build. I just finished reading your thread. I was going to recommend 30 or 40 pound bottles for ease of use. Glad you found them. I too am getting to the creaky stage.
Propane makes sense to me, you already have it (no third fuel) stores forever(even ethanol free gas doesn't do that), no messy refuel on cold, wet, dark nights.:wings:

One additional thought; My Yamaha 2400IS is getting a trifuel carb, natural gas is the third capability. Generally Natural gas is available even in power outages etc. I can plug it into my BBQ tap and keep some lights on and the fridge running when the power goes out.

One question, is your Ambo 4wd?

Keith

Nope - just 2 wheel drive. I used to own and run military vehicles over the years, but I'm not an off-roader anymore - too old and creaky to even think about reaching for an axe and shovel, or crawling through the mud. At a certain point, some things just ain't fun no more.

It will still take some effort to grump a 40# bottle of gas with a gross weight of about 70#, but the bottles are designed so they can easily be grabbed by two people and lifted into place sideways, then tipped upright. That's an advantage of a Medic Master ambulance - they have large oxygen cabinets so they can also haul back boards/etc. Some other brands have a fairly tight oxygen cabinet. I had thought about buying a Zeco Oxygen bottle lift and modifying it, I had thought about building a folding crane, and I finally figured out that a pair of 40's was all I needed. Some days, my brains aren't cranking along too well.

I'm just going to set it up for straight propane - I'll put the gasoline parts in a box and save them, but I'm just planning on propane. Here in MN, we don't have very many hurricanes, so I don't need the kind of backup you would down along the gulf coast. In fact, after I bought the Onan RV generator, I sold my old military gasoline stand-by generator - the tag I'd put on it when I last ran it stated that it was last used in 1998 (and that I'd changed the oil and drained the fuel before storing it). Interestingly enough, I filled the fuel tank, gave it a shot of ether, pulled the rope, and it was off and running on the second pull.

 

[rlrenz]

To make determining the charge of a flooded cell battery a little easier, I graphed the data I had submitted earlier. The battery temperature has to be known, but if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight, you can get a pretty good estimate. I'll charge my batteries for a day, let them sit overnight, then I use a temperature about halfway between the night time low and the current temperature.

For instance, if a batteries is at about 60 F, and it measures about 12.43 volts, then the battery should be at about a 75% charge.

Specific gravity is still the standard for battery charging, but voltage is fast and easy, especially here in the land of us frozen folks.

View attachment 257030

 

[patoz]

rlrenz, when I try to open the attachment I get this message:

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Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator

 

[rlrenz]

One more try-

 

[rlrenz]

One more try-