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

[rlrenz]

Everything I find regarding ambulance construction repeatedly shows me that the darn things are built like brick phone booths. The big advantage we have is that they are all built to the same GSA standards, so even though there are always differences in how each maker does things, there will always be a lot of commonality--eg: the type of wire used, the use of convoluted tubing, the type of upholstery, relays with diodes for control in anything built before about 200/2001. ALL the makers tended to use the same components -- interior lighting by Weldon, exterior lighting by Weldon, or Guide, and emergency lighting by Whelen, Code-3, and Federal.

Oddly enough, I found the document when I was searching for Freightliner AM/FM radio antennas - I want to add an AM/FM/CD radio to the module, and I was looking for a comparable antenna. I had never seen the document when I searched for Medic Master.

Pat: Are you sure you don't have laminate covering? Unless the surface is definitely soft, you may have a solid color laminate. Check WIlsonart - they seem to be heavily into industrial / commercial applications.

I have a couple of the reading lights on order. I'll run some photos and my $0.02 worth of opinion when I have them. I ordered mine from a Weldon distributor that I use who had to order some in, but they are also available from Emergency Responder Products (http://www.emergencyresponderproducts.com/82ledswrela.html) for $ 16.95

 

[patoz]

Pat: Are you sure you don't have laminate covering? Unless the surface is definitely soft, you may have a solid color laminate. Check WIlsonart - they seem to be heavily into industrial / commercial applications.

light gray vinyl covered plywood

I can see now how this statement is misleading. Yes, apparently what I have is a completely smooth 'ABS laminate covered plywood'. What's on the walls is about the same thickness as the Melamine covering on kitchen cabinets, and what's on the cabinets is thicker, but not as thick or rigid as Formica.

I have purchased some heavier white laminate similar to this before to cover a camping table. It was flexible and could be loosely rolled up, and if I remember correctly it had a heat activated adhesive already on the back of it. You used a clothes iron set on warm to press it into place and activate the glue.

I hope those reading lights turn out to be good quality with a nice light output. I know I want to put a couple over the crew bench/couch/bed area, and maybe a couple in other areas.

 

[rlrenz]

You may have "vertical grade" laminate. It comes in two versions, horizontal and vertical grade. Horizontal is intended for a wearing surface, like a counter, while vertical is about half the thickness and is intended as an easy-to-clean surface that won't see a lot of wear, such as a cabinet door. The prices of each are about the same, but the vertical grade is about half the thickness. It's easier to work with since its thinner, but be careful --- any laminate scraps (vertical or horizontal) can be about as sharp as a razor.

I thought about a reading light from Camping World, but when I picked one up, I immediately thought of a full manure spreader... Weldon has been making equipment for fire trucks and ambulances for many years, and I am expecting a quality product--- we'll see.

 

[patoz]

That's good info on the laminate, and I didn't know that. I'll be sure to check that if I find any. I may end up having to do what you did, and seek professional help for info. I'm also going to check with some local cabinet shops to see what they have or can get.

We had Federal, Weldon, and Whelen products on most all of our Fire Apparatus, and it was all good stuff for the most part. The Fire Service is like the military...it will get used and abused, and then used and abused some more, but it better still work!

We have a big RV/Camper dealer here with a parts store. I went in the other day to look at LED interior lighting, and I could not believe the junk they had in there, not to mention the prices they wanted for it. It's a shame how low the quality level of what's considered acceptable, has dropped. After cutting my ambulance in half and removing everything underneath that's not needed, the rear half still weighs 5,100 lbs. How many 12.5' camper trailers weigh anywhere near that much? And how many can withstand a complete rollover, and remain intact? Mine may be somewhat of an 'ugly duckling' right now, but I'm very happy with it. A complete new paint job is in the plans for the future, and hopefully it will look as good as it did new.

 

[patoz]

Just in case you don't get the Isotherm refrigerator, and end up with a RV one...


How to Prevent Your RV Refrigerator from Exploding If You Can’t Level Your RV

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/prevent-rv-refrigerator-exploding-cant-level-rv/

 

[rlrenz]

We all have found out the same things - camper / RV stuff is certainly NOT built to be durable - I often think it's designed to last through the warranty period on the RV (and I think they plan on us northerners parking the equipment over the winter!).

I spent about 80% or so of my working life dealing with the military, DoD, military specs, and all the rest of the fun things. Anything tactical or space-related had LOTS of paperwork, and it was designed for durability, not cost. If you say Whelen, Weldon, Federal, and Code-3 to anyone who works with emergency vehicles, they know what you are talking about. These guys have the same design goals - durable, reliable, and repairable.

Picture someone trying to drive an ambulance or fire truck with Chinese sirens, lights, undersized wiring, oddball hardware. As my grandfather used to save "How much money can you afford to save...".

Thankfully, the GSA KKK spec pretty well locks the design down, so any ambulance will have mostly comparable features.

I hear you on weight - your half-ambulance probably weighs as much as many complete RVs, and my Freightliner probably weighs as much as a 40 footer.

I bought some LED lights from Super Bright LEDs for my now-sold radio shelter. The cost was $19.95 per each, but they did a darn nice job - I'm planning on some of them in my upgrades. Their site (and the light data) is at https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...ed-round-dome-light-led-fixture-3w/1544/3514/. It might be worth buying one and seeing what you think about it - I bought 1, then I ordered 6 more.

 

[rlrenz]

And now I'm even happier that I bought a 12 volt refrigerator. Right now, it's sitting in my garage and connected to a 12 volt supply. It has been running for months now - in the summer, it WAS my convenient beverage cooler, but my wife opened the door one day, and now I can maybe get a can or two into it.

I had thought about a propane refrig until I found that it has to be about 99% level to work very well - boy, I could just picture working to level a 20,000 Lb ambulance so the blasted cooler would work! If I hadn't found a decent electric refrigerator, I probably would have stuck with ice. You know ice is gonna be cold, be it level or not.

 

[patoz]

Thankfully, the GSA KKK spec pretty well locks the design down, so any ambulance will have mostly comparable features.

Are you aware that KKK-A-1822F (August 1, 2007) will expire in September 2015, and will become defunct? Apparently, there is a turf war going on between a new organization called CAAS, (Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services), and the NFPA 1917 (Standard for Automotive Ambulances) and IAFC (International Association of Fire Chiefs).

Unlike the NFPA, CAAS is not accredited by ANSI as a standard-setting organization; the IAFC feared this group would not be familiar enough with ANSI's policies to ensure its standard and standard-setting process would meet the requirements for receiving ANSI approval.

CAAS to Develop Ambulance Standard

http://www.emsworld.com/article/114...services-to-develop-ground-ambulance-standard

NFPA 1917: The Search for a Safer Ambulance

http://www.iafc.org/onScene/article.cfm?ItemNumber=7667


I was on the Super Bright LEDs website a couple of days ago and saw that light. Good to know it's worth looking at. Alex (flightcancelled) and I are both looking for a suitable LED replacement for the halogen bulbs in the side work/load lights, if you come across anything that might work. Lots of lights out there, but finding one that's somewhat weatherproof and won't lose too much light as it passes through the lens of the Whelen lightheads is the trick. I guess that's why Whelen charges $350.00 apiece for them.

What refrigerator did you end up getting?

 

[rlrenz]

The refrig is an Isotemp CR65. 12 volt operation only.

The change over to NFPA 1917 is up in mid air right now, so KKK is still running things. My ambulance dealer friends still have to certify a re-mount to KKK for sell-off to the customers. No matter what happens to 1917, it won't make much difference to us. Among other things, the oxygen tank has to be in a separate compartment (no inverters, etc), and the rear of the module is virtually covered in reflective material. I'll post a summary of the differences between KKK & 1917 if you're interested.

I've found some decent LED fixtures on Amazon - I'm going to add a 12 volt receptacle on the rear so I can plug in a free-standing area light. My math tells me that I can handle a 25 foot 16-2 power cable and still keep it to only a 10% voltage drop.

This light has been installed on the sides of the ambulance in place of the old 125 watt 120 VAC quartz lamps: http://www.amazon.com/Kawell®-Light...GRISB78/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_qzdYtb140QTJCA2S_tt. It's only 18 watts, but they throw a lot of light. This light was suggested by my friends in the industry, and it has proved itself to be durable.

Here's a pair of Kawell LED flood lights, 27 watts each--http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DLZSAAI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. It might be possible to graft one of them into a different housing.

Here's a pair of 18 watt Kawell LEDs that might also be worth thinking about: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IXDN0Y4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[rlrenz]

A friend of mine in the ambulance business put me on to Cast Products, Inc. They specialize in cast aluminum products for emergency vehicles - the location is: http://www.getcpi.com/. A quick cruise through their web site showed that I can search very specifically by vehicle or by application. Take a look, and you'll recognize many of the parts we use, such as door grabbers, fold down steps and access doors. I have no idea what the prices are, but methinks they might be right up there.

 

[rlrenz]

Here's a question - I ran into these in an ambulance, but no one seems to know who the maker is. Has anyone ever run into a horizontal sliding shade like this one? They were installed in a 2012 Braun ambulance, but someone supplied them.

 

[patoz]

I've seen them on passenger aircraft before but not on ambulances, of course it's been a while since I've been in a current model. They don't look like they would be that hard to build. Just get some of the same track that the sliding door on the compartments slide in and build a frame. Use the second track and add a screen.

 

[rlrenz]

Duplicating it would be straightforward, but I wanted to find out more about the design and why it is used in ambulances. A vertical Z-fold shade is common in RVs, but why a sideways shade for an ambulance? Is there a reason, does it work better? Maybe past problems with counterbalance springs led to a counterbalance-less requirement?

Plus, my natural curiosity is hard at work.

There is a Braun distributor near here, and I may ask their salesman if he's run into them before.

I was planning on a vertical Z-fold shade in my buggy, which is why this is an interesting idea - If it turns out to have some merit, I can probably buy two vertical shades and a longer track, and maybe build a longer guide bar for the shades, and then clone my own. I'll loose some wall space, so it will wind up being a judgement call-- vertical, or horizontal.

Have a Happy New Year!

 

[rlrenz]

I learned that having an ambulance can lead your family to some interesting Christmas gift ideas - this year, I was given a "My other car is an ambulance" license plate frame, a British ambulance attendant's hat, and some American LaFrance jacket patches.

 

[pyrate]

Duplicating it would be straightforward, but I wanted to find out more about the design and why it is used in ambulances. A vertical Z-fold shade is common in RVs, but why a sideways shade for an ambulance? Is there a reason, does it work better? Maybe past problems with counterbalance springs led to a counterbalance-less requirement?

Plus, my natural curiosity is hard at work.

There is a Braun distributor near here, and I may ask their salesman if he's run into them before.

I was planning on a vertical Z-fold shade in my buggy, which is why this is an interesting idea - If it turns out to have some merit, I can probably buy two vertical shades and a longer track, and maybe build a longer guide bar for the shades, and then clone my own. I'll loose some wall space, so it will wind up being a judgement call-- vertical, or horizontal.

Have a Happy New Year!

Perhaps a horizontal shade would be less likely to move given the driving nature of an emergency vehicle over varied terrain. While RV's are somewhat designed keep things in place while driving, many of their fixtures are not up to the jarring of a few errant bumps and sharp turns can cause things to shift, open and cause some cleanup. Just a thought.