I've been looking at a few converted buses and a recent one that I quite like has it's water tanks on the roof. I hadn't seen this before on any motorhomes, and asked the owner about having the weight up so high and he seemed to think it wasn't an issue mentioning that so many buses had huge air conditioning units on the roof. Still, I can't help but wonder, and surely the black water tanks in the full sun would get quite warm as well, I don't imagine that that would be a great thing.
Anyone have any thoughts or ideas on this? Has anyone seen water tanks on a roof before?
250 ltr is 1/4 ton ...I guess on roof it doesn't need a pump ? The hot tank up there would be ok to supply hot water?
Depends on size. I think anything under 250 ltr is too small for main water..
It has 2 x 250L tanks on the roof and they are the one and only water supply for the bus. A big bus, 36 foot I think, but I've just never seen water tanks on a roof, they have always been in underneath.
2 x 250L equals 1/2 a Tonne of water, plus the weight of the tanks.
It would be interesting to see how that weight is absorbed back into the frame of the bus.
Also, if the tanks don't have baffles, there would be a massive sloshing effect when travelling with 1/2 full tanks.
If it has been done correctly you might get away with it, but as a Mechanical Engineer, I personally would not do it.
Peter
PJK
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I think peter said it.. 500lts of water Plus the tanks weight would be a nightmare..
I very much doubt that the roof mounted air con unit's weight that much... maybe 100-150kg but not over 500kgs Plus..
It would be like.. travelling in a forklift with the load held higher than the cab of the FL.. You just don't do it.. I could link to numerous youtube videos that show what happens..
You actually make the vehicle unstable when cornering...
It would be a nightmare to handle and I doubt very much that it has been engineered...
Talk about the Slosh value.. They have a saying with truck's... One Two Three.. its a sway one way, then the other way then one it's side...
A truck crossing a railway crossing has to take it at a safe speed as the Fact of crossing the line can cause the truck to start to sway.. 1 2 3 over...
So Sorry Tanks on the roof is a stupid idea..
Juergen
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2 x 250L equals 1/2 a Tonne of water, plus the weight of the tanks. It would be interesting to see how that weight is absorbed back into the frame of the bus.
Also, if the tanks don't have baffles, there would be a massive sloshing effect when travelling with 1/2 full tanks.
If it has been done correctly you might get away with it, but as a Mechanical Engineer, I personally would not do it.
Peter PJK
Yes it had better be VERY WELL BAFFLED with that weight on the roof. I had to fit baffles to water tanker in the early 70's especially when 1/2 full and not properly baffled they would roll.
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I would be worried about the center of gravity being so high with 250KGs at the highest point. Baffles are a must, the beast will roll with a slight corner and the sloshing... hhhhhmmmmmm.
Safe travels
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I remember the hippy that lived over the road put a corrugated water tank on the roof of his old Austin bus, would have been well over 1000L but I never saw it going, maybe a good idea if only used when stationary.
Apart from all other factor I would think the water would get rather HOT in summer and could freeze in winter that create other issues..
I will stick with finding a spot around floor level or below that is protected from the elements.. and like SnowT leave my roof space for solar panels..
Maybe 2, 3 or 4 large PVC pipes running the length of the vehicle or around the edges with some switch over flow system could work? You would have to work out a safe weight limit for weight up that high.
The idea of Water up High on any vehicle is stupid, if you are going to be traveling..
If you want to have water up high to get it hot then there are systems that you can do.. While traveling, the best location for the water is as LOW as possible.
The issue that this topic was started from was the issue of Water stored up high, while on the move... -- the dangers involved..
Here is the video I was talking about.. This is the video that has helped to change the truck industry..
The idea of Water up High on any vehicle is stupid, if you are going to be traveling..
If you want to have water up high to get it hot then there are systems that you can do.. While traveling, the best location for the water is as LOW as possible.
The issue that this topic was started from was the issue of Water stored up high, while on the move... -- the dangers involved..
Here is the video I was talking about.. This is the video that has helped to change the truck industry..
