Hi, Katie, That looks like a fun project. That school bus is HUGE ! , at least for something you can drive around . I'm working on a similar mobile home project . Here are some ideas that I've been looking at;
I am installing flexible solar panels on the roof with a mppt charge controller to deliver 12 volts. This will charge deep cycle lead-acid batteries. This gives you enough power for LED lighting and water pumping and other small loads. I use a 12 volt Aquajet on-demand water pump to pressurize collected rain water for the kitchen and bathroom. For the toilet I am using a modified Sun-Mar rotating drum composting toilet. The modification is sinking it into the floor so it is at normal height and using a 10 gallon Rubbermaid bin that is removed from the outside instead of the teeny tray that comes with the toilet. This eliminates the black water situation and the 12 volt system runs a little biscuit fan 24 hours a day so there are no odors. Now you don't need any holding tanks (like in a common RV) and the gray water can go directly onto a garden. Heating the bus in Maine in the winter might be tricky. I went to school up there and those buses just stay cold all winter. I'm looking into the best thin insulation . You have a lot of single pane windows that lose heat. I'm thinking clear bubble wrap blinds to still let light in ?? I could go on and on. Best of Everything, Benton
