Just received an odd request from the school board members , they would like us to change the block heater cord locations to the rear bumper to accommodate drivers backing into the parking spots instead of pulling in .
anyone ever dealt with this before ? seems like an odd request to me .
I can foresee replacing many poles this coming year
I know the electrical inspectors back in my home region would require a GFCI in at the start of the conduit run as that would be considered a new 110v. installation, and the fact that the vehicle isn't grounded while sitting on the tires. Good quality 50' + extension cords can be found for a decent price these days. Just run one down the side of the bus.
I love requests like this! I would just run 110 volt wire in conduit to the rear of the bus. Not a real brain twister just time consuming.
^What he said. I used to work at a district that did that to all of their conventionals since all the buses back in. I don't know that they had any problems with drivers taking out the poles...usually the electric plugs would pull off first.
Due to the current economic condition, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice.
I love requests like this! I would just run 110 volt wire in conduit to the rear of the bus. Not a real brain twister just time consuming.
^What he said. I used to work at a district that did that to all of their conventionals since all the buses back in. I don't know that they had any problems with drivers taking out the poles...usually the electric plugs would pull off first.
I got the impression he was talking about the drivers backing over the posts.
All (75) of Our block heater plugs are located on the front bumpers.The drivers are required to back the bus into its correct parking space (without backing over the recptical pole).Each driver is supplied with a lighted plug extension cord for the bus and need to plug the bus in at the end of ther shift when instructed to do so during the winter.That makes it simpler for the last mechanic out at night or me in the morning to walk or drive through the lot and see if any of the GFI recpt have tripped or if the driver forgot to plug in. and we believe that backing in makes the lot safer for the drivers that are walking to there bus in the morning.
I've never understood why districts would pull buses in frontward...it is so much safer to back them into their spots so you can see when pulling out. My hometown has all front engine buses (conventionals and FEs) and every one of them has a rear engine block heater plug. The district used to order them like this from the factory or dealer...not sure who did the work. But recently they stopped coming like that (transportation director NOT happy) and the school district now as part of the "new bus prep" attaches an extension cord to the short cord provided with the bus and runs it to the back, installing a new plug back there. It's always done rather tastefully. As of late, the receptacles have been mounted immediately below the emergency door in that small metal panel. My own bus though has it up in the body panel, right next to the right side license plate indentation.
Now why your school board cares about this is beyond me.
I have a question. When you back busses into a lot parking space do they make the curbs come out so that the rear wheels hit them and there will be a lot of over hang on the walkway? Or do you just trust the drivers to stop at the right spot? Ive never seen anything like this.Pics?
block heater plugs
Posted - 05/27/2010 : 11:37:30 AM
