Generator for the tractor

I was parked at a truckstop (I only do that as a last option) at 2 A.M. I heard what sounded like a D-10 starting on a cold morning 5 feet from my head. After the third shut down/start up cycle I had to get out and see what this was. It was a home made Onan/air conditioner/generator system, apparently he needed what looked like a 20K four cylinder Onan. He was 3 trucks down from me. Reefer drivers were complaining about the noise.

Please remember to not be that guy when you reinvent the wheel.

 

Wow, how many amps does it use.I bought 2 from walmart but da start up amps was too high so the compressor never came on

 

I've read that an eu2000 will run an A/C just fine but one needs to start the blower fan first and let it get up to speed before switching to A/C. No experience with this personally.

Is that Honda 2000 CARB compliant right across the board or are there certain CA only models?

 

On the rooftop units, a hard start capacitor may be required. Costs about $15 from a HVAC store. Could be fitted to a window one too maybe? It will take the strain off the generator when it cycles on and off.

Martin

 

Nice. Where are you hanging A/C? Any pictures?

 

I just went out and replaced the EU3000is I left on the Freightliner today. So I now have a Shiny generator strapped to my catwalk also!
Will make brackets for it and mount it to the frame like I did on the Shaker, when I get home Monday.
Still deciding on AC units for the new Star. I went up top today and it is pretty much perfectly flat in the middle, so it will work. But it felt a little more flimsy than the Columbia, so not sure what the deal is there. I need to do something ASAP though, as summer is well and truly here!

Martin

 

I just went out today and picked up a Honda eu2000i and a portable a/c unit (similar to what scottied67 posted earlier) for my son's truck. I got the a/c at Brandsmart and went with one that is almost too much for the eu2000i on start up. They had a 9k btu model and a 12k btu with heat. Both units were about the same size space wise, and with the bigger one only rated at a little less than two amps more than the small one and only $30 more, I went with the 12k.

On eco mode, the internal circuit protection in the a/c will not let the compressor start. It just hits the gen too hard and too fast and triggers a low voltage reset before the gen can rev up. With eco turned off (gen at full speed) the compressor will start with a brief gen overload then run fine. I'm gonna send him out with it as-is this week and see how it works out. About $1,500 all in at the moment. We'll probably fab up a small side box for the gen for security and to nearly eliminate the set up time when using it.

I will be getting a hard start capacitor for the a/c unit. The rv forums are alive with success stories of people running even bigger rooftop units off small generators after installing a start capacitor. Supposing that works out, he'll be able to run the a/c longer on a tank.

The way we use this, I just couldn't justify the $9000 Dynasys apu. Or a used one for that matter. When fall comes back around, we'll have the heat feature available for cool nights. When it gets cold all the time in winter it'll be easy enough to pull the a/c out and just use a small space heater instead.

 

IIRC this is the one I installed into the rooftop ac unit on my old truck
https://www.arnoldservice.com/beta/supco-super-compressor-boost-hard-start-capacitor-spp6e/

Not from that supplier, but if you go to Supco' website, they list distributors etc.

Martin