Good Alternative for APU

I'm not an O/O. But thanks to FFE I can fill you in on a few "survival" options on how to shut that truck down without running it, or any form of climate control in the truck.

My opti-idle, literally; never worked.
Those Webasto cab heaters? They're great if the first thing you do after your 11 is go to sleep.
The clima-cab systems work for crap.

So here's how this works;

In the winter, Grizzly just became your best friend. Because you're protected from the wind, it's not often you'll need a sleeping bag that is rated for much below zero. You can go lower than that, but frankly; it's kind of pointless. If you're still chilly, get yourself one of those 12v dc heater blankets and line the sleeping bag with that. You'll be safe and warm in it.

Come the summer? You're kind of screwed. Opti-idle/icon functioning properly, saves fuel. Clima-cab functioning properly, works half-assed. Realistically, the only way to concur the issue of heat in the truck is either to idle, or outfit an APU. Granted, you'll occasionally be blessed to park in a truck stop and the guy sitting next to you won't be idling. Don't count on it.


Outside of that, a small fan never hurt on either front. Pre-cooling or pre-heating your truck before stopping can't hurt either.

 

Driver posted a few days ago he had an RV power unit installed at an RV dealership for a few hundred dollars. Big truck APU's run into the thousands and some up to $16000.00

The website "apucenter" has used and new APU's for sale.

Some at RV dealership sell as low as 2 or 3 hundred dollars if you install it yourself.

 

Gas powered generator strapped on the catwalk if ya got one.

Your neighbor at the truck stop will love you .

 

I like my bunk heater and inverter. Inverter is 200 bucks. Bunk heater is 1000ish. All the power and heat i need. Unfortunately, no a/c in summer while motor is off. Many have a gas honda gen that they use to power electric a/c. Leftlane probably has the least redneck gas gen setup. My prob with that is you need to get gas. You could use a diesel gen, but air cooled diesel gens suck and die. Water cooled diesel gens are almost as much as an APU.

 

Had a 3500 Watt (3.5kw) Onan generator, used a Coleman RV AC with a heater coil and had a coffee pot. Onan is quiet and will fit on the frame rail, may cost 5000 for a new one but they last 15000 hours, hold resale value and sip fuel at 1/2 GPH.

http://www.generatorjoe.net/subcatmfgprod.asp?1=257&2=-1

 

I don't own a truck, but a gas generator and cutting a hole for a window ac unit. Oh yeah put that ac on the top bunk. Some people have roof units prolly less red neck. But 200 bucks 8000 but with Walmart warenty for window ac.

 

Webasto bunk heater for winter and breezeway widow screens and run the northern states for summer.

 

whatever solution you have, you should get an esbar/wabasco bunk heater. They are relitivly cheap (1000) and burn way less fuel then any gas or diesel gen. I bought mine on fleabay for 800. They can keep you toasty all night long for only a dollar in fuel.

 

I think I'll just stick with the APU that was installed by my company. A thousand bucks for a bunk heater seems a little steep to me. Just sayin'