Home Brew APU

it wouldn't be quite as self contained as the apu's but a 3000 series honda eco gennie, a small electric furnace(like the apu's power) and in summer a 110volt window type ac unit. you might need a second fuel tank, but the 1 one the honda should run all night and a 5 gallon can, and a walk over to the gas pumps while refueling would fix that. should leave some money over, run quieter, and you can use it around the house or while camping if you ever get home long enough.

 

just need to point out that in this age of trucks with California Idle engine, you can't high idle them. My Mack has the cute little California low-idle certified sticker, which we don't go to Ca. anyhow and they don't allow idling anyhow, but I can only high idle (1200 rpms) for 90 minutes then the computer automatically cancels it and returns to normal idle.

 

iron pony has got this pretty good.

also keep in mind that diesels are fuel throttled, not air throttled. how fast they turn and how much work they do is dependant on how much fuel you feed them. its not really very possible to turn the fuel down or lean it out and still make everything work like its supposed to.

and also keep in mind that someone has to pay that engineer, and everyone else involved in the process. I know that alot of guys already think that new trucks are expensive enough.

as for myself, if i ever get my own truck, a little used water cooled yanmar 2cyl diesel and a generator are all i need, as my fabrication skills are excellent.

 

A number of competitors to Carrier and TK went out of business last year - they were doing ok, but didn't have the cash to keep them going through the tough times.

That's one of the chances you take when you buy one of the "off-brands" - they may not be in business in a few years. Also, there's maintenance - if you're not handy at fixin' it, you may end up with a DOA unit until you manage to find your way back to the manufacturer.

 

Just a thought here... not defending the practice: One of the reasons why APUs are expensive (ie, overpriced) is that you're hanging all that equipment off of the side of a truck, and it needs to be built for heavy duty service. Your average Honda generator isn't designed for that kind of abuse.

 

In the face of the cost of a full-bore APU package with all the mounting, tubing, etc, my question has always been why not spec a truck with a RV type heater/ac unit at manufacture and perhaps add a small generator capable of withstanding the rigors of heavy duty life? Seems like that would have forestalled the entire anti-idle fisaco from the get go. Of course there will always be the Mexican Republic of the United State of California and all the Green Gaia crowd leaning so far to the left that you have to wonder why they haven't toppled over into the Pacific Ocean...

But I'm just a dumb truck driver. What do I know what with never having had a proper Berkely indoctrination...