How to cope with no APU

I have only ever seem pictures of them, so I thought that it might work for what the folks were asking here.

 

I'm sorry but I'm not about to quit a company because they don't have apu's. They don't keep thier trucks much past 400-500k miles. An apu installed on every truck wouldn't be cost effective. I guess I'm one of the few that understands the cost of idling thousands of trucks and why a company would want to restrict it. I'm sure there are people that would abuse the right to idle and that's why the policy is in place. I guess I understand watching the bottom dollar because I had the unfortunate experience of running a company where employees took advantage of everything.

I for one will idle when conditions are extreme and call for it. Outside of that like original poster I'm interested in ways to stay comfortable without an apu or idling. Quitting my job for another is not a solution. I may find a company that has apu's or let's me idle all night but what other sacrifices would I be making working for that company?

Sounds like venting hot air, finding a way to deal with condensation on an ac unit and making sure it doesn't pull too many amps are the issue.

Portable ac's aren't cheap and if they work from evaporative air they won't do much in the humid areas.

Any other ideas besides quitting?

 

I idle when I need to and only when I'm in the truck. If its cool enough I will use my breezeway screens and open the sleeper vents and windows. I also have idle air for when I get stuck in Ft. Worth (that pilot on 170) which has happened twice.

OTOH I'm heading to Kalifornia on this run and will have to tough it out but with the temps in the high 70's in the LA area it might not be so bad. Hopefully I get a reload right away heading out of there so I won't have to park n sweat at the Ontario truck stops.

 

My APU is a 550 cat... If it's hot I idle, if it's cold I idle... I'm not about to pay thousands of $$$$ and add 4 or 5 hundred pounds to my truck to satisfy a bunch of tree huggers that think it's bad for the environment... I'm not gonna sweat to death or freeze because of these rediculous laws, and if your working for a company that does not have APUs and won't let you idle when the conditions call for it then you need to go somewhere else...

 

An APU will pay for itself in 500,000 miles, and it could then be transferred to another unit.

But no AC worth mentioning will do you any good just running off an inverter and the charge in your starting batteries.

 

When the conditions call for it being the key. Its clear over time there's been to many that have abused the right to idle. It's just unfortunate that we have to abide by laws and policies put into place because some over extended the use.

Eh I guess I'll just continue to use my 12volt super fan until I can come up with a better solution.

Stay cool

 

My co. allows 20% overidle. And if I get a hold of my dispatcher I request extra idle credit when its uncomfortable. I use words like, safety issue, heat exhaustion, cant sleep, its well over 110 in the truck. Im headed to Redlands Ca. I hear its going to be up to 100-110 degrees. I guess Ill get a motel. Or idle, F*** em

 

Company I drive for has a strict idling policy and the rope is getting tightened further. I have a set of breezeway screens, a 12" fan placed in the sleeper window at the foot end of the bed drawing in air, and a clip fan placed near the head end of the bed blowing at my upper body. So far no major problems staying cool. As for winter we have bunkheaters installed in the truck, and I have a quilted blanket and a fleece blanket to help me stay warm. I also carry a sleeping bag in case of emergencies. BTW...growing up as a kid (I'm 40 now) we never had A/C, parents still don't, so humidity doesn't bother me too much, just so long as the air is moving over me to evaporate the sweat I can make due.

 

Go in the truck stop TV room and you will see what the ones without APUs do

 

Finished training last week and got a truck (after the first truck they gave me was in such poor condition). Supposedly I was going to be able to choose a truck, but in reality was assigned a truck that was available. The initial excitement of getting a tuck is wearing off and would rather have an old truck w an apu than a new truck wo one. It is a straight 10 as apposed to the 9 auto I had been using in school and training so I am still getting used to it and its not comfortable yet. Spent my first night where it was 120 during the day and didnt seem to get much cooler at night, had to keep getting up every hour to idle and cool down the cab. The lack of quality sleep combined w the new truck is not a good combination, but as it has been mentioned, us new drivers have few options and are very expendable.