Roehl Phase 3, life after RDTC

While aspects of this have been asked and answered elsewhere, I'll answer it here because I haven't seen it described as specifically as I'm about to do (I'd searched for similar answers prior to joining Roehl):

In essentially all cases, the main truck engine is not allowed to continuously idle. This is for good reason, as it's about the most inefficient and costly way possible to provide power, heat and cooling to the cab.

For providing 12V accessory power and air conditioning, the trucks have either an APU (small diesel engine with generator and A/C compressor driven by that engine), or what they call an "EPU" (extra battery capacity, recharged by automatically starting up the main truck engine periodically for a short period and where the A/C compressor is run by an electric motor powered by the battery capacity). Older trucks tend to have an APU; newer ones tend to have an EPU. Each works about equally well, though individual drivers may prefer one or the other. One reason the company has gone with EPUs on the newer trucks is because of supposed reliability problems with the APUs, but I've been told that's bogus; any "reliability problems" are almost always due to drivers not checking the oil level in the APU engine and keeping it at the proper level.

For heat, essentially all the trucks have a diesel-fueled forced-air heater. This is separate and distinct from the APU/EPU (though the power to run the fan and ignitor on the heater ultimately comes from the APU or EPU of course). The APU/EPU is used for cooling only; not for heating.

Trucks are not equipped with power inverters by default, though the company will install one for you (1500 watts, enough to run a microwave, etc.) if you pay a fee; I've heard it's around $300 and can be paid through payroll deduction. You may not install your own inverter, again for good reasons, as the currents and wire capacities involved on an inverter of that size require a careful, precise installation in order to not have a fire risk. Small inverters that are powered through a 12V accessory socket are allowed, though most trucks have a 15A limit on those sockets, which is enough to run only about a 200-300 watt inverter.

They are on e-logs; it seems about evenly split between Qualcomm and TruckPC. The same functions are provided on each, though the user interface is somewhat different. Some of the very newest TruckPC units have GPS-driven turn-by-turn directions; opinions vary on the usefulness of that function since the company gives you an assigned route to follow and there's not yet a way to automatically "download" that route directly into the turn-by-turn direction application.

Hope this helps.

 

I did recently see a '14 Prostar with an apu. So not sure about epu vs apu on new trucks. If they are going back, or the availability of the option.

 

Interesting, that's good to know. I personally prefer the APU (what I have in my current truck). My trainer's truck was a '14 Prostar with an EPU, and when the main engine would auto-start periodically in the middle of the night it was annoying because all the warning buzzer stuff would sound each time, just as if you were starting up the engine with your key.

 

That would suck, but I'd say it's better then having nothing at all. A heartland recruiter told me their trucks only idle between 50 degree f and 72 degrees f. I think that would be much worse.

 

U get used to it after a while. Turn the Qualcomm on silent and the only thing you hear is the motor crank up. Better than the apu rattling the bunk or extremely loud ac fan the Columbias have.

 

In rare cases, Roehl will have you idle your truck in order to keep the fuel from gelling in extreme cold, for example. On trucks with APUs, the APU engine is capable of heating and circulating coolant to the cooling system on the main engine, keeping it warm. However, there are times when even this isn't enough and the main engine itself has to be idled.

I presume you meant below 50 F and above 72 F? Even so, that's still a very inefficient way to heat or cool the cab vs. the APU or EPU. I'm amazed when I walk through truck stops and hear all the engines idling, burning up money.

 

In my trainer's truck we couldn't get it to be silent -- it wasn't the Qualcomm/TruckPC that made the noise, it was the low air pressure warning buzzer going off in test mode, the way it does when you turn the key to the on position. If at some point I get a truck with an EPU I'll no doubt look into this more.

 

Could be different for flatbed vs van truck set ups. I have mcp200 not the pc. And 1 out hundreds of van trls are air ride vs air ride flatbed trls I guessing would be the low air unless he had a leak. Now I think about it maybe the Bendix on guard system that beeps. Idk most times doesn't start up til I do my pre trip to check the lights. Apu or reefer parks next to me doesn't bother me but after a while being used to apu truck that I had the welcome silence of the epu is nice.

 

Yeah it also beeps when it idles up to override idle shutdown. You do get used to it though. Because in winter it will start about 3 times a night and run about 10-20 min. About 30 or lower is the cutoff it seems.