Clima-cab APU worth a darn?

From what I understand, they're good unless you're doing a restart and sitting for a while or in an area of weather extremes (Such as AZ etc). Like most battery based APU's, you're still tied to the dependency of idling in order to recharge the battery pack once they run low. And that's tied in directly to the load placed on them. Hotter the climate, more load = reduction in run time available.

I'd rather stick to a diesel solution until they get more optimization/efficiency with battery based units.

 

Mesilla Valley Transportation has those battery APU units. I noticed a few of their trucks have solar panels on the roof presumably to run the ac system when parked during the day

 

I had a T660 with the 'Cool Power' battery APU. Had an Espar (Spelling?) bunk heater and 3500 watt battery APU that also cooled the sleeper. It was good for about 10 - 15 hrs and then would just shut off by tripping a breaker underneath. You had to start the truck to charge it back up. Hit the reset button on the breaker before it would work again.

During the hottest days of the summer I usually ended up idling the truck and running both AC's because the battery AC didnt have enough by itself. Didnt have any problems in the winter. Bunk heater would make you sweat within 5 mins. And APU could run my coffee maker, hot plate, charge my laptop and keep everything going for over 24 hrs that way during a restart.

I've never had a truck with any other APU so I really cant compare it personally. But I wasnt a big fan of it. Plus the weight of all those batteries played havoc with an already heavy truck.

Hurst

 

When it gets over 95 degrees and you have to take a 10 hour break in the day time, then make sure you have the sun behind you, else if its it in front/side of you, the APU air condition can't keep up and you'll be soaked in sweat. Enjoy!

Winter time can be an issue if its below 0 degrees and windy, but most of the winters even up north are generally above 0 degrees so shouldn't be too much issue. During winter, probably depends which way the wind is blowing that you wanna park, to restart your truck later you know.

 

I can't tell you about the clima-cab battery systems, as I have never had one, but I did have a TripacE on the company truck I had before my lease unit, and I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole ever again. I'd have it fully charged, and when I hit the AC button, it would trip out and show a depleted battery indicator. It would run the heater for a full reset away from home, though.

Don't like having to run the truck to charge the batteries, because that kind of defeats the purpose of having an APU. I know the alternator will put out as much current as needed, but I don't trust that all the batteries are getting their full charge.


Our company is getting away from the battery based units due to reliability issues and outfitting all the subsequent units with engine driven units. Just not worth the trouble.

 

I had a truck with a clima-cab on it and I hated it. on a hot day, say anything over 85, it would never get my sleeper down to the desired temp and because of that the compressor would run non stop pulling full power from the batteries and as a result on those days I would be lucky to get 2 hours out of it before the batteries were dead and I was forced to run the truck. Luckily I just gor a brand new pete with a new system. its battery powered just like the clima-cab but it works much much better, it's simply called "idle free". haven't had a single problem with it so far.

 

My current truck has the Climacab cooler and heater on it. The cooler will NOT keep the whole cab cool for 10 hours at 100 degrees. I use a comforter and some bungee cords to make a little "tent" over the bed, and it will go for at least 8 hours and keep the temp at 70 or so. It takes about 7 hours of driving to fully charge the batteries. If you're mostly sleeping at night and in temps lower than Texas temps, it does a fine job if your operation fits into its parameters. Now, the heater is a fuel-fired heater, just like the Webasto or Espar. It uses very little power, so it can run for several days, and you won't have any trouble at all keeping the entire cab warm. And it uses next to no fuel, less than 1/10 gallon per hour.

 

This is what I can't figure out.....if you idle a truck at around 1200 rpm's or so you defeat all this crap.....you stay warm in the winter in almost any extreme, also cool in the summer in any extreme. These number crunching fools do nothing to help a driver not only stay alert because he has had the proper amount of rest , plus..... he's able to concentrate on driving...not staying warm or cool.....the only the thing they are concerned with is fuel....compare the costs of both, then add in the indescribable benefits you get from a driver who is well rested.....no comparison if you ask me.....sorry for the hi-jack.....

 

Well, it might interest you to know that, at least in recent times, the official word from Volvo Trucks was to not install auxiliary heaters and coolers. They are very high-failure items and rarely save what they cost.