Some simple math regarding fuel economy

I'd much rather be comfortable when I sleep than to be sweating and miserable just to save a little money

 

... but if you were having to choke on a $2000 per month heating bill for your house would that be acceptable?

Would you turn down a $24,000 a year raise from your boss?

Have you tried sleeping with the truck turned off if the temperature is 70ºF?


Regarding the issue of temperatures getting down below freezing, then is a good time to fire up the truck for periods of time to keep the engine ready to start in the morning.

 

I do all the time. My fan is sufficient under those circumstances.

 

At 70 outside ill turn the truck off most definitely, but anything above 75 or below 20 ill run the truck. Anything above 70 in Florida ill run the truck because the humidity is so bad sometimes. Though I don't have to idle anymore as my truck has an APU now

 

When you are paying the bill you can do whatever you like. My truck burns 0.5 gallons an hour, so that's around $1.75 per hour. Cheaper than an APU and cheaper than Idle Air. So I idle when it's hot, when it's a pleasant temperature I switch off. For the winter I have a bunk heater and good batteries hor the hotel load.

 

A little perspective about heat and "getting a decent night's sleep"...

Have you ever fallen asleep in a warm room, like a classroom or church? I'll bet almost anybody has done this. The fact is that warmth promotes sleep.

Sweating is not a bad thing.

Folks pay top dollar to sleep in day spas in rooms that are heated from 80ºF up to 150ºF. My wife and I were hosted at such a spa in Korea to the tune of $350 each (memberships cost $80,000). The whole point of the spa seemed to be to sleep in a myriad of rooms with floor heating with different temperatures from warm to Hades hot. Some of the members are there every day, soaking up the heat.

I can sleep very well inside a warm truck. In really hot temperatures face away from the sun, open all the vents, screen up the windows, turn on the fan, and lay a beach towel down for the sweat. I have my own day spa and sleep like a baby... as long as I'm not parked next to the temperature challenged.

 

That might be true for some but for the majority of people I will bet it is not. I absolutely have a hard time sleeping while sweating.

 

one word,motel

 

I do air work and drive 260 miles a day average. I still idle all day with a 12 hour shift and at 70mph is 5.6, at 65mph is 6.4 and 60mph is 7.2.

Truck is a 03 c12 stage 1 pdi 9200 mid roof container hauler with a .73 10sp and 3.55 rears. I was use to 5- 5.5mpg doing 58mph with the dumb low nox tune.

im pretty happy with it now and if I could do longer runs and didn't idle I could probably see mpg in the 8s.

 

I don't like to sweat though, I don't like to smell. I take a shower every night because I'm usually sweaty already from pulling a flatbed. Sweating might not be bad and warmth promotes sleep but I sleep better when I'm cold. If its above 74 in my house ill wake up in the middle of the night because I'm hot. My electric bill is about $200/month in the summer and about $50 in the winter. Only time we turn the heater on at home is if its in the teens