When to leave Truck Running overnight

As I mentioned before, T/A in Hillsdale, Wyo. (between Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs) quite a few trucks with gelled fuel and dead batteries yesterday and today, temps were -15 to -20 both night, all had APU's running.

 

Well I don't have an APU, I do have a espar bunk heater, and an espar engine heater, Been in the cold now for a week have not left the truck running all night. Did the fall prepare for winter program we have, ran a test on the batteries, we run with 4 x 1000 CCA batteries, drained the bottom of our fuel tanks, test ran the bunk and engine heaters. With the volvo you have an alarm that goes off when your bats get low shuts down all non essentials and keeps the battery power for starting, few minutes with the espar block heater and the truck fires right up, the engine preheater runs for a couple minutes then good to go. Right now it is still considered warm here in North Dakota cold doesn't come till January.

 

Spent a December / January in Valley City building a wind farm near there. I can vouch for that.

 

Being a tow truck guy, I say anything below 0 deg's at night, That truck should be running.
Pull started LOTS of Trucks with bunk heaters when it was below zero,

 

Cold doesn't come till January? IT WAS -16 IN MOBRIDGE LAST NIGHT!!! If that's warm I'm sorry hut I consider y'all insane. That -16 was more than enough to show me I am not cut out for that kind of cold in jeans, 2 hooded sweat shirts, a light jacket and boots.

I had more on than that cute little blonde pen had that cut my head out...and she said I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. So much for impressing her

 

It completely depends on the truck and the fuel. Up here our fuel is good to at least -40. Around -25C(-15F) is where I'll idle. One night last winter I tried -30C (-22F) and was fine. Espar bunk heater was maxed out but the engine started great. I've never in 10 years had a serious problem starting the truck.

A winter front with adjustable flaps makes a huge difference. Close up the flaps every night.

Volvos are the best for winter starting. Nothing comes close. I had to start one once at -20 C with no plug in or engine heater, she fired up after about 5 seconds. Was choppy but it fired. Volvos also have intake preheaters that really help, and you can turn them back on after the truck fires. They also only need about 700 rpms at high idle due to the back pressure controller. I think the newer EGR ones just use the VGT. I've seen as cold as -45 with the ole Volvo and it always kept 180F.

 

a few years up here in the winter you would be the same just need to toughen you up a bit is all. Darn right now the guys are having a blast on their snowmachines.

 

overnighted in Cheyenne at -22 Thursday night
also have an espar heater
truck started fine
40-50 trucks on the side of the road going west on 80
imagine most of them are hating paraffin by now

 

Ya, my d16 idles at 700. Takes forever to warm up.

 

Welp...........i dont have an APU(nor want one) or any kind of outside heating apparatus.

15 degrees or lower she runs..No matter where Im at. round 1000rpm 3406B Cat 350hp

Ive been a loyal user of PowerService for over 20 years..In the tanks it goes..Also Keep that air dryer in good shape..I use alcohol throuout the winter regularly

Full Winterfront is a must for me..And I Sleep Toasty warm in any Cold they bring.