Idling and EPU question

Do you mean APU ?

The European Piranha Union is something completely different.

 

Some of the Cascadias in SNIs van division have a "Parksmart" device which is kind of a step down from an EPU. Its for heating and cooling only and from what I have heard from talking with many drivers, won't last your entire 10 hour break depending on how hard you are using it. It doesn't have any kind of inverter to use for powering 120v items.

SNI doesn't have any Tripac-E EPUs or diesel APUs on their company trucks.

All company van trucks have a sensor that prevents idling below 70* and above 20*. Unfortunately heat coming off the exhaust or residual heat coming off the rear ends after shutting down usually tricks this sensor, and changes the range to below 60*F and above 10*F.

All van trucks have a diesel-fired bunk heater that work really well in the winter assuming your batteries are in good shape. It can get uncomfortable in the winter if your batteries are not in good shape, and you have to deal with a crappy shop that refuses to replace your batteries. You also have to really watch your usage of any inverter, cooler, etc., during the winter as these will compete with the heater to be the first to drain your batteries, lol.

Bulk tractors as far as I know can idle whenever and don't have the temperature sensor since the engine needs to be running anyway when running the PTO pump to move the product. Also I think with some product that needs temperature regulation the trailer has to be tied into the engine coolant loop to keep the product warm.

 

Its a determined by the company that owns the truck, not the manufacture. They order them the way they want them.