Swifts new Idle policy

5 or 600, forget which. Not sure how you get that though. Might be hard for a homemade setup.

 

Have to read the exact wording of the rules but it should apply to anything that complicated. If it just says "apu" then any "alternate power unit" would apply. As long as you're not waving a store bought power inverter at them or something, lol.

 

apu weighs 400. and there is an allowance to add that 400. so now y our total gross is 80,400.

and the other note. how much do you all think the gear will weigh. higher powered alternator. replacement weight there. space heater to keep the cab warm. somewhere around 5 lbs. cost of about $40. window mount a/c. weighs about 15 lbs. cost $100. power inverter. those weigh nothing. extra batteries. hopefully packing more amps then standard equipment.

apu= $6,000 - $10,000 weight= 400lbs. cost of deisel fuel perhour????

snowwy's gear= $1,000 at most. weight= shouldn't be more then 100lbs. requires no fuel to run. alternator will charge batteries when you start driving down the road.


one step at a time boys. it's a patent in the works. still needs room for freezing oil and fuel.

no reason it can't be classified as an APU. only better. as it requires no engine running on fuel and putting out emissions.

i really don't see the idea needing a rocket scientist to figure out there are better alternatives to installing an APU. i mean, isn't that what's it all about. companies want to save fuel. states want to cut down on emissions. and all you truckers want is power to cook dinner. keep warm and cool. and play wii. the APU is just a more expensive replacement of a cheap generator. but running on diesel and provides an extra a/c and heater core and hoses. and i noticed generators have epa requirements too for those extended run times. and they only weigh 100 lbs for one that's strong enough to run what you need. even comes with cables to charge the batteries. although they only put out 8 amps.

i never had a problem with power. but the truck i had contained 4 batteries. 1000 amps a peace. i could be wrong but i think you all are running 2 batteries at 850 amps a peace.

 

Last truck I jump started, or failed at jump starting, had 4 batteries. Some idiot had wired it so two of them were out of the loop.

 

Hate to pop your bubble, but most states aren't allowing any factor to increase the 80k gross limit..unless you want to get an overweight permit!

 

22 states allow, 17 states don't, 11 still undecided. federal law was signed august 8, 2005. ​

don't know how many states do or don't now. ​

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/exemptions/apu.html​

http://www.epa.gov/oust/fedlaws/publ_109-058.pdf page 240 explains the law.

and unless you guys have more then 5 axles. overweight permits don't exist. 12k max on steer, 36k max on drive and trailer. you need an extra axle to haul more thus allowing the overweight permit. my overweight allows me to haul 110k. but axle wise my legal max is 95k. and that was straight from d.o.t. himself. ​

 

First off the fed DOT for steers is 20k max, as long as the tires and axle are rated to bear the weight..secondly, since I have been driving 15 years, 12,500 has been allowed on steer as long as gross doesn't exceed 80k. So read up on your regs and do yourself a favor by knowing the regs before you post them at your understanding not the rules as they apply!

 

A simple alternative; Go to your local secondhand store, buy yourself an old window unit air conditioner, saw a hole in the rear of the sleeper, get yourself a coupla 2x4's to prop it up on the catwalk, get a long cord and plug in at the truck stop and viola!! You've got frost on your tootsies.

 

Or try the local rv shop for a nice roof mounted unit.

 

Don't know the answer. I know I had one overweight ticket in my former career. I could only "bridge" 78,500 I was 79050. In Florida they gave you 500lbs to play with. 1lb over and you ate the whole Magoo!