Anybody using one of the new battery powered Ac units? do they work?

Yeah, overnight they are adequate but when that Sun starts rising they quickly become inadequate if they've been running all night. In the daytime, heat of the day midsummer you will idle to keep from suffocating. Precooling the bunk might buy about 3hrs not idling. Remember tho this was 5 years ago,maybe the technology is better now, but me I'm Leary of it.. webasto bluecool was the name of the unit.

 

Solar on a truck is worthless. I used to work in the solar industry. for the amount of solar you can put on your cab...one day of solar energy is equal to 10 min of running your truck. That's assuming they are facing south and its summer time.

Now if you have 53 foot of solar on your trailer, it might be worth while. Unfortunately then your trailer would be over 13'6. What we need is a 13'3 trailer with solar on top. unfortunately you still need a #### ton of heavy batts for night time use. If you drive all day, that way more power thent he solar could produce and thus the solar is useless since it doesn't charge at night. if you drive the graveyard shift and sleep while the sun it up, it could help, but a small pannel on the cab is useless.

 

Have a couple of friends that drive co trucks(2013)w/thermo king electrics--they seem to like them--BUT--tell me only good for about 8-10 hours--any longer and have trouble starting truck--course they have only had them bout a year--so I guess time will tell

 

Kinda weird that they are running them off of the main truck batt. all of the systems I have seen always run aux. batteries just for the climate control setup.

 

I would also like to know if anyone has used or is using the Idle Free Electric (battery) HVAC system. I am considering this for my new Volvo as that is the only one Volvo will install in their trucks.

 

I have been eyeing the Webasto Blue Cool unit that also has shore power option. Could use the batts or hook up to shore power. Haven't really been desperate for any unit, but that one seemed to fit the needs I have. I never run down south, so my serious cooling needs are a lot less in the upper tier. Also, I have a mid roof, so cooling should be better than with a condo. In theory, anyway. Already have a factory installed Webasto heater, and I used that big time this winter.

 

I probably should have asked them couple more ????before I posted to get a better understanding--BUT--it is my understanding that the APU DO have their own batt to run them--and I think the issue is all the other POWER they are using when the truck isn't running--ie:fridge etc--where as a motoroized APU--Keeps the voltage in the truck batts up--the battery type doesn't have as much juice to do that--so that is where they are running into problems over extended down time--but gonna ask some more questions--either way as to the original question--it is something I think should be kept in mind before making any purchasing decsion...

 

GF, Idle Free was a company started by a guy named Robert Jordan back around 2005,I think he was out of Mn. He used to be a driver that tinkered on the side with APU's. I meant him in late 2006, nice guy, I did contract him to install 8 units in our then nearly new KW's cost was about 6,000 per truck.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give them a 5, we had a host of issues and the units never really worked as they should have. With that said I meant up with Robert at the 08 MATS show and he was working the Mack booth.

That unit looked completely different and much more refined than what I had, since then I believe he has an agreement with Mack/Volvo and I would not be afraid to try another one of his "updated" units.

Something else to consider is that he also has a LINK to run your sleeper off a reefer if that is what you pull.

Robert was I believe trucker of the year for his innovation on some of this stuff on one of the industry magazines, can't recall which one.

Nice guy, haven't talked to him since MATS though.

Stan

 

I have a '14 prostar with auto start so I don't worry about it.

 

Always wondered if the cycling of the trucks wakes you up every time? I am a very lite sleeper, it was a concern of mine.

Also, is there a temp setting that you desire and then the truck starts once it reaches like 10 degrees below (cooling) or above (heat) that temp?