apu or generator

Yeah, if I was doing it, I would go with a roof top RV unit. Yet another reason I am a fan of mid roof sleepers instead of condos. As for the gravity fed vs fuel pump thing, one has to keep in mind this.... no one is looking or cares! I have had the Yamaha generator on frame rail of my truck for some time, it is gravity as opposed to fuel pump, I have carried around a couple of fuel containers made by Rotopax that are DOT certified, stashed in the cargo box under the driver door, and no one has ever even asked. The Generator is in an enclosed box, and unless one opens their fat mouth, no LEO, DOT, etc is taking the time to take a look. No indication that it contains a generator, or what style it is. In other words, it is worrying about stuff that doesn't need to have time wasted on worrying over. I even ran it the other night when temps dipped below freezing, and I was at a scale house taking a 10. It was running when I got up, the scale was now open, so when they came into work, and if they noticed it running, no one ever bothered to waste time on it.

 

That's the pickle I'm in. No room between the back of my fuel tanks and front of my drives splash guards. I could get rid of the passenger step storage box. Put a generator right there and fashion up a new step generator box. I just gotta pull the trigger on something. I'm not looking forward to baking in the truck come those hot summer days.

Anyone with a Classic and large set back fuel tanks have pics of your generator setups?

 

you might be able to go on the catwalk behind your sleeper, but for me that is where my pto tank is

 

I'd rather mount an additional tool box back there to compensate for the lost storage. And re-purpose the passenger step box to hold a generator. I don't think I'll sleep well with a generator rattling right by my head. It might give me terrible flashbacks from my reefer hauling days.

 

Well depending on model, you might not even hear the generator. Mine is so quiet that I have to strain to listen if it is still running when I am in the sleeper. I parked next to another truck that had a regular APU at the carrier terminal soon after I set this up. I stood behind my truck to the side the generator is mounted, opposite the truck next to me on the left, and all I heard was the APU on the truck next to me. Many of these newer portable inverter generators that Honda, Yamaha, etc are putting out are very, very quiet. They are CARB compliant so the greenie nazis will have no reason to complain, for those that have to deal with that sort of thing. There is a place for a full blown APU. For those of us that can't quite justify the ROI of going that route, we have this alternative. There is something for everyone.

 

I commented on gravity feed because in other generator threads there were comments on TX DOT checking for gravity vs pump fed on engine mounted on trucks. I am very aware of internet bs being interpreted as fact. I could care less about the way gas gets into my Honda. He was looking for info. I was giving him a heads up on what I know, have read, and where to find more info.

 

Here's what I did

 

Kinda hard to judge fairly, but that setup seems pretty loud. With mine, I have to strain to hear it when I am in the sleeper, and that is if there is no other trucks around that are running APU's, idling, or reefers going. But if what you are doing works for you, then by all means, enjoy! The gas can setup is unique. Great Idea!

bigguns, I would question how some TX DOT even knew one had generator on board the truck! Mine stays locked up in a side box when not in use, and runs inside the box when it is in use, as there are covers on the sides that can be removed for air flow. Probably why no one has ever known what I have in that box. There is nothing outside of it that would suggest I have a generator, let alone if it is gravity fed or not. But I don't do TX, so I would not have to deal with DOT there anyway. I suppose an exposed generator would draw attention, but I sure would prefer to keep it out of the weather.

 

Cowpie where did you get that box for the generator?

 

From KSH Marine. They can build a box specific to any generator made. Darn good folks, and quick. Click on the photo gallery link at the top of the page and they show more boxes.

http://www.kshmarine.com/generator_box.htm