APU vs idling in very cold weather?

Got arctic package on my TK so it starts and charges batteries and keeps coolant warm.

 

Sounds like ‘the way to go” if you run an apu.

 

Had that on my tripack, it didnt work very well so i think its a ymmv thing. Course my thermocant crapack threw a rod too so eh.

 

wind has a huge effect on how cold things will be in the morning, if you can nose in between two fixed long bois you wake up a good 20 degrees above ambient just for being out of the wind and your cab radiant heat over night leeches to the engine bay and trans.

if you can squeeze between two long bois that stay running all night and block the wind you don't even hardly need a heater until they pull off and it drops 30 degrees in 5 minutes just from exposure

 

you can use this free utility and plug in the USB cable from the control box into a laptop, you can adjust what voltage triggers startup, minimum run time after startup, look at fault codes, etc



Thermo King TriPac Evolution Diagnostic Tool

 

In very cold weather like 0 F, My bunk heater could keep the sleeper area warm, expecially if I closed the sleeper curtains. But I was never clear if the APU was or was not keeping my coolant fluid or engine oil warmed, so I would idle the truck engine. I know idling keeps the oil and coolant warmer than not idling.

 

Junk battery will allow it to run all night. Ha HA

 

As I get older I find I'm more of a wimp when it comes to staying warm. If the overnight temp is going to be in the 20's or below, I'm idling, it's not so much too cold while sleeping (i'm in a zero rated sleeping bag), it's waking up in the morning and freezing trying to get from the bunk to the ignition, then waiting the 40 minutes for the truck to develop heat. 25 Years back, spent the night in the truck, overnight low was 10, when I woke up at 6 am it was 11, didn't phase me, today, no thanks.

 

the cold and idling DD15’s does wonders on the Delta P sensor. In fact you get to have an extended vacation if you don’t know how to fix the issue.