Do you have a new truck without APU?

The problem is some companys won't put them on because the cost doesn't add up when they trade the trucks off every 3-4 years. A APU out the door installed for my truck was $9800 ish i know it was under 10k with a 8,000 hour warranty from carrier. So lets say 10k with them being able to control when u idle in the ECM they would save that money. A APU is worth every penny in a newer truck. Idling is like driving... 1 hour is 60 miles so if u idle 10 hours thats 600 extra miles...

 

Except side by side it’s reasonably easy to disprove. I’m not sure what the guys are getting that have the X15 Cummins. I am a little over 1 mpg better than a co-worker that has a 6nz Cat. We do basically the same thing, we both have PTO time every day running our blowers, as far as I know he doesn’t like to sweat all night anymore than I do.

For me am APU doesn’t pencil out. Rarely do I have to shut down for a full 10, and if I’m out and have extra time on the weekend I get a room. As long as I keep getting 6 or better while running a blower every day I’ll be happy.

 

You shouldn't be even close to using that much fuel idling. I idle all night when it's real hot or cold, it uses maybe 30 gallons over night, unless you're getting 20mpg that's not even close to 600 miles.

 

30 gallons? All I've ever heard is a gallon an hour on fast idle. That makes your argument even stronger.

 

Like I said, maybe 30 gallons, I think I use more than a gallon an hour with my cat, but they're not a particularly fuel friendly engine to begin with, and my fuel gauge is about as accurate as kicking the tank and judging how much is left by sound. A new truck getting 8mpg all day shouldn't use even a gallon an hour just idling really.

 

*According to my readout* When I have my fan on and the idle bumped up it says .8 to 1.1 gph and when I’m running my blower at 950rpm it says 2.9 to 3.1 gph every time. You might be a little over a gallon but it’s probably not by much.

I don’t buy the other guy’s argument that an hour of idle time is equivalent to and hour of driving. There is virtually no load on the engine at idle.

 

If somebody was burning as much fuel in an hour of idle time as an hour of running down the road they would be leaving puddles of fuel on the ground.

 

I own my truck and would find it really hard to shell out 10k for an APU. That's why I bought a truck with one already. It was priced comparably to lots of other trucks I looked at without them. To me, to have an APU, it would be worth selling the truck and buying another truck with one. Lots of trucks out there.

Also, I don't get the argument that APU's are trouble for anyone. If you have a battery one or an off brand, maybe, but just go with what everyone has, Carrier or TriPac, and odds of having trouble are very low.

My TriPac came with 1000 hours on it (truck had 500k out of Texas). I've put another thousand on it in the last year and a half and haven't done a thing to it.

It makes sense to me that cheap fleets won't shell out for APU's on trucks they are going to throw away at the end of warranty for drivers who aren't going to take care of them anyway.

For an owner operator, however, I think you'd be a fool to have a truck, especially an emissions truck, without it.