Electrical usage

You are kind of limited with idle restrictions.

Let's say no idle a 19 LCD TV will last about 8 hours before running your batteries down. You can watch it 2-3 hours no problem. The same with a laptop.

A fridge I would limit it to a 12V plugin type. A dorm fridge really doesn't use much either. It'll use about 150 watts to start the compressor and then cruise on 70 watts. Them type fridges don't run but 5-10 minutes an hour so you might get away with it with an occasional idle.

Microwaves and coffee makers are your wattage hogs. Limit their use to when the truck is running.

The 12V appliances you see in truckstops are junk. Don't expect extended use out of them. I would look for other name brands outside truckstops.

Once you get some experience and are ready to move to a better company find one that has APUs and 2500 watt inverters. Then it's more like home what you can do.

Microwaves require an inverter twice the microwaves wattage. So if you have a 1500 watt inverter you can only have a small 700 watt microwave. That's all you really need anyways.

 

It all depends greatly on who you work for, what they allow, if you have opti-idle, an APU, an inverter, etc. I would have to say, as far as having electrical crap in my truck, i am the creme of the crop. I have a microwave, REAL fridge, Keurig coffee maker, George Forman grill, 3 ham radios, a laptop, a 19 inch tv, an electric stove and a hot plate.

BUT i work for Crete Carriers. They care a little more about driver comfort than some of the other companies so, while i don't have an APU, i do have 8 batteries, 4 for the truck and 4 for me. The company doesn't technically allow me to hard wire an inverter, but with a doctors note (For literally any reason. mine said i needed a fridge and microwave for diet reasons) they will install, at your cost, a 2000 watt inverter, allowing you to have all the comforts listed above. Your company MIGHT do something similar. Call your safety dept and find out.

Anyway, with ALL that crap, and the heater/AC unit which is also powered off my extra batteries, it takes me about 6 hours to run out of juice. sometimes longer if i am cooking something that uses a lot of power. BUT my company allows me to idle for 2 hours if my batteries die. 2 hours gives them an 80% charge, more than enough to make it through my 10 hr break.

So it really all has to do with what company you work for, and what they will do to accommodate you. Some companies ALL of their trucks have APU's, fridges, microwaves, inverters, etc. Some companies will fire you if they catch you with a 100 watt inverter.

Like the guy above me said, after you have some experience, find a company with a few creature comforts. I started with Werner, a company that has next to no creature comforts and actually threatened to shut me down because i was idling in Arizona in July. I moved over to Crete, a company who during my last review the reviewer said "I see your idle percentage is high (it was 19.5%) but its been hot out lately, so just attempt not to idle as much." as if it was no real big deal.

And YES microwaves and coffee pots use power like an addict uses drugs. a George Forman grill (or similar) is REALLY handy, really cheap, uses some power but cooks fast. I use mine a lot. For a coffee pot i have a Keurig machine as it only brews 1 cup at a time then can be completely shut down. mine also has a detachable water reservoir so i can take it in and fill it up at truck stops. and it is absolutely no mess! REALLY handy.

 

Hate to idle. Have no problem with 120v LCD TV, 12 v real refrig(small, about 2.5 cu ft) and playing a Yamaha keyboard(120v), and a laptop. Use a small inverter (1000watt). Also run a Webasto heater in the winter. Never had a start problem after a 10 hour break. AGM batteries help, but didn't have any problems with flooded cell batteries. Stay away from anything with a heating element. And the 12 v appliances are junk.

 

Ah joys of apu and inverter, did a reset never started truck since low was only maybe 48 had TV on whole time used microwave and fridge lights on and fuel gauge didn't move. Fired up like normal. I know some people are restricted but companies with them and bunk heaters just makes it just a little easier and more comfortable.

 

I had this I found in another thread. Mods can copy/paste.

 

It depends on the company you work for. Some allow you to idle to recharge your batteries, some allow you to idle all night. Some have an APU, some have opti-idle. Some hang you out to dry and yell at you for idling at all.

 

my company only allows the cig lighter inverter which does not allow you to do much. I have a small tv and my laptop and bpap machine which is all I use on the inverter. As for 12v appliances I only have the lunch box oven, I did have a schumacher portable oven but it went out after about 3 months. I have a butane stove I use for other types of cooking.

I have been debating for awhile on buying a 12v real fridge but dropping $500+ is hard to decide.