Got a question....maybe 2

I'm not a trucker myself, but my hubby is and with all this record cold weather going around I thought of a couple of questions that my hubby actually couldn't answer for me . I was hoping that someone here would know the answers.

I was out in the truck with him about a month ago and I noticed alot of truck stops are going to Idle Aire. My hubby doesn't use it because his company installed Rig Master Generator's on all their trucks so he can just run that. Ok, getting to my question...His generator also plugs into the block to keep that warm while the engine is shut off. How does that work if you use Idle Aire? I know that that service gives you heat, a/c, etc, but if it's extremely cold out does it plug into the block to help keep it warm, or do you just pray that it doesn't get so cold the truck won't start? Or do you just skip using the Idle Aire and park to idle your truck? Or maybe you're not there long enough for the cold to be a real factor?

Sorry about asking so many questions. I'm a naturally curious person and when I don't know something I gotta find out the answer or it bugs the heck out of me...LOL. The last time I rode with him Idle Aire was out there, but not as much as it is now. I see it popping up everywhere and curiosity got the best of me because I noticed that the signs said that it was a "no idling zone" and no trucks were running. Thanks for any answers....

 

Now, see, you made me think of another question.... . I know right now he got told to put Howe's fuel treatment in his tanks for the truck and the reefer, but that has nothing to do with the generator heating the block, right? I know the generator runs off the fuel from his tanks, but that's useless if the fuel in those tanks gels? Does the fuel treatment work if the truck isn't running and the generator is? Can you tell I'm not really mechanically inclined, but very curious? :smt044

 

Thank you for answering that for me. I now understand :smt023 . The owner of my husband's company started with just 3 generator's for the trucks running New England cause driver's were getting harrassed for idling at customers. The owner then noticed a significant amount of savings on his fuel bill every month so he equipped the rest of the trucks. My hubby doesn't need the Idle Aire, but I see it more and more in the truck stops. He's not happy today cause New York gave him a ticket (actually it was stuck on the windshield made out to the company) for idling his generator. They claimed it was a diesel engine and he's not allowed to use it. I thought that's what the generator's were for so that you don't have to run the actual truck engine. The more that I read and the more that I see makes me wonder how you guys put up with all of it. Most of the time I know you don't get bothered, but there are those times that you just want to scream. I admire you guys and what you do and deal with on a daily basis! Just wanted to show some appreciation! :smt038

 

:smt023 Thanks for the tip....I'll pass on the info. He likes running New England cause that's where we were both born and raised so that's what he's comfortable driving in. He is most definately not happy with New York right now. Says he's going to try his hand at driving out west for a while...:smt044