Green Energy for heat and a/c

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by BCDONALD, Feb 17, 2013.

  1. BCDONALD

    BCDONALD Bobtail Member

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    I was thinking, why can't a tractor be equipted with an added battery bank of say 3-4 batterys. The batterys sold in the solar industry store a much larger supply then the batterys aready equipted on the tractor. Keeping the sleeper compartment enclosed with the curtain and running a small space heater or small dehumiterfier/ac could keep comfortable for an easy 8-10hrs. If need be after that run the engin for heat/ac and to recharge the added battery bank which would be seperate from the aux batterys equipted with the tractor. When working the batterys would recharge. Cost of 3 solar batterys... Apx.. 1200 to 1600 dollars... What have the rest of you tried? Thoughts please..:biggrin_2551:
     
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  3. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    International and I think Paccar, among other aftermarket vendors; have these types of engineless APU's.
     
  4. pokerhound67

    pokerhound67 Heavy Load Member

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    well...1st off space heaters are illegal in trucks...not to mention a horrible idea. i would imagine the largest down side to your battery idea would be the added weight, but i dont really know how much weight we are talking about. but certainly something to consider. look into it...market it...make a million bucks!
     
  5. losttrucker

    losttrucker Road Train Member

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    I may be wrong but please tell me where you got that from.

    EDIT: Never knew that was a law!!
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2013
  6. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    My book isn't at hand, but there is something about open flame heaters in the regs.
     
    losttrucker Thanks this.
  7. losttrucker

    losttrucker Road Train Member

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    § 393.77Heaters.On every motor vehicle, every heater shall comply with the following requirements: (a) Prohibited types of heaters. (6) Portable heaters. Portable heaters shall not be used in any space occupied by persons except the cargo space of motor vehicles which are being loaded or unloaded.

    Yep!! Never knew that!! I use to have one when I ran the road to warm the truck up after waking up; never realized it was prohibited!!
     
    Hammer166 Thanks this.
  8. BCDONALD

    BCDONALD Bobtail Member

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    Not tring to make money only save. I think the space heaters you refer to as being illegal are those that take O2 from the air which would be combustable heaters. We are talking electric heaters and if you disconnect it when not in use you can say you have it for emergency use if the tractor leaves you down somewhere, or to warm freight.
     
  9. Crazy D

    Crazy D Medium Load Member

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    May not be law. But it is law of common sense!!!!!
     
  10. losttrucker

    losttrucker Road Train Member

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    That is true for someone who would actually go to sleep with it on, however using it to heat the cab until the motor warms up worked just fine.........
     
  11. JPenn

    JPenn Road Train Member

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    My 2013 International Prostar has this. Extra rack of batteries behind passenger fuel tank, and what looks similar to a window unit AC under the passenger side bunk where the storage compartment usually is. That and a heavy insulated curtain. Works well, as long as the outdoor temp isn't much above the low 90's....it's good for up north. It'd really strain to keep up south of the Carolinas I think.
     
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