How long would you go without AC

I can deal with the cold, but hot weather makes me agitated and I can't sleep properly. An A/C is a must, especially in Texas weather where you will sweat 5 minutes after the truck is shut off.

 

If your AC is working hard in hot/humid weather for long periods the AC unit might ice up and won't work properly until it thaws and de-ices itself, kinda like a refrigerator that needs to be defrosted from time to time.

A low charge will also cause problems.

 

The largest reasons that an AC will stop cooling are condenser and evaporator fans that stop, OR the charge has got to the point the low sensor won't let the compressor run. Anything that blocks the flow of air can cause the pressure to activate one of the high or low sensors.

 

There are two things a driver should know and have with them when on a run about their APU. First, know where that reset button is. Most of the time it is on the Buckhead near the driver's tool access door OR under the sleeper. On my last truck I had to lift up the mattress and the panel it was on to get access to that reset button. Then always try to have at least a quart of oil. Thankfully most APUs don't use much oil. However, if they ever start and the oil gets too low the system will throw a code and stop. The only way to fix it is to reset it after topping off the oil.

 

Ran bottom dumps in CA bay area for a year with no AC. Little rough in the summer but I enjoyed the Western Star I was driving. They tried to give me a new KW with a governor on it but I kept my old WS. You can run in the heat with no AC.
But sleep in the heat? If you can't sleep you are a danger to the public and a liability to your company. To me that is an OOS for the truck.

 

I guess I was thinking it was some kind of apu unit for the bunk and the main ac system still working. Duhh on my part.

 

About 5 minutes

 

I’m an old guy that has many older trucks without ac. 3 of them dont have heaters either. But the huge difference is the old trucks had vent windows and either foot vent or cowl vent doors that allowed air to flow through the cab. They were designed to allow good ventilation without a thought of ac. The new trucks and cars as well are designed around the hvac system that is designed to be on all the time. Without it there is no ventilation. No air can get in to keep it from becoming an oven. So broke ac means major breakdown and cost when not working. I know lots of cases were newer cars and trucks get sold, traded, or junked because ac or the expensive controls goes out. Yet people still buy the old stuff without it and rock on.
My ‘99 Fl was miserable and would almost murder me when the ac failed but my ‘67 Pete with the windows down and vents open on 100 plus degree days isn’t too bad. Same with our 2014 Camaro vs. 1981 Firebird.