How to cope with no APU

Run a Google search for a 12v Air conditioner. I saw one that fits to an Ice chest lid, drawing the air over the ice and pushes it out. Kinda like a poor mans swamp cooler.

Next advice: The windshield acts like a kids magnifying glass and you're the ant. Park with the trailer between you and the sun. Buy a windshield cover also. You can make black-out drapes for the side windows using a heavy fabric and a dowel rod.

I was lucky. All my rigs had Opti-Idle, so the truck would turn on and off to maintain cabin temp. But I started using a lot less fuel when I started to take the sun into consideration (as above).

Of course you can run in the daytime during hot months and at night during the cold months (if you can manage your schedule that well).

 

One more idea. A big problem for me was the build up of heat in the cab. I considered creating a 12v window fan for the bunk area to push air OUT of the cab. Open a wing window with that and you'd have a constant airflow. Just as I was starting to work it out (making brackets, mounting etc) I got a local job, so I stopped.

Yeah, I'm that guy in the neighborhood who is the amateur engineer..

 

Just idle the truck in extreme temperatures. No sense in spending your own money to save other money. You work hard out there and don't need to add "trying to get some good rest" onto your list of things to do.

I had to laugh at that swamp cooler idea. The whole point of air conditioning is to provide cold DRY air for cooling. Add some moisture, cold or not, and you will be soaking wet soon.

Feeding yourself, entertainment during down time, those are on you but a comfortable environment to sleep in is provided by so many other companies no sense in working for someone that turns that into your problem.

 

While I agree with your attitude, (believe me, I'm gonna sleep comfortable!) sometimes you have to deal with the situations that are dealt. Like those companies that have 5 min shut-offs so you can't idle for comfort, etc. When getting started in the biz, you don't always have the options to find a company that will actually spend money on drivers comfort (like the pond scum should). Personally, I don't mind dropping a couple of bucks toward my comfort, especially if they are long term fixes that I can take with me.

And the "swamp cooler" was just an illustration of how the machine works. It draws air over ice (not running water in a screen). That reduces the moisture, but you are correct that it would be a concern.

 

My truck has a s-bar bunk heater that doesn't need to have the truck idling to run, so during colder nights it comes in very handy. I also bought a 12v DC fan which I use in the summer months.

 

If Idleair would get their stuff together and find a way to make it work better and more affordable.....And keep it available.

Should the anti-idle, APU be a consideration for the "Fatigued Driver" issue? I for one have baked in a sleeper and there is nothing restful about it....and that was when it was only an 8 hour "nap"!

 

States have exemptions to idling laws. If the OAT is 80 degrees and warmer or 20 degrees and colder then you can idle. If your truck has that smart idle, you can turn on the cruise control to bypass it. States don't want you to sue them because you suffered from a heat stroke due to their no idling laws. You need to keep your fluids warm during the colder months so you won't need to call a wrecker after a failed attempt of starting the truck. If you have a pet, you can leave the truck at idle anywhere (why do animals get treated better than drivers?).

---- side note ----

I do wish APU's were manditory. If California can make EGR/DEF manditory then why can't Pennsylvania make APU's manditory?

 

The picture in your signature line shows a Roehl truck. Unless things have changed dramatically in the last year or so they are strict on idling, but they don't expect you to sleep in a sweat box. There are FMs that are real jerks and completely unreasonable, but for the most part the company policy is doable. When I have had to drive a truck without an APU I would make the truck as cold as possible just before bed, then try to sleep without idling. If I got hot I would start and idle the truck.

You could also do the poor man's apu system. A generator and a window air conditioner. You rig up the air conditioner in the passenger window and have plenty of cold air. If you get a diesel generator you could probably find a way to have it feed directly out of the fuel tank. You would need help from someone else for that.