Idle or Not to Idle?

Im looking into doing one of these homemade setups with a generator and a window ac for this summer. Has anyone had trouble on inspections with gas generators that are gravity fed? From what I've read before, dot regs state that generators must have a fuel pump. Also can we carry gasoline onboard and how much is allowed by the dot?

 

When you come to the truckstop and outside is not cold or hot ..there are still people whoe have to much fuel to idle.

 

i never stopped using mine honestly, what caused a problem was some joker packed his dirty clothes aroug the unit , it got hot and smoldered the clothes , so they had to come up with a fix for a dummy caused issue. i put my heat/ cool unit in passenger side sidebox instead of under bunk, with my rack and toolboxes on trl, i had plenty of storage.

 

sly fox, i used to think just as you til i got one. the cost and upkeep are very feasible. combined with the convience, you cant beat it.

i do my own oil changes , 2 and 1/2 ats of oil and a 4.77 fram extra guard filter. the fuel filter and air changes are simple also, a total service of the unit cost about 25.00 total.

i got mine because they have a deal for ooida members of guaranteed financing and often with no money down, i had mine installed and had not one penney of out of pocket expenses. the install makes a world of difference and boomer diesel in okie city and cantwell in ft worth are top notch

 

I don't have a problem with drivers idling if your a O/O and you idle your truck in a nice day that tells me one think your a idiot, and if I walked up to you and said driver tell one think what is your cost per mile I bet I would get a blank stare.When I park all the way in the rear of the truck stop pulled forward and I am the only truck there with my truck shut off because it is a nice night out,Why does idiot driver think its OK to pull up next to me and idle his truck all night?

 

8 gallons is legal to carry with no problem at all.
The Honda EU's have a fuel shutoff valve, so not an issue at all, I have been told.

Glad to hear that. Better than a big problem isn't it?
Mind, it only takes one idiot to put some folks into panic mode.....

Martin

 

Now see, I would probably be that "idiot" because I would go to the back of the lot as to try to be away from others while idled. Trying to NOT bother them with my truck running.

And just to clarify, we don't own the truckstop, so drivers can park in whatever spot they choose. Don't like it, then don't park at truckstops I guess.

 

APU's are waay too expensive to buy and run and no owner operator can really afford to leave the truck running, back in Europe we use night heaters for the block and cab that are pretty maintenance free and only use a pint of fuel in a night, to keep cool we have an aircon unit that sits on top or behind the cab, a fill of gas every 3-5 years @ a cost of approx $50 is all they require and run off battery power and will run easily 30 hours without running down the battery, the night heaters are standard in euro trucks but in guessing $1300 would cover them, coolers range from $900 for water evaps to $3000 for top of the line compressor units , so roughly $4000 and you'd have an excellent setup

 

If you got a propane version of a portable, you could carry way more fuel for it than you could using gasoline. And there would be no issues about gravity feed or mess or hassle in filling a gas reservoir. You can legally mount a propane tank on the frame rail. Take it off and fill it, or just pull the tractor over to a propane fill point and fill it up. Then you can avoid all the various issues like fuel pumps, gravity fed, etc, etc. Just connect the fitting and fire the unit up. Meets all state and federal requirements and costs very little more for a portable generator with that capability. And it is far cleaner also. No exhaust fume smells and such as there is with gasoline.

 

a lot of the newer engines on the generators that are overhead valve have a pulse type fuel pump or one can easily be added. they operate off the pulse of the crankcase. they cost around 15 bucks and a little tubing if ya had to add one