Idle or Not to Idle?

Ok great. So now I get to worry about some guy in a truck stop with a DEF tank full of gas and a homemade APU. Or a PROPANE style ticking time bomb waiting to go off. I have no problems with the APU if it works for you. BUT please the homemade deals should be ILLEGAL per DOT standards. I personally do not like them just because of the way they look on the truck. Doesn't work for me. But then again I am home about every 4 days. I idle when I feel warm or cold. There is no specific temperature that I am comfortable with because humidity does play a roll.

 

My new Generac 6500 handled everything I threw at it this week up in the cold Norte. 1500W coolant heater, 500W oil pan heater, 1500W space heater, 85W floor heater pad, 85W mattress heater, Craftsman battery charger and 750W microwave all running at the same time. Would have killed my old Troybilt 5000.

But it did suck having to carry 5 gallons in the 45 mph, 25° gusts every day, in addition to walking my doggie 3 times a day.

Charged my batteries up to 14.4 volts and the Delco Remy cranked the warm kitty CAT over like it was summertime.

 

With an APU, you have a diesel motor plumbed into your diesel tank and you may also have a diesel heater mounted in your sidebox (you know where you are constantly throwing tools and things), you also have coolant lines running all over under and around your truck including to a condensor likely mounted on the back of your bunk, with an electric fan. And wires ? oh man wires all over the place and to a control panel somewhere.

But it's the guy with a generator in his sidebox or bolted to the frame that is "cobbled together" huh ? Why, because it doesn't come in a "kit" ? get real. Or, gas in a tank, you mean like 80% of vehicles on the roadways ? Or a propane tank or two, like every RV going down the road ? Are you also scared when your neighbor lights his grill ? you guys are goofy.

I'm gonna go start my nice, quiet generator now. I could start it from the cab, but I don't want a control panel cobbled in with a bunch of wires running through my sideboxes like you have with your noisy APU. see you in the morning !

 

Now it's just a napoleon pissing match.

and time to unsubscribe. Sah what you "want" about my "kit" apu. It will always have features a home-built won't. Including having lug fuel

 

Is that the Chinese-made 13hp Honda copy that you see under a dozen different brands for around $500? If so I have one at home for backup power. I'd be curious to see how the service life works out for you. About the only minor issue I've noted with mine is the genset power output is on the "dirty" side. When running off it, my office power supply complains quite a bit. If you aren't already, you probably ought to be running surge protection on your in-cab electrics, especially for computer and electronic gear.

Of course having also equipped my house with a transfer switch, the power never goes out anymore for longer than a minute or two. My Chonda generator will last longer than me.

 

My gasoline Honda 3000i is safer and more reliable than most of the "engineered" APU's out there. Have you ever parked next to a Rig Master? My webasto keeps me warm, eliminating 75% of the need for idling. The generator runs a properly mounted AC unit about 30 nights a year. Cost $ 1800, uses 2 gallons of gasoline per night in a tank with a shutoff, per DOT regulations. Check any of the Landoll's, and many trailers with pony engines mounted to run hydraulic systems when being pulled by a tractor with no wetline. Same engine....

 

Well the Generacs are made in China but designed by Americans. The quality difference in materials and workmanship is apparent as soon as you unbox the unit. I'm comparing to the $500 and under gennys. I could go into details but this thread ain't for a product review. The 6500 Generac can be had retail for a low of $800-$900. I got mine for $500 from a guy who buys Home Depot returns.
I'm trying to get a smaller inverter type Honda copy for the summertime use but he doesn't have any right now. Had 2000W for $300 when i bought this 6500. I should've snagged both of 'em.

 

Duplicate post

 

No DEF tank, and no home made APU. Honda made my "APU" and if you think some start up in BFE USA can do better, you Sir, have no idea.
As far as anything on my rig "not looking right", or being illegal "per DOT",
A) I couldn't give a crap what you think and
B)you have absolutely no idea of my fabrication skills, or anyone else's for that matter.
My setup is 110% legal "Per DOT".
My setup is easier to service than any of the noisy diesel APU's I have seen myself.
I can start and stop from inside the rig.
My fuel supply is shut off while moving.
I would put my own setup against anything that the major APU manufacturers knock out.
The difference is, I can spend 3 days designing and making my own setup, to be absolutely perfect and safe for my individual rig. Where the big boys have to make a generic device that has to fit every make of truck out there.
I know my mounting is beefier than any of the APU's I have seen first hand. Not saying they are bad, but that I can afford to take the time and materials to make it even better.
You obviously have zero comprehension of anything that is custom made to your own specifications, by someone that has the equipment and know how to make it happen.
Keep buying that overpriced generic junk, it just makes it more worth my while to design and fabricate my own stuff, in my own shop, with my own hands.

Martin

 

mine has a serpentine belt with a idler pulley type tensioner