Idling at night

I’ll qualify my statement that I’ve never really driven OTR. Mostly local and some out of state heavy haul but every truck I’ve ever had was a day cab.
That being said, I’ve never been a fan of long idle times. The fuel used is very little, but I think it’s hard on the engine. Diesels don’t really like idling for long periods. If I did drive OTR and had to sleep in the truck, I’d for sure have a APU.

 

my hondas a quieter than a crypack. plus if you put it at the end of the trailer you won't even know it's there.

that's why i'm a fan of the hondas there the best with the best fuel economy. my old 7000 watt has way more than 3000 hours on it. for me i have no problems with paying the honda tax. now some of the knock off's i would wonder about if they would leave me stranded and the reliability of them.

 

Hour before my shift is done, I’ll blast sleeper ac on full, than I blast sleeper and cab ac to cool the truck down. I shut the truck off when I go to sleep and have a 12v fan running all night pointing at me

 

I’ve got a 2000 watt Chinese generator and it will run a 8000 btu air conditioner and any lights I care to run in my camper.

Uses about 1 1/2 gallons per night.

 

I have a predator 2k. It will run 5k portable or a 6k window. I have used both in the truck. I used to run a 5 amp trickle charger to the truck batteries and the AC. It was basically camping. .9 or .8 ? Gallons for an 8 hour period. Like others said a $500 generator is pretty cheap compared to truck repairs.

 

I have been thinking about adding a larger lithium battery that can use to plug into my shore power. Wondering how that might work out and also be able to charge it while driving down the road.

 

The one I had never had that issue. It would just burn alternators every year and break belts. Was glad to get rid of that set up.

 

C'mon get a flexible solar panel or two on the roof. You know you want too.

 

I already have a solar panel on the roof. Should had got two when I did it. The problem with solar panel is it does not do me any good when I am parked at night. It was added on for when truck is parked, since I have a 24HR camera system.

 

Idling your engine is not good for the engine, it's not good for your emissions, and it's just a waste of fuel, probably a gallon an hour. So if you have 10 hours between you stop and sleeping eating whatever 10 gallons of fuel at $4 a gallon is $40 by 7 days is $280 by 4 weeks is 1120 yearly you're talking whatever not even going to do the math it's well over 12,000 a year whatever.

Go to Harbor Freight buy a predator 3500 mount it on your catwalk run your wiring safely into the truck and you have all the power for everything you could ever want in your whole life.

Put a good inverter in there a really good one pure sine wave no cheap Chinese junk, make sure you know how to wire it or have someone wire it up for you, and you can have every creature comfort of Home including your microwave your space heater your air conditioner, crock-pot, toaster oven, tv, gamer games, movies whatever the hell you want refrigerator live life up will you... and anything else electrical that may pleasure you or make you feel good

Buy the warranty make sure you know the date, go back when you're almost at 2 years and give them another $150 or whatever it is and they'll give you a brand spanking new one. Break down on the road? There's Harbor Freights everywhere drive right over hand it over and they'll give you another one no questions asked.

The first time I woke up in the morning and I had the timer set and my coffee made itself oh what a glorious day that was.

And trust me you'll find guys that will look down at you because you have a generator and they'll hold their nose and say oh I would never have something like that... and you can laugh all the way to the bank while they spend $15,000 on an APU.

Be happy my friend. Be warm, be comfortable, be full, be satisfied, get an air conditioner, be cool...

and be safe.