If trucks don’t have APU, can you still run AC or heater on while in the truck?

APU is a completely separate engine/HVAC system, mounted to the frame, with lines running to the inside of the sleeper to a separate system.

Optimized idle is thermostatically-controlled idling, starting, and stopping of the truck’s engine. It sucks.

Without some type of auxiliary system, just idle the engine.

 

My first gig , they tried to tell us we could only idle tge truck a certain amount or they would charge us for any over idle time. Well when you live in the dam truck you have to have heat and AC.
Never did get a straight answer as to how much they charged us. That may be different now.

 

Modern engines with all the def stuff on em don't like to idle. They will but it clogs up the dpf and other stuff

 

had a crete truck parked by me the other night.
that thing started every 5-7 minutes ran about same then shut off.
Besides being annoying it’d be hard to sleep i’d think.

 

Without a APU unit you would have to run the truck in order of running the AC or Heater. I was going to buy a APU unit when I bought my truck a couple years ago. However, because interest rates and prices were skyrocketing I never bothered. Nor do I idle my truck but simply purchased some smaller AC unit running through my inverter in the hot summer months and run my bunk heater on any cold freezing nights. These newer trucks with DEF units clog up badly causing the units to backup. Some have the DPF units deleted but depending on their jurisdiction it's illegal. Before 2009 Trucks ran much better then these systems being in place and every year they're installing more DPF sensors that are so sensitive lighting up dashboards becomes pricey. I just had my truck in the Peterbilt shop where they were trying to say mine might be off warranty and they wanted $626 usd for one later changing it after finding out my warranty is good for 5 years not 2. It's all a money grab and a lot of b.s.

 

You idle, if you’re inside the truck. No other choice.

You’re not seeing a mini-split; you’re seeing the condenser and fan unit for the APU. It’s not a sign of ownership, as my company truck has an APU.

As I previously mentioned, with optimized idle, the truck’s engine is constantly starting and shutting off.

 

My company truck has electric a/c for sleeping and heater for sleeping. They put 8 batteries vs 4 on truck. The truck has bigger alternator for recharging when driving. It will run for 10 hour on my 2022. Same setup on 2020 truck would not run 10 hours so they fixed something.

If the batteries get to low 12.2 volts the computer will start the engine and run for 2 hours to recharge the batteries. If it hot and you sitting in the sun the computer is also programmed to let engine idle all day.

They use the outside thermometer in driver mirrors to get temperature. I believe it set for 76F or hotter engine will idle all day and night. At night the electric a/c will keep cab and sleeper cool. I could idle if needed. I would say lots of company are going with this setup because it option from factory it’s pretty good set to save from idling all night.

If I do idle in sunny hot days while waiting to load or unload. It’s not best for DPF but they have truck computers setup to to clean the DPF after 6 hours of engine idle time. You will get warning on dash. You can push the button on dash do a Parked Regn or if you getting ready to leave. You can just drive the truck. The engine heat will heat up the DPF and clean it up again.

 

My is my current 2022 truck at 9 hours in sleeper running electric A/C plus the factory refrigerator plus a CPAP off the factory inverter



It cool in truck with those settings on thermostat for sleeper.