Student choice question - Opti idle vs. Battery APU for comfort?

What makes you think you will have a choice? The only choice you really have is if the company that hires you....only has one type of no-idle device.

The opti-idle is annoying as hell. It starts, and shuts off the engine on it's own to maintain a temperature window inside the truck. Not sure what it is...5-10 degree variation, or so. It's annoying as hell.
The truck usually lurches a bit when the engine starts by itself. If you are a light sleeper it's annoying.
The battery powered apu set ups are ok, at best, if the batteries are in good shape, and you have been running more than a few hours that day. They all go dead after 8-10 hours at the most of using AC while parked.

As far as idling laws, i doubt opti idle is meets the requirements, unless it only runs a few minutes every time it starts up, which it may. Haven't used one in a few years. (thank god)

 

Opti-Idle works better but can drive you a little crazy turning on & off.

 

I have the epu in my truck. Prefer it greatly to the opti-idle system. If I have the fan on a medium to low setting I can easily get 12 hours out of it and it does keep the sleeper at a comfortable temp. In the winter I have a curtain I put up around the front windows, but in the summer I use the main curtain because the epu won't cool the entire truck to a temp I find comfortable.

 

Ran company for an outfit that had that Opt idle crap in it. Temps outside went below zero. Opt idle would get to the set temp and shut off only to kick back on 15 seconds later. Burned up the starter. Fortunately, there was a motel nearby.

I absolutely hate beancounters and the stupid ways they set trucks up. IMO, Having Opt Idle in a truck is about as bad as having sleep apnea.

 

Just make sure you go with a company that lets you run paper logs. Then you will never have to stop and sleep!

Mikeeee

 

And what training wheels company would that be ?

 

I am still on paper logs. Not that I need to cheat to make my paycheck.

Mikeeee

 

Opti-idle sucks, as others have pointed out. I drove a Prostar that had it and that stupid thing would BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP before it started, then rock the truck. I finally figured out how to just keep it idling by a combination of the bunk temp and dash temp. Other people have had luck with jamming a Gatorade bottle between the brake and throttle. I could never get it to work. Now I drive a Swedish meatball (Volvo) with a Carrier diesel APU. Mucho bueno! I do need to get the AC recharged on it....