What is the purpose of having BOTH a bunk heater and an APU?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by BeHereNow97, Aug 30, 2021.

  1. JoeyJunk

    JoeyJunk Road Train Member

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    I meant in his case.
     
  2. JoeyJunk

    JoeyJunk Road Train Member

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    I guess depending how you read that it could be misleading. A Tripac uses a bun heater for heat. It is part of the APU set up, buts it’s a separate unit and different manufacturer
     
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  3. Ffx95

    Ffx95 Road Train Member

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    Thermoking tripacs usually have that set up. AC and cabin fan are powered by the APU and the APU will crank on to top off the batteries but the heat is from the bunk heater. Now the bunk heater does draw on the battery so you might hear the apu kick on but the thermoking does not draw heat from the apu itself.
     
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  4. BeHereNow97

    BeHereNow97 Road Train Member

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    Okay so I'm confused if the bunk heater is a seperate system from the APU unit then when you change the oil on the outside APU unit:

    [​IMG]

    Then where is the unit that you have to change the oil/filters etc. for the bunk heater? Because if the bunk heater is a separate unit from the APU than shouldn't there be two units of the attached imaged on the back of the cab instead of just one unit?
     
  5. dngrous_dime

    dngrous_dime Road Train Member

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    Tell us you've never looked under your bunk, without saying you've never looked under your bunk.
     
  6. Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    I was surprised recently when looking at a friends new Truck. It has an APU, and a separate bunk heater. It’s all wired into the Trucks HVAC controls. Bunk heaters not working. I always wanted a bunk heater. Webasto s are $1200 of more, last time I checked. Chinese knock offs are now available for about $300. I hear they burn 1 gal. Every 10 hrs. They’re all about the size of a narrow shoebox. Tiny 1 cylinder Diesel engine. Only recently found out that they draw down the batteries. APU takes care of that, I guess? Must only run when needed. Seems the APU could just circulate water, and heat the Truck, but that probably costs a lot more in fuel, wear and tear on APU. Webasto also makes a similar size engine coolant heater. Heats and circulates the coolant. They’ve both been around since at least the early 90s. A lot of Canadian Trucks used to have them. Back before APUs were common.
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2021
  7. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

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    My truck with APU & bunk heater was great. The APU provided ice-cold air conditioning. The bunk heater could cook a roast in 45nminutes. The APU provides virtually no heat in sleeper with engine off.
     
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  8. skallagrime

    skallagrime Road Train Member

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    The clue is in the name. TRI-pack

    1 Diesel fired Bunk heater

    2 Ac conventional refrigerant system powered by main unit

    3 Apu providing electricity/engine heat
     
  9. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    The bunk heater is for running down the road, the APU is for when your parked engine off. The bunk heater is standerd on the truck, the PAU is added later to save fuel, nothing to do with drier comfort, about saving the company money.
     
  10. BeHereNow97

    BeHereNow97 Road Train Member

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    Okay explain to me like I'm stupid please (I am far from mechanically gifted).

    Basically, the APU unit supplies the power to the AC and to the heat but the AC and the heat have different wiring systems. But the APU unit is the power behind both the bunk heater and the AC.

    Do I have that right?