APU Questions

My next retrofit will be a 6500 watt diesel powered generator along with a 10,000 btu AC unit mounted on the back wall like @SkateBoard did along with other key components.

If I were you I would buy a used Rigmaster unit without using the AC/Heat plumbing. That's a ton of extra hardware. Just the engine with the generator and alternator.

This setup will run you AC without breathing hard. Along with the following benefits.

.2 gallons per hour. Check what your planning on using. I think it uses much more!
Twin cylinder diesel using the trucks fuel tanks
Water cooled
Automatic start/stop when batteries need charging
6,000 watts to run other stuff when needed

You can call www.BigRigTruck.net. They have 2 locations. One in NE and one in TX. They probably have what you need used already. Have them install it. Have them wire it as one 50amp circuit instead of two 25 amp.

You can also find one on Ebay pretty cheap. Have it shipped to BigRigTruck and have them fix it up then install.

This is a worry free setup. Never have to think. In your case, it's a plus. Also get an Espar for heat and KEEP IT MAINTAINED unlike many people!!!!!
 
a 6500 watt genset WTF is Dubble D trying to do run a roof top AC and start up his own electric co at the truck stops by charging drivers to use his power:confused-96::biglaugh::rolleyes:.
 
What....? I like eggs and bacon!
View attachment 28825

That's the passenger side.
now your talking LOL. I bought my Honda EU7000 so I wouldn't have to go around unplugging crap and plugging crap back in when i'm done with something else:D. the only thing my genset don't like is my garage door opener it must be because of the jolt when it starts to open:rolleyes:
 
@SkateBoard I didn't have time to review all the details. I was planning on a semi-major retrofit with that diesel genny that included fuel pump and filtering from the truck supply, touch-pad control on the inside with auto-start and such...

I do want to be able to do the things I truly love to do so having enough electricity is a priority...
image.jpg

Next months challenge is a French claw foot dining table for 16 in between runs of course.
 
@SkateBoard I didn't have time to review all the details. I was planning on a semi-major retrofit with that diesel genny that included fuel pump and filtering from the truck supply, touch-pad control on the inside with auto-start and such...

I do want to be able to do the things I truly love to do so having enough electricity is a priority...
View attachment 28826

Next months challenge is a French claw foot dining table for 16 in between runs of course.

The most major thing is the autostart when your voltage drops below a certain point. An Espar heater will suck your batteries down while you sleep. If it's really cold you won't have the cranking power to start. Unless your planning on running the generator non stop and that would suck up a lot of fuel instead of a unit that starts and stops as needed.

If your truck won't start because the batteries are too low your generator will probably start.

Also, what are you planning on using to charge the batteries? If your thinking of a regular charger watch out! If you over charge it will damage the batteries to a point they may crack and the acid will boil. Get hot enough or a spark and that stuff is VERY flammable. If your thinking about using a battery tender your going to need 4 of them. One for each battery. Just one will not do and will burn up pretty quick.

I've already been through ALL of this with first hand experience. Roof top AC units, APU AC, battery chargers , voltage thresholds, Mr. Coffee is really Mr. Battery Killer and all the in's and out's of how to run stuff.
 
The most major thing is the autostart when your voltage drops below a certain point. An Espar heater will suck your batteries down while you sleep. If it's really cold you won't have the cranking power to start. Unless your planning on running the generator non stop and that would suck up a lot of fuel instead of a unit that starts and stops as needed.

If your truck won't start because the batteries are too low your generator will probably start.

Also, what are you planning on using to charge the batteries? If your thinking of a regular charger watch out! If you over charge it will damage the batteries to a point they may crack and the acid will boil. Get hot enough or a spark and that stuff is VERY flammable. If your thinking about using a battery tender your going to need 4 of them. One for each battery. Just one will not do and will burn up pretty quick.

I've already been through ALL of this with first hand experience. Roof top AC units, APU AC, battery chargers , voltage thresholds, Mr. Coffee is really Mr. Battery Killer and all the in's and out's of how to run stuff.
You're such a buzz kill.
 
This all is why I like having a Yamaha EF2000is (CARB compliant for those that think about those things) snuggled into a custom box on the frame rail. It can run right in the box, comfortably. Just remove a couple of cutouts on the box and it is vented great. Keeps it nice and secure and protected from weather. That generator can even be had in a tri-fuel version.... propane, NG, and gasoline. You can use all 3 fuels in one generator and select the fuel you are using at any time. Gas one day, propane the next, NG off of your line at your house if you have NG. One could strap a propane tank to the catwalk behind the sleeper if they had a mind to do so and run the generator.

I use it for shore power for my Xantrex inverter / charger. Inverter runs off batteries, but when hooked up to gen or shore power, it also provides 50 amps to the batteries to keep them fully charged up and ready to go. I have a Wolverine internal oil pan heater on the engine. It gets plugged into the generator on those really cold nights. The oil stays up at around 150F and flows real nice on the coldest mornings, and the heat rising from the pan keeps the engine in decent starting condition. Not quite as warm as running the block heater, but adequate. And it only uses 500w compared to the block heater. I could power the block heater if I chose.

The generator can power the inverter/charger and the oil pan heater together and still run at low speed and very quiet. About 1/4 of the generator rated load. And do it while only using about a gallon of gas in 8-10 hrs. I operate mostly in the upper midwest, so Air Cond in the summer is not as critical as down south. But if I need to, a small window AC unit can do the trick just fine. The Columbia I have has a deep groove that runs around the cab door windows. A custom cut 3/4 piece of plywood will fit right in there, with a cutout for a window AC. A Webasto heater provides in cab/sleeper heat in the winter.

Nice thing is, any of the components, Xantres inverter/charger, generator, or AC can be easily replaced with another. An authorized dealer and repair for the generator is 11.5 miles from my house. I can leave the generator with them for repair and still continue my week. And when I need it, I can yank the generator (all of 50 lb) out of the box and use it for camping or power around my property away from the house.

Total cost is not more than 1/5 of a full blown APU, and at most, total weight of everything might be 150 lb for box on frame rail, generator, inverter/charger, and window AC. Without the window AC unit, which I rarely carry with me, the total weight of everything else is less than 100 lb.

And best of all... I have all the under bunk space still available to me and not choked up with APU supported stuff. I use Rotopack gas containers that are fully DOT approved and can be thrown around, dropped on the ground, etc and not leak a drop. They are serious heavy duty gas containers. A couple of them ride in another tool box on the other side. They have cutout and could be actually mounted to a frame rail with lockable mounts if one didn't have a tool box to throw them in. And they have control flow nozzles so very little risk of spill when fueling. They are designed for serious 4 wheeler ATV off road use where they will get smashed around, dropped, fall off the 4 wheeler and skid across the ground, etc.
 
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I have a few questions, but first some background. My wife is a Central Refrigerated/Swift lease op and I ride with her. We have a 2013 Cascadia.
We are exploring the possibility of buying an APU, but I need some info.
Do all APUs or only certain types keep the engine oil temps warmed in the winter so you don't have to idle?
How difficult are they to install or move from one truck to another?
What are the pros and cons of new vs used?
How much fuel does it save vs idling?
How much fuel will they save for team drivers vs solo drivers?
They can end the lease any time! I would not spend 12,000 on an apu for a swift leased truck.
 
They can end the lease any time! I would not spend 12,000 on an apu for a swift leased truck.
some won't even let you modify the trucks weather your leasing or not!!! but yea they can screw you and take the truck at anytime and lease it out to the next sucker in line...
hell a honda inverter genset and a cheap portable A/C would work and i wouldn't cost 12k either
 

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