EC's Going For It

[Electric Chicken]

Mistakes were made today. Nothing serious but I got randomly asked if I would to a pickup in Upper Marlboro MD after delivery to Fisherville VA while on my way to the former. I said yes not giving it much thought because we go there from Bridgewater VA on a regular basis.

Dumb dumb me didnt factor in the extra mileage from Fisherville. It's about 28 miles extra each direction so you're adding about an hour.

Maybe not a huge deal but when I got off I66 it was a crawl almost the entire stretch of I495. PLUS 301 was backed up.

I66 wasn't too bad except for a stretch of downpour with us all going 40mph with our hazards on.

Then coming back, there was a wreck on US50 that was piling up and shortly after I got through had it entirely shut down.

I270 was busy as always as well. Fortunately, I70 and I81 were problem free.

I thought for sure I was sleeping in the truck tonight.

I mean I kinda bought it for that, but I dont have any food in it. I thought I was just doing the Fisherville and back, so I didn't even bring a lunch. I stopped at Sheetz and got a couple hot dogs.

The day wasn't completely bad. Those hot dogs were 2 for a buck. No extra charge for the ketchup, mustard, and onions.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Mistakes were made today. There was a traffic snarl on my way home so I thought I'd be cute and detour through part of Hagerstown MD. By the time I got back on I81 I merged right behind the same truck I was following when I jumped off.

 

[Rigjockey]

Mistakes were made today. There was a traffic snarl on my way home so I thought I'd be cute and detour through part of Hagerstown MD. By the time I got back on I81 I merged right behind the same truck I was following when I jumped off.

Well, at least you know you didn't lose any time.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Well, at least you know you didn't lose any time.

I was kind of happy about that. Lol

 

[Duck]

Gotta love a good scavenger hunt.

I don't hunt scavengers. I just leave them alone.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I think the truck needs new batteries. I set the APU to run every time the voltage gets low and it's been on a couple times since I shut the truck down yesterday evening.

The fridge is full time draw as well as the ELD but still I don't think it should kick on this much. Maybe I'm wrong.

Without the APU charging the batteries I sometimes have to jump it after 2-3 days off.

 

[Rigjockey]

I think the truck needs new batteries. I set the APU to run every time the voltage gets low and it's been on a couple times since I shut the truck down yesterday evening.

The fridge is full time draw as well as the ELD but still I don't think it should kick on this much. Maybe I'm wrong.

Without the APU charging the batteries I sometimes have to jump it after 2-3 days off.

The fridge is a pretty big draw. That might be it.
When I had a fridge in the truck, I would shut off the fridge for the weekend. Just be sure to leave the fridge door open or it will stink.

 

[Electric Chicken]

The fridge is a pretty big draw. That might be it.
When I had a fridge in the truck, I would shut off the fridge for the weekend. Just be sure to leave the fridge door open or it will stink.

The sleeper area does automatically shut off for low voltage, mostly due to the fridge. I think the ELD and other modern doodads are what sometimes makes me have to jump it.

I don't know realistically how much longer it would all go on a new set.

 

[Duck]

I think the truck needs new batteries. I set the APU to run every time the voltage gets low and it's been on a couple times since I shut the truck down yesterday evening.

The fridge is full time draw as well as the ELD but still I don't think it should kick on this much. Maybe I'm wrong.

Without the APU charging the batteries I sometimes have to jump it after 2-3 days off.

Every time you let a lead acid battery drop below 50% state of charge it causes sulfation on the plates inside, which decreases the overall capacity.

Here's a chart:

(Pretend the word "capacity" is "state of charge".. Some nitwit used the wrong word.)



I don't know if you can run a desulfator on a bank of 4 batteries or if you have to separate them & do it individually but doing them one at a time with only one desulfator could take up to a week. And you'd have to use another battery and a charger to keep the ELD on if you'll get in trouble for taking it offline long enough to "outlaw" a round trip to Florida.., which is what they'd probably suspect.

Anyway instead of using the APU I'd just toss it on a charger when you're home. Any old automatic charger in the 15-20 amp range oughta be a good tender & keep the fridge and ELD going without draining the batteries and having to listen to the APU when you're at home.


One other thing to consider is the weather. Parked in direct sunlight under a blue sky, it'll be hot as fuck in the cab and that'll definitely make the fridge run more.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Every time you let a lead acid battery drop below 50% state of charge it causes sulfation on the plates inside, which decreases the overall capacity.

Here's a chart:

(Pretend the word "capacity" is "state of charge".. Some nitwit used the wrong word.)

View attachment 98315

I don't know if you can run a desulfator on a bank of 4 batteries or if you have to separate them & do it individually but doing them one at a time with only one desulfator could take up to a week. And you'd have to use another battery and a charger to keep the ELD on if you'll get in trouble for taking it offline long enough to "outlaw" a round trip to Florida.., which is what they'd probably suspect.

Anyway instead of using the APU I'd just toss it on a charger when you're home. Any old automatic charger in the 15-20 amp range oughta be a good tender & keep the fridge and ELD going without draining the batteries and having to listen to the APU when you're at home.


One other thing to consider is the weather. Parked in direct sunlight under a blue sky, it'll be hot as fuck in the cab and that'll definitely make the fridge run more.

Yeah doesn't the shore power plug also keep the batteries up? I'll probably just start using that if so.

I'll need to have an outlet installed near the truck or run the big extension cord into the house.

Then again, letting the APU kick on is Americanly way easier. It sounds like I'm mowing one spot in my yard for an hour or so at a time but no one has complained so far.

 

[Duck]

Yeah doesn't the shore power plug also keep the batteries up? I'll probably just start using that if so.

I'll need to have an outlet installed near the truck or run the big extension cord into the house.

Then again, letting the APU kick on is Americanly way easier. It sounds like I'm mowing one spot in my yard for an hour or so at a time but no one has complained so far.

I don't know what your shore power plug is wired to.

On Van Wyk trucks they went to a block heater only. But some of their trucks, I think the Volvo 780s had a factory shore power plug but all it did was power a couple of 120 volt outlets in the bunk.

Ain't no reason to run a block heater in the summer.

All I can say is follow the wire behind the plug and see where it goes.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I don't know what your shore power plug is wired to.

On Van Wyk trucks they went to a block heater only. But some of their trucks, I think the Volvo 780s had a factory shore power plug but all it did was power a couple of 120 volt outlets in the bunk.

Ain't no reason to run a block heater in the summer.

All I can say is follow the wire behind the plug and see where it goes.

Usually a block heater isn't labeled shore power. I remember camping as a kid and the plug from the campground to the RV was labeled shore power. It provided electric to all the electric things but we weren't in a motorhome so I don't know if it would have kept batteries charged.

Either way I have some learning to do.