jt road hammer
Well-Known Member
price what about 7k to 10k then 1k ore to put it in so roughly 8 to 13k for a new one and installed right
How to make your own APU
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ironpony
Professional Pot-Stirrer
Something like that. Probably less if you whoop together a home brew unit. Depends on how handy you are. There have been a couple of deaths from CO poisoning over the years from running a gasoline generator.
Nomad1
Forum
I'm not sure how they have suckered the trucking industry into using APUs. A setup used by RVs is much cheaper and more versatile. If you are set on a noisy ass diesel generator instead of unleaded to save you from getting exercise going to the unleaded pumps then you can buy a diesel RV generator to go with it instead of unleaded one. You'll still save thousands.
ironpony
Professional Pot-Stirrer
Clone thing, you can't tell employees to shell out a couple thousand for a generator. For another, half of them would sell the stuff, and claim it was stolen.
Nomad1
Forum
Yeah. That makes sense for company drivers but I still don't understand why an OO would ever fall for it.
jt road hammer
Well-Known Member
isint a real apu better than a home brew one
mndriver
curmudgeon extraordinare
Because a setup in an RV is reliant on being hooked up to no less than a 30 amp circuit from shore power. The closest that comes to that is a carrier unit in trucking.
Even just for heat, you'd need at least a 15 amp power outlet. Forget trying to plug in a block heater.
A 2-cyl diesel off a tripac is tapped into the engine coolant system and will heat it up enough to start it from -25°F. That's without getting into the deep Arctic kit.
The tripac is inverter based so your powering your electronics, microwave, tv etc off an inverter, not a generator head like a carrier u it it.
Nomad1
Forum
No. Not if the homebrew one is done right. Pick whichever heater and AC setup works best for you. Pick the invertor/charger that fits your needs. Add an RV electric box. Put outlets wherever you want them. Add a battery or two if you want. Pick the generator that fits your needs. You can run everything off the invertor indefinitely while the truck is running. The generator can run everything and charge the truck batteries when the truck is off. When you're parked somewhere for days and not staying in the truck just set your thermostat at a reasonable temperature and make sure the door is closed on the fridge. Pull out the shore power cord and plug up. My 32 foot RV cost me less than 20 a month in electricity at my house. It stays plugged up if we aren't gone in it.
mndriver
curmudgeon extraordinare
And if you're going to run the big engine to keep your batteries charged, you may as well not even install anything.
A small diesel engine is used because it's the fuel source already ON the truck and readily available to tap into without adding a second fuel system that would create the possibility of cross contamination.
A small diesel engine is used because it's the fuel source already ON the truck and readily available to tap into without adding a second fuel system that would create the possibility of cross contamination.
mndriver
curmudgeon extraordinare
All depends on the skill level of the one doing the home brew.
mndriver
curmudgeon extraordinare
Show us a truckstop that readily gives you shore power access
Nomad1
Forum
You're wrong. I have an RV. I know exactly how they work. I use a small ceramic heater that keeps the 32 foot RV reasonable by pulling 800 watts. You can choose whatever heat you want also. The rooftop AC keeps it cold and pulls a little over 1000 watts. It easily runs on a 20 amp circuit. It is set up to run no more than 30 amps. You said no less than. A generator to run 30 amps can be had for less than $800 everyday of the week. The invertor charger depends on how much you want to run at once but should be less than $1000. The electrical panel is $150. How much is the heater you choose? The AC can be rooftop for around $800 or whatever you would use with an APU.
jt road hammer
Well-Known Member
so which one is better to have ??
and which is better in the long-term thing for me
and which is better in the long-term thing for me
jt road hammer
Well-Known Member
i hear each is good i am just not sure which is the best for me to get for my application in my older truck
Nomad1
Forum
You have to ask yourself how long you plan to keep the truck and how much you will use it. Honestly while a really good homebrew is better it probably won't add any resale value to the truck. So if you aren't going to be in the truck long you need to consider that.
jt road hammer
Well-Known Member
my truck is a 1984 peterbilt 359 with a cat 550 hp all original with 13 speed
i mean i have room on catwalk to mount a metal box for generator and room on the side to mount a APU either setup i mean i don't ever plan selling the truck i am not exactly sure which is better for me
and i have 2 other 359 peterbilt's i might put one on
i mean i have room on catwalk to mount a metal box for generator and room on the side to mount a APU either setup i mean i don't ever plan selling the truck i am not exactly sure which is better for me
and i have 2 other 359 peterbilt's i might put one on
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Pictures of said 359s?
Nomad1
Forum
If you're not going to get rid of it and want to save some $$$ the RV style setup is better and cheaper. I would use a generator that burns unleaded because they are so much quieter. The one on my RV is 18 years old and runs fine. It has has brushes replaced and normal maintenance. It's an Onan.
mndriver
curmudgeon extraordinare
Yop, yet the only one with an RV
Guess that makes the rest of us clueless. Have a good night
Nomad1
Forum
That's not what makes you clueless. 30 minutes of study for a person of average intelligence on the internet will show them I'm right.
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