APU/Fridge: How Common?
Topic 5295 | Page 1
Robert, percentage wise you'll find that most trucks do not have an APU. Some large carriers like Prime provide them, but most have decided they are too costly. I've never had a truck with an APU and I've never had any problems keeping cool, nor have I had any problems running a refrigerator. It's never a good idea to choose a company based on whether they provide APUs or not - they may decide tomorrow to yank them all out.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APUs:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Robert, percentage wise you'll find that most trucks do not have an APU. Some large carriers like Prime provide them, but most have decided they are too costly. I've never had a truck with an APU and I've never had any problems keeping cool, nor have I had any problems running a refrigerator. It's never a good idea to choose a company based on whether they provide APUs or not - they may decide tomorrow to yank them all out.
Doesn't the fridge drain the batteries without one?
No, there are many other factors to my choosing. Werner is one company I'm looking at. They only pay 30cpm but I'm okay with that first year.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APUs:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
The 12 volt refrigerators available at just about any truck stop are very efficient. I prefer the Koolatron, but less expensive ones will work fine. Mine will run just fine, even if I'm on a 34 hour break, without draining the batteries. When I'm on home time I will empty and unplug it.
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So an auxilary power unit provides air, heat, and electricity while the engine is off. It runs on a small diesel engine and burns .03 galons per hour compared to 1 galon an hour idling your engine. Due to new idle policies, companies are adopting apu's or some alternative to idling.
For trucks without them, there are bunk heaters which run on diesel fuel and provide thermostat-controlled heat in the winter. But in the summer, you will have to idle for air conditioning. Some companies like Swift offer computer controlled smart idling which turns the engine on and off, governed by the temperature you set into the computer.
So what carriers put what onto their trucks these days? Do you need an APU to run a fridge? Can you always tap into a TCU's APU if your truck isn't equpped with one?
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APU's:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.