APU versus Idleaire

[mike3fan]

Instead of highjacking Steve's thread all over the place I would like some of your opionions on which you think might be a better route to go.

In my situation running mostly in the nothern half of the eastern US,where the summers are not all that hot usually,I am beginning to think that an APU is not the right investment for me,I have maybe idled my truck 10-15 times this year and spent roughly $500 on Idleaire on other occasions.

I can't make the numbers work out where I would pay off a $7,000+ investment when figuring in actual number of hours I would actually need and run the unit,plus with more IA spots opening up it will become more conveniant to use,plus I have cable TV when I use IA and wouldn't have that with the APU.

What are your guys thoughts on the merits one way or another of an APU?

I also have issues with space and weight when considering adding the APU,I know you are supposed to get the weight allowance for it but I wonder if that is happening in the real world?

I am leaning towards IA and an Espar fuel fired heater,since I deal with more cold weather than heat.

[Dispatch_This]

I think the return on investment is inflated in the advertisments.
You can make your money back in the time period they claim - provided you idle 50 hours a week...

On the flip side, Walmart has installed APUs on their entire fleet. I'm sure they have a roomfull of corporate bean-counters, so it makes sense on a large scale, I guess...

http://www.cleantechblog.com/2007/01...ing-green.html

[allan5oh]

Go with the espar, I'm willing to bet you'll be more comfortable with one of those then an APU.

While you're at it, get an espar engine heater too. Heats better then any block heater can.

[nickbtubas]

idleaire is overrated...

why??

1. the air flow stays in the front of the truck where the unit is at, even with the fan on high...

2. you have to unplug whatever appliances the idleaire is powering everytime you move.

3. you have to get up from your bunk to adjust the temp, fan speed, or tv channels, (yes i am lazy)

4. sometimes you can spend another $10-$20 more and get an actual hotel room, have a nice hot shower and your cable channels

there are more examples just let me think of them....

if i owned a truck i would definitely own an APU

[GMAN]

I think one of the main advantages to having an APU is convenience. If you don't idle all that much, it may not be a factor for you. If you don't idle more than about 15 times a year, I would probably not go to the expense of buying an APU. Of course, you can always buy a gas powered unit and strap it on the catwalk. :wink: I met an owner operator in Texas last year who did just that very thing. For a few hundred dollars, he has a generator that does what he needs and for a lot less expense. I met another guy a few months ago who had a similar setup. It apparently works for him.

[Red Clay Rambler]

The generator-with-roof-air police should be along shortly.....

[mike3fan]

idleaire is overrated...

why??

1. the air flow stays in the front of the truck where the unit is at, even with the fan on high...

That is not a problem in my truck just aim the air towards the back and open the curtain a little

2. you have to unplug whatever appliances the idleaire is powering everytime you move.

not sure why you would have to move? I have never even if there all weekend

3. you have to get up from your bunk to adjust the temp, fan speed, or tv channels, (yes i am lazy)

I bought a USB keyboard with a touch pad and can lay on the bed and change channels and adjust temp

4. sometimes you can spend another $10-$20 more and get an actual hotel room, have a nice hot shower and your cable channels

I stayed at a super 8(not exactly the Ritz Carlton and it cost $89 for 2 days and cost about $60-70 the last time I stayed for a 34hr reset at Idleaire

there are more examples just let me think of them....

if i owned a truck i would definitely own an APU

Didn't really want this to get into a pi$$ing match about IA,but I feel some people are just not gonna like it no matter what.And thats fine,I think it is pretty useful service.[/b]

[mike3fan]

Go with the espar, I'm willing to bet you'll be more comfortable with one of those then an APU.

While you're at it, get an espar engine heater too. Heats better then any block heater can.

Yeah thats what I leaning towards,plus I don't have a block heater at the moment.

[BoyNextDoor]

I'm a gold member, and tried IdleAire, but i have one big gripe about it. For what i do, it's too damn expensive. I only idle the truck (that i drive for an O/O) when the temps outside demand it. bellow 50, and above 85. so not all that much.

but the worst thing about it is, that i'm a non-smoker. and there is virtually no telling if an IA unit was smoked into by the last user. and i can't stand the smoke. the filters don't take out the smoke. so my truck smells like smoke for two days after i've been there...

i have internet thru my Sprint Aircard, i have a laptop that i watch movies on, the TV is useless on the regular channels you can get free over the air, mainly b/c programming sucks, and I only see myself watching cable if at all. I'm still thinking of a satellite setup, but i'm debating the cost.

so the idea is pretty good with IA, but I won't use it again (and i have a 1yr membership) until they figure the smoker, non-smoker thing. maybe separate sections...

[CaptCaveman]

I like APU's because all the things they can do (heat/cool/charge batteries/warm block). Most of the newer APU's don't run continously they cycle on as needed like a reefer unit. But if IA is all you need/want, go with it. Its your money, spend on what makes you happy. :wink:

[Ian Williams]

On the flip side, Walmart has installed APUs on their entire fleet. I'm sure they have a roomfull of corporate bean-counters, so it makes sense on a large scale, I guess...

I suspect thatWally World paid significantly less that $7k for their APUs. Given how little you idle I'd stick with the spring for Idle Air or a hotel.

You may want to get a no-frills heater for the winter though.

I've idled my truck probably at least 30 days. I've been in the mountains this past winter hauling stuff around and the temps below zero for weeks at a time. I tried one night to not idle and all my water and juice was frozen and so wasn't I. When the temp is 10 below zero it takes about 1/2 an hour before your cab is also. I can't see anyone not idling there truck all morning after they get up and make arraignments for there next load while they sit inside with there mad bomber hat on, ski gloves, snow mobile suit, long johns and a runny nose.

I've been in Nevada, Arizona, California and many other states where the temp was over 100 and inside the truck I would imagine it would exceed 150 without idling the truck.

I bought mine as a luxury item. I don't think it's a necessity. It just raises the quality of life a lot.

One of the best features is not having to start your truck every so often to make sure your batteries are not on the verge of not being able to start the truck. Even though you have an APU you still use your inverter for everything in the truck running off the batteries. That allows you not to have to run the APU for power. When the battery drops down to a certain level the APU automatically turns on and recharges the batteries then shuts down.

[choperbob]

i love my apu. as o/o i stay out from home 6 weeks+ at a time. i have a power inverter also. i usually travel in the south and south west lanes and like my air conditioning. with my fridge/freezer in sleeper the apu keeps battery charged . i used to idle 40-60 hrs a week as company driver. now my idle time is probably down to 1-5 hrs total and usually at shippers waiting for a dock. paying for the fuel myself has made me real careful about how i burn it

[brian]

i`m a big advocate of apu`s mine paid for itself in a year, plus i`m not killing the engine idling 10 hours a night, next month when it starts getting cold my truck wouldn`t be turned off for a week straight if I didn`t have my proheat.

[Crash935]

Mike, i'm from the same state and run the same areas as you. I havent tried I/A yet, If i"m at a truck stop its for fuel, food, shower and a nap so the cable and other stuff isnt that important to me. I have a Espar heater in my truck and love it, the only time i idle is when its well below freezing or the dozen or so times that the nights are actually warm enough to need the a/c. I dont have the block heater on mine (wish i did) but will leave the heater on a low setting for the weekend while i'm home to help keep the snow from building up on the truck and so that i have a warm truck to climb into when i'm ready to leave. Havent had a problem with the truck not starting yet because it wasn on all weekend.

I have learned to stop 1/2 to 3/4 hour before i get to a shipper/receiver and turn the heater on, throw a can of Hearty Campbells soup about 10" infront of the vent and i'll have a HOT can of soup to eat when i get there.

Idle Air is pretty good. I used it for a few months before getting my APU. There is an external plug on the outside of the unit that you can plug your block heater into.

The cost is $1.95 per hour. The one thing I don't like is there is no timer. It runs until you either shut it off or run out of money. You use your credit card to put money into your account. I needed the Idle Air for about 5 hours so I would figure how much to put into my account then it would shut off automatically when I ran out of funds.

[mike3fan]

I made my appointment today to have the Espar bunk heater and engine heater installed in my truck the first week in Oct.

3k installed.

I made my appointment today to have the Espar bunk heater and engine heater installed in my truck the first week in Oct.

3k installed.

That was my second choice if I didn't go with the Rigmaster. I can sort of take the hot weather but being freezing cold is another thing. I've heard nothing but good things about the Espar.

[GrayBeard]

I made my appointment today to have the Espar bunk heater and engine heater installed in my truck the first week in Oct.

3k installed.

Mike,

Which model did you choose?

TIA

Be careful and stay safe.

[mike3fan]

I made my appointment today to have the Espar bunk heater and engine heater installed in my truck the first week in Oct.

3k installed.

Mike,

Which model did you choose?

TIA

Be careful and stay safe.

He didn't say what model it was.