APU question

[charged]

I've read a number of APU threads for research. My dad wants one, but doesn't want to spend big bucks for a new one even if it could be financed. I emailed him info on the thermoking and comfortmaster ones I read about here.

I've talked to him about the propane heaters, and roof top a/c units, and going with a nice 3 cyl kubota generator to power the A/C that doghouse recommended. That is a good $5-6K just to buy the stuff w/o install and all the extras maybe needed to put it in.

I found a used rigmaster apu with 5K hrs for $1500. I read that notsteve liked that brand, but since a roof top a/c unit is probably in the future not sure if this is a good choice.

I definatley don't want him to burn down his truck or keep the neighbors up so I told him stay away from badly designed systems previously used on a landstar rig...

Opinions?

[Rev.Vassago]

I'd buy the rigmaster and just use the engine and generator from it. For $1500, that is a steal.

Steve just added a roof mount unit to his system.

[Doghouse]

Thats a nice price for a rigmaster. Make sure it's in decent shape, because it could nickle and dime you to death if it has too many hours on it. Like Rev said, Steve just added his roof unit. Is the truck a condo?

[Colin]

What does the Rigmaster have that the generator and rooftop setup unit does not?

Besides heat. Or does the rooftop heat as well?

[Rev.Vassago]

What does the Rigmaster have that the generator and rooftop setup unit does not?

Besides heat. Or does the rooftop heat as well?

Heat is an option on rooftop units. It adds a few hundred dollars to the price tag.

[TK THE TRUCKER]

My dad wants one, but doesn't want to spend big bucks for a new one even if it could be financed.

Does he realize he'll put more money in his pocket each month even after making an APU payment. Of course it depends on how much he Idles.

Idling 20 days a month=200 hours=200 gallons of fuel=$944

Most APU payments are in the $200-$300 dollar range. http://www.mohawktruck.com/Tripac.html

Rev and Doghouse did their own setup so they'll be even farther ahead. Even if you splurge for a normal APU you'll still come out ahead in the long run. 8) 8)

[Rev.Vassago]

Idling 20 days a month=200 hours=200 gallons of fuel=$944

Most APU payments are in the $200-$300 dollar range.

The problem runs in that you aren't normally idling 12 months a year. The warm season is only from about June - September. The cold season is from November - February. That's 4 months out of the year that you aren't idling at all, but you still have a payment.

The fuel cost savings calculators are generally skewed towards constantly idling every night, which isn't the case. Plus, those who have APU's will tell you that they tend to use it on days they wouldn't have even idled. This is one of the reasons I couldn't justify spending upwards of $10,000 on an APU.

Charged: If your dad doesn't want that Rigmaster, give me the info on it, and I'll buy the thing.

[Doghouse]

TK I went and bought a complete unit that turned out to be complete junk. Use my lesson as an example, get a good unit that has a good reputation. Unless you have the ability to repair one as much as I have,...it's just not worth going the cheaper route like I did. I've probably paid more than a $8,000 unit if you add all the hours and parts it has taken to get this junk to work.
Today one of the cast aluminum mounts broke off the genhead. I wrapped a cable up around the housing just in case another one lets go,..the genhead won't turn into a Tasmanian Devil,...damn this thing is junk!!!

[Heavy Duty]

Problem is who makes a good reliable APU, one that will cool your truck and be reliable. I don't know of a all in one APU that I would buy.

Anybody own a APU that is reliable and that you would by another one like it? From experience I know the Proheat/ Carrier comfort pro is a money eating POS.

[Rev.Vassago]

Anybody own a APU that is reliable and that you would by another one like it? From experience I know the Proheat/ Carrier comfort pro is a money eating POS.

The only one that I've ever heard anyone swear up and down was fantastic was the ComfortMaster. Problem is, it carries an $11,000 price tag.

[Doghouse]

Yeah Heavy,...do you homework, and ask questions,...lotta questions. These forums are great places to get good info. I also heard that for a while Rigmasters were problematic. I remember parking next to one a while back, and that thing was loud!!

I don't think Steve has had any problems with his,....so looks like they are getting better. Ohter than the fact that 20,000BTU's can't cool a dark colored truck.

I remember when I was looking at other systems. I looked at Webasto's Blue Cool, and it was basically not good enough either. These companies try to get in on the alternative power source market and they don't do enough R&D,....they end up with very unhappy customers. At least Webasto came out an told me that it would only work if I cooled a small tent wrapped around my bed,....instead of lying and telling me it would cool my entire truck with no problem.

You guys all know I went with solar (for battery power) that works great for me, and propane(for heat)which also works great. The APU,......not so great.

[Heavy Duty]

I am happy with my set up, 8000 watt Powertech generator, roof mount air, elect heat, block heater, water heater, battery charger, plus other goodies. Only problem is mine is so quiet I can't hear it with other unit's running nearby, or the Rev 2 blocks away.

102 degrees in south Texas and 62 in my sleeper.

[charged]

Thats a nice price for a rigmaster. Make sure it's in decent shape, because it could nickle and dime you to death if it has too many hours on it. Like Rev said, Steve just added his roof unit. Is the truck a condo?

It is just a regular truck with a sleeper, but the roof is somewhat flat so we think a low profile a/c unit would not look odd.

[Rev.Vassago]

Why is that poor man wearing a black box on his head? :wink:

[charged]

Because he's not as good looking as people say you are.

[pdm]

I do some work for an outfit that has about 10 rigmasters.........right now half are out of commiision orone reason or another, generator problems, a/c problems & the access ports are rusted so bad the guage sets won't seal requiring new hoses.......alternators fail often. Maybe its the Ontario winters. I wouldn't buy one. The're too open i think, a lot of road crud seems too get into them.

They bought a Comfortmaster & the driver likes it, Quiet & lots of cooling capacity. He says it cools better than the truck a/c but it only has 500 hrs so far. I'ld say its a better unit. I also heard they have a model now thats a little less money as it has one alternator instead of the 2 that the original one has........

Now if you're handy & want to make something cheap , get a diesel from a straight truck reefer & drive a delco alternator through an inverter. voltage X amperage = wattage.....so 150 amps @ 12 volts is 1800 watts.

I'ld take my chances with a 10,000ht kubota/yanmar/Isuzu over any aircooled diesel...........justmy 2cents.

[Rev.Vassago]

Because he's not as good looking as people say you are.

That truck needs more fire.

[NotSteve]

I have a Rigmaster and really like it and would replace it tomorrow if it went out to lunch today. I've had it since August of last year and have 2000 hours on it. The generator went last month but that was covered under warranty. I replaced the generator myself and the dealer couldn't keep enough in stock. Rigmaster is using a different generator now because they have had problems with the other one.

I'm from New Hampshire and been there my whole life. I cannot take the heat at all. 50 degrees in NH is spring to us and time for shorts, T-shirts and no jacket. I sleep with my window open down to 40 degrees.

The Rigmaster is 20,000 btu's of A/C but still not enough to cool an 80" condo without closing half the cab off with the privacy curtain. I added a 15,000 btu carrier rooftop unit but still waiting to do a real test in 100+ conditions.

The Rigmaster has a nice feature where it starts up and shuts off automatically when in auto mode for both heat or cold. I set the temp for like 72 and around 11pm when the temp drops the whole unit shuts down for the night. Same thing with the heat.

I don't agree about using an APU for only 4 months. Mine is used 12 months out of the year. It's still hot in Texas and in many other states in the winter months and cold in the morning in Colorado and other states in the summer time.

I have 2000 hours on my unit. If I would have idled that much at $4.50 per gallon it would have cost me $9000 plus the wear on my engine. Not sure what it really cost me in fuel to run the Rigmaster. They claim .2 gallons per hour but even at .4 gallons per hour that's $2,250 in fuel costs so I've already paid for the unit almost. I think I paid $7,200 for my unit installed. The rooftop Carrier unit was $650. Together I think I have the ultimate cooling.

I may even get an Espar unit for heat also and save even more. There have been times during the winter that I sat for a whole weekend running the Rigmaster. There is no way you could get around running your engine for 24 hours non stop. Having an Espar would be yet another cost effective solution in addition to what I already have.

The Rigmaster is loud but I had Meineke muffler install a long pipe all the way to the rear of my tractor and a car muffler put on. Problem solved.

I personally think I have the best setup possible now as far as cooling, battery monitoring, engine block heating and just plain ease of use. With an Espar unit I don't think you could do any better.

It will be one year next month since I've owned the unit and it will have paid for itself and the Carrier roof top unit. And, the best thing about it is I can go to sleep at night without having to worry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BanditsCousin]

I've had my tripac for about 3 weeks and love it. I went to bed today at 7am and woke up to 104 in texas at noon. Sleeper was super cool and fan speed was low. I paid 8500.

[NotSteve]

I've had my tripac for about 3 weeks and love it. I went to bed today at 7am and woke up to 104 in texas at noon. Sleeper was super cool and fan speed was low. I paid 8500.

Ya, but did your unit start on fire or the head fly off? Was it really worth spending all that money when you could have built one yourself for a fraction of the cost. Sure, you can go to sleep at night not worrying about being burned alive but is that worth the extra money you spent? You just push a button and everything turns on and off and works. Is THAT really worth the extra money??? You don't have to fix anything or diagnose why something doesn't work just right but is THAT worth the extra money.

Sure, just sit back and push a button and download your porn. Real men build their own and risk all the consequences and work on improving what they have built. You specialized carriers suck, your all lazy. I'm sure it must be quit an effort to push that button. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a clapper hooked up to it!

I hope your nice and comfortable and your dick freezes off in Texas.