new APU questions

[sc5952]

I am looking to purchase 1-2 new apu units to put in my my OTR trucks (put in at least 1 for now). My question is what is best you guys thinking? I am thinking tripac by TK. Next question is any good places to finance for them for person with not best credit? We don't finance much so hard to build credit back up from a battered past. What prices am I looking at for installed TK tripac apu? Thanks in advance for any and all opinions and suggestions!

[firebird_1252]

the thermoking is around 10800 from what i've been pricing out. it looks like i'm going with the carrier due to the price of $9080

[sc5952]

I found dealer in Springfield Missouri sells for $9,600 installed for Tripac. Think this is way I am going to go.

[Walking Eagle]

The Tri Pack is by far the best. Don't have to run it if you just want a small amount of 120 volts like for TV or something. Inverter runs for sometime without it fireing up to bring the batteries back up.Has several sensors, one in the engine block for coolant temp so it fires up if it gets to cold for and easy engine start. One for the batteries getting low. One for when the AC or heat wants to come on. I had one for quite a time and was never a lick of problem. When the 'house' batteries got weak from charge dis charge cycles I replaced them with deep cycle golf cart batteries and as far as I know the guy that is running it now still hasn't changed them and that has got t have been 5 or 6 years ago.

[sc5952]

Thermoking in Wichita KS (closest installer to me) priced this am for $8,900 for regular install. Plus $75-$100 for artic package, plus $400 for 1800 watt inverter (won't need, already have), plus an optional $40 for intergration wire and $100 toggle option.

[MichiganDriver]

I lived with a Carrier apu for 3 years and then spent about 2 weeks in a truck with a tripac apu.

If I was in charge of awarding a prize for technical excellence the tripac would win, hands down, no contest. It bitch slaps the Carrier and humiliates it in public. It's a far superior product.

But if I were about to buy one, I'd buy the Carrier. It's a better roommate. lol I mean it. The tripac, in order to save a few cents here and there cycles on and off throughout the night. The Carrier is too dumb for that nonsense, it runs continuously until you shut it off. It's not an unpleasant sound by any means and the beauty of it is that it acts as "white noise" and helps to block out the sound of nearby trucks at the truck stops.

The tripac is busy starting up and shutting down and it invades your consciousness throughout the night. The Carrier blocks the world out to some degree and helps you get a good night sleep. Put me down for being in favor of wasting a couple of dineros and getting some good sleep.

[barf]

I have to agree and disagree with some statements by MichiganDriver. The Carrier can be set to autostart for low battery, cold engine temp, and even sleeper cab temp. However mine is too unreliable so if I'm abandoning my truck in cold weather I'll leave it running continuously because I don't trust it. And I strongly agree about the white noise effect. I sleep much better when its running than I do on a nice temperature night when you don't need it running. The starting and stopping is a real sleep interrupter. If my trailer reefer is running, I also switch it to continuous when I park at night for that very reason.

[MichiganDriver]

I have to agree and disagree with some statements by MichiganDriver. The Carrier can be set to autostart for low battery, cold engine temp, and even sleeper cab temp. However mine is too unreliable so if I'm abandoning my truck in cold weather I'll leave it running continuously because I don't trust it. And I strongly agree about the white noise effect. I sleep much better when its running than I do on a nice temperature night when you don't need it running. The starting and stopping is a real sleep interrupter. If my trailer reefer is running, I also switch it to continuous when I park at night for that very reason.

I like your assessment and I agree with you. I have to admit the Carrier left me in WTF mode a couple of times (each time turned out to be no big deal but APUs are expensive and I think they should be nearly 100% reliable). The white noise effect trumps that imho. Winter only lasts a few months and if I had to leave an apu running continuously because I didn't trust it completely and it used somewhere around 1/5 of a gallon of diesel/hour I don't think that would be a deal breaker. But I put a big premium on sleep.

Btw, once you have an APU and then you don't have one and have to idle the truck all night... Can you say roughing it? You suddenly realize how much you've been spoiled.

[sc5952]

Unfortunately my APU will have to wait since tags are up for renew and i have 3 to renew. I would love tripac but mounting is issue, my Volvo doesn;t have the room and it appears like be pain in @ss to make room on frame. Any ideas for ones that sit on frame top?

[VPIDarkAngel]

Unfortunately my APU will have to wait since tags are up for renew and i have 3 to renew. I would love tripac but mounting is issue, my Volvo doesn;t have the room and it appears like be pain in @ss to make room on frame. Any ideas for ones that sit on frame top?

You can *probably* mount it forward of the passenger's side fuel tank. Take a good look on some Averitt Express Volvo's. This way, the APU is also out of the way of the trailer apron. We've had several TriPac's and one ComfortPro get smacked by trailers before, but with that setup, it'll be out of the way.
Also, one gets used to the on/off cycles of the TriPac. I sure miss mine.

[ground_pounder]

You can *probably* mount it forward of the passenger's side fuel tank. Take a good look on some Averitt Express Volvo's. This way, the APU is also out of the way of the trailer apron. We've had several TriPac's and one ComfortPro get smacked by trailers before, but with that setup, it'll be out of the way.
Also, one gets used to the on/off cycles of the TriPac. I sure miss mine.

You said something about apu's being ilegal in some states any idea what them states might be and even if it's smartway compliant?