Webasto Engine-Off Air Conditioner
 

My company is looking at these units to put on our trucks. Basically, while you're driving, the unit freezes a huge block of ice. When you shut down, it blows air across the ice, providing cool air to the cab. The info says it only draws 6-10amps while in operation.

http://www.webasto.us/am/en/am_trucks_aircon.html

Looks pretty cool. I was listening to Landline Now last night and they were talking with someone from Kenworth. I guess you can get a similar system like this from them when you buy a new truck.

Couple that with a diesel fired heater (like the Webasto we already have) and you can go without an APU or idling.

I think a system like that has too many limitations. What do you do when the ice is all melted?

Exactly....the ice may last 8 hours up north, during cooler weather...but down here on the Gulf Coast?? I bet less than 3 hours....maybe 5 during the winter!!

It depends on how well insulated the unit is. It does seem to have quite a big chunk of ice:

With that weight, you're getting close to the average weight of an APU.

As long as the condensate discharge is over the rear tires, it should blend right in and work fine. What's one more puddle in the parking lot? :lol:

The brochure states that it's good for only 8 - 10 hours, I would rather have an APU allowing me to heat,cool and have the generator.

1,000 to 6,000 isn't going to do crapola. I have 35,000 btu in my cab and that works really good. On top of that, there is no dehumidifier so it won't remove any moisture from the air so you'll still be sweating your azz off.

yeah and you also said the webasto/espar heater was a joke too,yet you are gonna get one now....

they have tested it,and it cooled the bunk down to 70 when outside temps were 90 for up to 9 hrs.

I never said it was a joke and I defy you to post a link to MY post that said that.

And that is complete BS cooling the truck with that piece of junk to 70 when it's 90 out. NO FREAKING WAY. You probably have a Turbo3000 also!

Yes you are probably correct that you didn't "call" it a joke you did say that there was no way it could heat as well as we said it does,but just like this you make claims that you have no idea are true or not,quit making absolute statements based on what you think to be correct.

I also don't believe their claims,but I would be willing to hear from someone that has one and has real world experince with it,unlike you I would believe them after they told me it worked as advertised.

I can't say anything about the a/c as I don't have one in the truck, but I do have their heater. That thing will absolutely run you out of the truck even at -5f with the wind blowing at 50+ mph. Trust me on that one - I've experienced it.

Why not just freeze a a gallon jug of water in your fridge, open the door and put a fan behind it. I'm sure that would cool the cab down to 50 when it's 110 out!!!

And what are you going to do when the humidity is 80% outside and your cab is 70. Won't matter, you'll be swimming in a sea of sweat without the dehumidifier that doesn't exist on that unit.

Yeah because it's 110 out so often :? ,what about the majority of nights where it's 70-75 and it's just a little too warm to sleep comfortably? This product could be useful in those instances,the majority of drivers do not sleep during the day and sleeping during the hottest part of the day.

These are the projected lows for Aug. 20th,usually considered the hottest month of the year.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...us__tonlow.gif
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p..._predicted.gif

Well, you can try and justify it all you want but I'll be in comfort and you will be sweating your azz off and Rev, we'll, he'll be on fire.

I don't like the idea of it because even if it does stay frozen long enough, it is still adding humidity to the truck, which is never a good thing.

From their web page:

Like I said - I know nothing more about it than what I'm reading on their site.

BTW - who knew that an Air Conditioner could start a heated argument.

for 10k,you should be frozen in the summer and toasted in the winter,some have better things to spend money on. 8)

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...aelsop/sig.jpg

Price goes up on every post. Boy, before long my Rigmaster will have cost me $500,000

So Steve what would you say you'll have into "your" system when you're done? APU,roof top AC,Espar.don't forget the mods done to the APU also....and your time too.

Mike what did you pay for your Espar installed?

$1500,I also added the coolant heater for $3100 total

Thanks Mike, I know I asked you once before but I was just too damn lazy to search tonite. :lol:
I saved it on my puter this time. 8)

[quote="Malaki86"]From their web page:

Like I said - I know nothing more about it than what I'm reading on their site.

BTW - who knew that an Air Conditioner could start a heated argument.[/quote]

CAD = Characters Arguing Daily :P :roll: :lol: :lol:

I went to the Bluecool demo in Tampa a couple of years ago. I thought the fan unit was too loud, and the tech told me that the optimal conditions for this unit to work are as follows.
1.Mid roof or smaller
2.70"or smaller
3.Light colored paint
4.Extra insulation package
He also said that they had some more R&D to do, but if I was interested, I could put a small tent over my bunk and keep the cool air in the tent.
I thanked him for being honest and went and bought my POS chinese Fu$k junk APU for $4,500 that only ran for 50 hours before it had a meltdown,...(sorry for the rant).

I thought the idea was good but it had too many limitations. You had to drive the truck for 11hrs to create the ice that would last only 7 to 10 hrs, and then on a restart you would have to idle anyway.

Asking again.

Lets see, so far I think $7,200 for the Rigmaster and $650 for the Carrier A/C and as far as the repairs I've made, they were covered under the warranty.

I'll probably buy an Espar off Ebay and do most myself if I feel comfortable.

The unit has already paid for itself.

For those of you who have a fully automatic APU, well, you know that it's priceless.

The Espar will just be the icing on the cake. I will have many options for cooling and heating. Once you have something that monitors everything you would understand the benefit. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.