No APU

If the company does not have APU in truck and no inverter, the truck runs until the battery gets down to 12.somethings volts and then cuts back on. This creates a problem in very hot and very cold climates. Can't keep warm or cool when sleeping. What do you do? How do you cope?

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.

If the truck is running and doesn't have an APU the voltage won't drop unless the alternator is bad.

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.

Welcome to Trucking Truth, where all questions get answered.

The cold weather part is easy. Your truck has a separate heater that uses diesel fuel and should keep you toasty all night long.

In warmer times, you should be able to keep the engine at idle to run the truck's A/C.

Welcome to Trucking Truth, where all questions get answered.

The cold weather part is easy. Your truck has a separate heater that uses diesel fuel and should keep you toasty all night long.

In warmer times, you should be able to keep the engine at idle to run the truck's A/C.

.....except in California where you're not allowed to idle more than five minutes...

Welcome to Trucking Truth, where all questions get answered.

The cold weather part is easy. Your truck has a separate heater that uses diesel fuel and should keep you toasty all night long.

In warmer times, you should be able to keep the engine at idle to run the truck's A/C.

.....except in California where you're not allowed to idle more than five minutes...

You can of you got a Natural Gas powered truck.😁

Ours have a bunk heater like Errol V. Was saying, it doesn't require the truck to be on. We can idle the truck if we want to but their is a idling bonus every quarter so I just open up the windows, might get one of those small fans that plug into a 12v port. It just depends on which company, they all have different policies and program their trucks differently.

As for in inverters, I think most companies will install them for you if you choose to buy it.

So what is the most common temperatures set for allowing the truck to idle. I am most comfortable at about 60-68°f

So what is the most common temperatures set for allowing the truck to idle. I am most comfortable at about 60-68°f

Each truck will have different specs on temperature... But I fully encourage you to think outside the box to get it to the temp you want..

I had a truck that the thermostat was in the front... I sleep in the back, why would I care what the temp is in the front.

So I would shut the curtains and crank the temp the opposite of what I wanted in the back... Want to sleep with the a.c. on? Crank the heat up in the front... or vice versa.

The truck I'm currently in the A.C. will not come on in the back with the truck on... but the heat won't unless the truck is idling... each has their own quirks so... just be ready to learn each new truck you get... Google will get you pretty far if you have questions on a specific truck or issue as they arise.

I keep my in the mid 70s so I don't end up with a freezer instead of a refrigerator for my thermoelectric cooler.