Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/596928
54 | Overdrive | November 2015 EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT APUS By Jack Roberts A nti-idling laws have become so common that parked trucks with engines running stand out starkly. But for long-haul drivers, anti- idling laws created the problem of staying comfortable during off-duty hours. One proposed solution was shorepower hookups that allowed plugging into a local power grid, but that never took off. Auxiliary power units were a better solution. They offered more flexibility and got around the limited amount of shorepower berths available in truck stops. While APUs have penetrated much of the market, they are challenged by ever-increasing in-cab power loads as drivers plug in more electronic devices and fleets offer incentive pack- ages that include high-end comfort items such as satel- lite TVs. Also, as anti-idling laws and noise statutes become even more commonplace, the need for quality auxiliary power is becoming more of a requirement than a luxury. All of this keeps APU manufacturers continually pushing the design envelope. Some fleets use APUs as a recruitment tool, says Adam Sararus, production man- ager for RigMaster. Others allow the driver to lease the truck and APU for a fee that pays for the unit and any maintenance or repair work. This gives the owners peace of mind when calculating operating costs, he says. "The comfort features that an APU can provide will help them to enjoy their downtime and some- times make the delays more bearable," Sararus says. New markets, new ideas Beyond unit performance, APUs must be lightweight, yet sturdy enough to endure road shock and vibration. "Being the lightest- weight, most fuel-efficient, most heating-and-cooling- capacity APU is what everyone is striving for in the indus- try," says Matt Throgmorton, vice president of sales for Parks Industries, which manufactures HP2000 series APUs. Throgmorton says Parks' research with inverters is an example of the company's work to find more efficient ways to operate APUs. "In-cab power is easily attainable with the addition of a higher-wattage inverter partnered with a larger-amperage DC alterna- tor," he says. "This allows for the owner to customize power options while maintaining fuel savings and reduced engine maintenance." Rolling Thunder is beta-testing an APU system powered by a truck's own kinetic energy. The unit will be available before yearend, says Jim Dierickx, company president and inventor of its Fuel-Less APU system. It works by extending a power wheel Power needs, technology evolve yet sturdy enough to vibration. Parks Industries' HP2000 series APUs are designed to be lightweight while enduring road shock and vibration. Rolling Thunder's Fuel-Less APU works by extending a power wheel to the roadway to capture kinetic energy.