Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/82527
APU SHOPPING doesn't match your needs is a poor investment. No one has cornered the market with a one-size-fits-all system, so search with two main goals – find- ing a system that fits your applica- tion and one that gives a healthy return on investment. When deciding whether to go all-electric, diesel-pow- ered or hybrid, the decision comes down to practical power-supply needs and personal preference. "Any customer should decide their needs first," says Ken Wyandt, general manager of Go Green APU, which builds the Adam model APU. "If not, it could leave a bad taste in their mouth if they buy a system that is inadequate for what they want to use it for or if it is overkill." One big variable is the dura- tion you need the system to run. Another is the amount of power, measured in BTUs, you need for heating and cooling, likewise elec- tricity to power in-cab appliances. Big sleepers may require more BTUs for climate control. "We take a very conservative approach to rating BTUs," says Bill Gordon, global marketing manager for Bergstrom's battery-based systems, the Nite Plus and the Nite Phoenix, which boast 4,600 BTUs and 7,500 BTUs, respectively. "People should be really careful about the BTU ratings. We have come a long way since the beginning, and we have been able to get more BTUs using less power by optimizing the components that go into these units." The big advantages of an all-elec- tric system are fuel savings and fewer components that can break down. Battery technology has improved significantly. Electric systems are the future, believe many in the industry. One of those is Eric Walls, president of ELW Co., a Grove City, Ohio, dealer for the Carrier- supported ComfortPro APU and 28 | Overdrive | October 2012 Hodyon touts the compact size and guaranteed in-house leasing program for its Dynasys unit, with 12,000 BTUs for heating and cooling. Arctic Breeze battery-powered air- conditioning system and service center for most other brands. "I'm seeing more owner-operators getting the traditional APUs and fleets typi- cally gravitating toward battery-based systems," he says. Battery systems offer reduced costs, but still have their limitations. They normally don't have the higher BTU capacity of most diesel-power units. Even when the BTU levels are sufficient, one drawback for some over-the-roaders is the power- capacity limits before batteries must be recharged by the truck's engine. This is especially true for owner- operators who may need to use the Integrated or freestanding The HP2000 offers a heat pump system with 15,000 cooling BTUs and 18,000 heating BTUs. Some APU systems tie into the truck engine's cooling system as part of the setup. Others are self-contained, with the exception of tying into the truck's bat- teries to monitor and recharge the APU batteries. "What I'm selling the most of right now is the old tried-and-true [ComfortPro] system that ties into the cooling system," says Eric Walls, president of the E.L.W. Co. APU dealer and service center. "A lot of guys like that feature, because when it's running, it's returning hot water back to the big engine." ComfortPro now also has a standalone system with its own radiator, he added. Having the APU and truck engine work independently of each other has benefits, says Dan Koch, president and CEO of Tridako, maker of the PowerCube APU. He sees owner-operator buyers favoring self-contained systems. "If the APU goes down, the truck can continue down the road," Koch says. "If the truck breaks down, the APU can be started to keep the crea- ture comforts going." Thermo King offers its TriPac system with a choice – integrated with the engine's cooling system or the closed- loop option that allows it to be a stand- alone system. "There are a couple of thought pro- cesses," says Thermo King's Paul Barbaros. "One is the person who says 'I don't want to break into my OEM cooling system because I'm adding something and taking on some variable of warranty risk.' "There are also customers who choose to buy the closed-loop system because they consider it to be a mobile asset. They financed the truck and added the APU. They are going to keep the truck for maybe three and a half years and then take the APU off and put it on the next truck."