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The Trucker Newspaper - April 15, 2018

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thetrucker.com<br />

Business <strong>April</strong> <strong>15</strong>-30, <strong>2018</strong> • 25<br />

APUs can save you money, but weigh your options carefully so you make the right choice<br />

Cliff Abbott<br />

cliffa@thetrucker.com<br />

If you have visited the Mid-America<br />

Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky,<br />

in any of the past 10 years, you know that<br />

options for Auxiliary Power Units (APUs)<br />

abound. High fuel costs, anti-idle laws and<br />

other factors are making APUs a more attractive<br />

option than ever. Purchasing the wrong<br />

APU, however, can result in difficulty and<br />

expense.<br />

If you’re purchasing a new unit for your<br />

tractor, plan on spending $8,000 to $10,000.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re are cheaper alternatives, but upfront savings<br />

can quickly be consumed by a higher cost<br />

of maintenance and repair. Other factors must<br />

be considered as well, such as the weight of<br />

the unit.<br />

Begin your search with what you want your<br />

APU to do for you. If all you need is power to<br />

recharge the tractor batteries and support use of<br />

interior lights and a small microwave, a small<br />

unit will do.<br />

Most truck owners, however, purchase<br />

APUs for heating and cooling the cab and<br />

sleeper areas without idling the tractor. An average<br />

tractor burns about a gallon of fuel per<br />

hour at idle, whereas a diesel-powered APU<br />

can run for hours on a gallon. Over a year, the<br />

cost savings can be significant.<br />

Some APUs are connected to the truck engine’s<br />

cooling and electrical systems, so the<br />

same unit that warms the sleeper can be used<br />

to keep the engine ready to crank in winter<br />

temperatures.<br />

You’ll want to make sure that the unit you<br />

purchase can handle the capabilities you expect<br />

of it.<br />

Remember, there are electric options, too.<br />

Most don’t provide the horsepower of dieselpowered<br />

units and their operating time is limited,<br />

but they can cost less to operate because<br />

their fuel consumption is zero.<br />

Consider the weight of the APU you are<br />

considering, including any portions installed<br />

inside the cab.<br />

Adding a 500-lb. APU to the tractor uses<br />

up a ton of freight-hauling capacity every four<br />

loads, reducing revenues for owners who are<br />

paid by the ton for bulk products and limiting<br />

load options for others.<br />

Batteries to power electric units can add<br />

weight, but the weight of a diesel engine isn’t<br />

needed and the entire APU assembly can be<br />

comparable to diesel units.<br />

Reliability is a key factor in APU selection.<br />

Many drivers prefer to stay with APUs<br />

marketed by companies that have manufactured<br />

refrigeration units for decades. Vendors<br />

like <strong>The</strong>rmoKing and Carrier are known<br />

both for quality products and for extensive<br />

service networks. Service is widely available<br />

and parts are generally in stock. APUs that<br />

are sold in truck stops can sometimes be obtained<br />

for less cost upfront, but savings can<br />

disappear rapidly when the nearest service<br />

facility is a day away and it takes several<br />

more days to get parts.<br />

Fleet Focus<br />

Ask about maintenance schedules, too,<br />

since these can vary widely. Some APUs require<br />

preventive maintenance every 100 hours,<br />

while others can go to 1,000 hours. That’s a<br />

significant difference in how often you’ll need<br />

to change oil and filters.<br />

Noise is a factor, too. Keeping the sleeper<br />

area nice and cool or warm can definitely help<br />

you get the rest you need, but if the APU is so<br />

loud that it keeps waking you up, you won’t get<br />

quality rest. Ask how the unit is insulated and if<br />

noise level information is available.<br />

APUs that are connected to vehicle cooling<br />

and electrical systems can impact the truck<br />

engine, so make sure you know what is being<br />

done and any potential issues it could cause.<br />

Unless you have large sums of cash available,<br />

there’s a good chance you’ll be financing<br />

your APU. In some cases, an APU can be<br />

added to a tractor you are purchasing and the<br />

cost rolled into the vehicle purchase price.<br />

Some vendors, however, offer financing for<br />

the brands they sell. High interest rates can<br />

reduce the benefits of an APU purchase, so<br />

make sure you read the contract through and<br />

know what your total cost will be.<br />

Finally, your APU will add value to your<br />

tractor that you can cash in on when you sell<br />

or trade. A higher quality unit may add even<br />

more value. Ask your dealer about resale values<br />

and what your APU will be worth in a<br />

year or a few years.<br />

APUs can improve life on the road for<br />

tractor owners and their drivers, but the real<br />

comfort they provide may come in the accountant’s<br />

office when the financial numbers<br />

are calculated. <strong>The</strong> right choice makes a difference<br />

in both. 8

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