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