APU come through!

[ccrider]

My APU may have just paid for itself in tow bill!

Headed west out on I-20 across Texas on our way to Phoenix the idler/tension-er bearing on the alternator belt blew out. This took out the belt right away alone with it. It was about 9 PM local.

10 hours from delivery in the darkness of the Texas/New Mexico/Arizona desert my first thought was to start the APU.

We called every dealer (3) from Pecos to Phoenix. No one was open let alone with parts in stock. Our only choice was to stop (loose the load) or push on. We pushed on.

With all the lights on, the APU ran continuous the 10 hours to delivery and kept the batteries at 13.7 the entire trip. Made the delivery and got to the shop.
We are very happy. APU's are wonderful things!

 

[greg334]

That's great.

Reefers also do well in a pinch.

Don't you carry an extra fan belt?

I know it wouldn't have helped with the idler pulley shot.

It is a case of replace them before they go bad thing - maybe?

 

[davekc]

Didn't throw a belt but we did have to use it once to keep the truck and lights running when a alternator went out.

 

[pelicn]

We have also used the APU when the alternator went. It allowed us to make it to a repair facility and keep our load.

 

[DannyD]

That sounds pretty neat. Good job there. My question is how did ya connect it? I had thought APU's were isolated from the main battery if they're battery powered or a totally separate entity if they're gas powered.

 

[layoutshooter]

We have used our reefer and APU when we lost our alternator. We ran the APU till the belt broke on it then we fired up the reefer. Our apu is set up to charge the batteries when running. It also comes on by itself when the batteries are low. It charges all 6 of my batteries.

 

[ccrider]

We have spare belts on the truck along with the usual stuff and I thought I'd end up busting knuckles in the dark until I saw the blown bearing. As it turned out, the belts proved to be a big hassle for the Volvo tech in daylight in the shop.

I'm glad the APU did the job. I can't say enough about having it.
I am happy and my knuckles are happy too.

For us it is always in the dark when the lights go out or in the cold when the fuel filter clogs. You'd think I loved working on the truck in the cold and dark.