How Are You Coping With the Heat?

[ATeam]

It has been a long, hot summer for many expediters and August has only begun. What costs and benefits has the heat brought to you? Equipment challenges? Shipments you got because of the heat? Shipments lost? Purchases made or not made? Activity changes from your normal summer routine?

For Diane and me, it seems the temperature has been over 100 or close to it every day, wherever we find ourselves. Even when we were home two weeks in Minnesota, it would have been cooler to have been in Florida.

The truck and sleeper air conditioning have been working fine but we are getting sick of running the generator to power the sleeper AC every minute of every day and night when the truck is stopped.

Our freight has not been affected by the heat one way or another. We have missed the places where traffic jams up because the pavement buckles. Truck and reefer are running fine. Tires are holding up well, no blow outs.

I am glad we had the truck engine cooling system serviced a few months ago; flush, fill, all new hoses. It was nice then to see clear coolant drain out and later earn a good report from the lab that tested it. It gives us confidence in the cooling system in weather like this when it has been put to the test.

It has been too hot to enjoy outdoor activities so walking for exercise or tourist attractions or simply sitting outside in lawn chairs has not been done. We envy friends who make it to the Northwest or high mountain elevations. It would be really, really nice to sit outside for a while and sleep with the windows open again.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I believe I got dehydrated a few weeks ago...but the process slowly snuck up on me...like 2 weeks in 100 plus....even tho I am in my truck with AC and the like...day after day exposure....I started to get headaches and out of sorts, always tired.....had to get a room, drank lots of water to readjust my body....

 

[davekc]

Currently in TN. Going to the house in Florida next week to cool off.
Did have pretty comfortable weather at the expo which was good.

 

[dabluzman1]

Linda and I havent been hindered by the heat biz wise. Our attempts to run down the road have been torpedoed by the new truck. It is again in the shop for failing its 2nd TVAL test.
We have lost several weeks production over this single issue not to mention the lost income of not being able to service TVAL loads. Expenses are in the 3-4 thousand range and compound that with lost gross of 40-50 thousand is making this a bad time for us.

Like Phil we do grow weary of the APU running all the time. I will have more hours on this unit in three months than most years. The sad part about this hybrid APU is that deep cell batteries do not charge while running down the road. On several occasions being on a straight thru coast to coast I have had to stop a couple of times for an hour or more to run the genset to charge the deep cells as they were dropping below recommended levels.

That coupled with the lack of a fantastic fan compounds costs. We have to run the a/c even if it is 68 outside at night as we cannot vent out the hot air efficiently and then flip the switch and draw in the cooler air. Without a roof top mounted fan it stays uncomfortable on what in the past were pleasant sleeping nights.

Just shows how little people who design these condos know about the conditions we deal with 24/7 and what really works and what doesnt work.

I expect to do 2 or 3 more PMs on the APU because of the absence of the ceiling Fantastic Fan.
That coupled with the extra time required to charge the deep cells, in my humble opinion, shows that this hybrid system is more costly and not an effective solution for expediters. The operation of the genset has been very good as far as performance. It would serve our needs better not to have deep cell batteries.

The truck will be back in the shop having the T1000 reefer looked at again this Thursday. The 10 days in Fort Wayne didnt resolve it and I dont think a third chance is warranted there.

Other than that, what hot weather?

 

[davekc]

Is your roof top air where the fan was suppose to be? You would think they would do both?

 

[dabluzman1]

Is your roof top air where the fan was suppose to be? You would think they would do both?

Hi Dave, I believe the way the roof on this unit is designed has limited available foorprint space. I have been told it is not possible to have a vent and rooftop a/c unit together. The roof is designed to have airflow to the reefer unit. This design made installing a fantastic fan impossible. I have gone round and round on this issue with the salesman and I have been told a fantastic fan is not needed because the micro wave has an exhaust fan.
Having been in the unit over three months now, I beg to differ.

 

[BobWolf]

HYDRATE.
Heres a couple tricks I learned Back about ten or eleven years ago after geting severely dehydrated got them from an ED doc that worked on me.
Now if you have health problems check with your doctor I dont want to hear of anybody having problems.

1 When you wake up and after you go th the bathroom drink at least one quart of water at least enough to fill your stomach within a couple of minites this is whats refered to as a fluid chalange because it quickly hydrates you. Yes, make sure you are somewhat near the leaker untill your body is used to it. You may find another meaning of fluid challange, it may take a week or so to adjust to taking in that much water at one time but staying hydrated is the key. It is recomended that the average person takes in at least one gallon of water per day more when it is hot or you are exerting so drink throughout the day.

If You are feeling thirsty or planing to lump a load, play outside, be in a hot enviroment, be without water for an extended time, etc.. A fluid chalange is in order because your brain and nervous systeme have allot of fat tissue and needs alot of water to function properly. Trust me its not fun getting severly dehydrated Doctors, Needles, IVs, and I got told I should know better from being a meddic. Anyway, thats my two cents keep the fluids in and you will be O.K. This technique also helps when it s cold.

Bob Wolf

 

[layoutshooter]

First is plenty of water. Second, keep loaded and running. Third, LOTS of motel rooms. NO A/C in no idle areas due to not having an APU,

 

[zorry]

ARI removed our fan when we installed our roof top air.
Could the fan be put in the sidewall anywhere ?
Or could a fan at the ceiling aimed towards a fan in the window help ?
Don't shoot the messenger,but I do not believe that Bolt is insulated anywhere close to as good as ARI is insulated.

 

[ChanceMaster]

Linda and I havent been hindered by the heat biz wise. Our attempts to run down the road have been torpedoed by the new truck. It is again in the shop for failing its 2nd TVAL test.
We have lost several weeks production over this single issue not to mention the lost income of not being able to service TVAL loads. Expenses are in the 3-4 thousand range and compound that with lost gross of 40-50 thousand is making this a bad time for us.

Like Phil we do grow weary of the APU running all the time. I will have more hours on this unit in three months than most years. The sad part about this hybrid APU is that deep cell batteries do not charge while running down the road. On several occasions being on a straight thru coast to coast I have had to stop a couple of times for an hour or more to run the genset to charge the deep cells as they were dropping below recommended levels.

That coupled with the lack of a fantastic fan compounds costs. We have to run the a/c even if it is 68 outside at night as we cannot vent out the hot air efficiently and then flip the switch and draw in the cooler air. Without a roof top mounted fan it stays uncomfortable on what in the past were pleasant sleeping nights.

Just shows how little people who design these condos know about the conditions we deal with 24/7 and what really works and what doesnt work.

I expect to do 2 or 3 more PMs on the APU because of the absence of the ceiling Fantastic Fan.
That coupled with the extra time required to charge the deep cells, in my humble opinion, shows that this hybrid system is more costly and not an effective solution for expediters. The operation of the genset has been very good as far as performance. It would serve our needs better not to have deep cell batteries.

The truck will be back in the shop having the T1000 reefer looked at again this Thursday. The 10 days in Fort Wayne didnt resolve it and I dont think a third chance is warranted there.

Other than that, what hot weather?

So sorry for the hard times your having. Must be unbelievably frustrating. I wonder if you would suggest a set up " list" for a new tval unit from Stoops/Bentz ? My trucks owner is seriously considering such a purchase very soon. Perhaps you would even advise against it ? Do you think it is a design flaw or perhaps shoddy installation ?



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[zorry]

Chance,check your pm's.

 

[x06col]

It has been a long, hot summer for many expediters and August has only begun. What costs and benefits has the heat brought to you? Equipment challenges? Shipments you got because of the heat? Shipments lost? Purchases made or not made? Activity changes from your normal summer routine?

For Diane and me, it seems the temperature has been over 100 or close to it every day, wherever we find ourselves. Even when we were home two weeks in Minnesota, it would have been cooler to have been in Florida.

The truck and sleeper air conditioning have been working fine but we are getting sick of running the generator to power the sleeper AC every minute of every day and night when the truck is stopped.

Our freight has not been affected by the heat one way or another. We have missed the places where traffic jams up because the pavement buckles. Truck and reefer are running fine. Tires are holding up well, no blow outs.

I am glad we had the truck engine cooling system serviced a few months ago; flush, fill, all new hoses. It was nice then to see clear coolant drain out and later earn a good report from the lab that tested it. It gives us confidence in the cooling system in weather like this when it has been put to the test.

It has been too hot to enjoy outdoor activities so walking for exercise or tourist attractions or simply sitting outside in lawn chairs has not been done. We envy friends who make it to the Northwest or high mountain elevations. It would be really, really nice to sit outside for a while and sleep with the windows open again.

Since I sold out and retired, Alaska during the months of July and August works for me to cope. Even in a normal year and weather it is a welcome change.

And after reading about the challenges the bluzman has had with his Taj, just reinforces how happy I wuz with my tree tousand dollah 1992 Farmall cabover.

 

[dabluzman1]

For the most part, the new truck is okay. Frustration is due to not working and being killed with expense. I wont say to or not to buy one. That is up to the one with money. Linda and me, well we are just drivers and I have been told our problems usually are due to drivers error ( not in this instance). We have been looking for a hi-speed window fan that would move a lot of air and possibly create the cooling breeze we had been accustomed to having. Just having a fan inside moving warm air would not be satisfactory. I have been searching for roof tops that might have a built in vent fan as well, no luck as of yet. If one could be found hopefully the vent fan wouldnt require the APU to be running as the A/C does. The design, well it is meant to direct air flow to the reefer unit. Good design, well its probably great for the reefer, it probably stays nice and cool and gets a good breeze. Installation seem good. There have been minor problems that have been addressed and arent an issue. All new trucks need tweaking. But it has to be tweakable. If input for a new build is wanted, please PM me, and I will share what I would like if I was footing the bill. My views are mine and based on five plus years of driving Fort Wayne built class 8, 100" condo Freight Liners. If that works for you.




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[zorry]

66,000 miles on my Volvo//ARI. We've done 2 pm's.
When are we supposed to tweak:and what do we tweak ?

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I just put another $500 into the A/C, after over $1000 put into it in May. But it's been cool enough, doing the local stuff, to run with the window down. The only time I run it is when I'm on the phone, or idling.

 

[cheri1122]

When it's above 100, it's tough for any AC to keep up - particularly when running [or parked] in direct sun. Can't do much about needing to keep moving, but it helps to park in the shade, and put the reflective windshield screen on the outside, not in.
Sometimes, it takes both cabin and sleeper AC running, [with a double window unit fan between] to keep it cool enough to sleep in midafternoon on the hottest days, but I know that heat stress can become heat stroke, and that's totally preventable.
As was mentioned, stay hydrated, and don't ignore the signs of heat stress: headache, nausea, and failure to put out approximately the same volume of fluids going in are your body's signals to get cooler ASAP.
If you don't have AC, a motel is cheaper than a visit to the ER....

 

[ATeam]

Don't shoot the messenger,but I do not believe that Bolt is insulated anywhere close to as good as ARI is insulated.

I don't know anything about Bolt insulation one way or another but can say that Diane and I are sure glad to have an ARI sleeper these days. We're laying over this weekend in Tucson and Phoenix. Outside temps will range from 100 to 110.

The sun will beat down on the sleeper and heat up the pavement all day long. Yet it is very easy to maintain room temperature in the sleeper and truck cab, even with the curtains left open (small fan placed on floor to help move air from sleeper to cab). The sleeper and roof unit are six years old. Both are working good as new.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

When it's above 100, it's tough for any AC to keep up - particularly when running [or parked] in direct sun. Can't do much about needing to keep moving, but it helps to park in the shade, and put the reflective windshield screen on the outside, not in.
Sometimes, it takes both cabin and sleeper AC running, [with a double window unit fan between] to keep it cool enough to sleep in midafternoon on the hottest days, but I know that heat stress can become heat stroke, and that's totally preventable.
As was mentioned, stay hydrated, and don't ignore the signs of heat stress: headache, nausea, and failure to put out approximately the same volume of fluids going in are your body's signals to get cooler ASAP.
If you don't have AC, a motel is cheaper than a visit to the ER....

I don't know how many times I've suggested this...and still people put it on the inside!! gee whiz....I had a roll of that reflective stuff and cut it the size of windshield...and then I even doubled it over for more effect.....the inside of windshield stays cool...no heat comes thru at all...

 

[dabluzman1]

I don't know anything about Bolt insulation one way or another but can say that Diane and I are sure glad to have an ARI sleeper these days. We're laying over this weekend in Tucson and Phoenix. Outside temps will range from 100 to 110.

The sun will beat down on the sleeper and heat up the pavement all day long. Yet it is very easy to maintain room temperature in the sleeper and truck cab, even with the curtains left open (small fan placed on floor to help move air from sleeper to cab). The sleeper and roof unit are six years old. Both are working good as new.

On the old DR Bentz our Onan was down 24 months out of the 48 we had it. When we were able to use the roof top it worked okay.
On the new DR by Bolt, the APU has been running and maintaining our environment just fine. Even on the hottest days we could freeze ourself out. Our problems with the APU evolve around dirty power or no power to various outlets. This has been resolved.

So as far as insulation, I think, Bolts is just fine. Good enough to make me happy, and thats saying something.

 

[cheri1122]

If you leave a stick of butter out [salted doesn't need refrigeration] as I do, crummy AC gives you an excuse to have lobster and corn on the cob for dinner, at least.