stamp11127
Seasoned Expediter
Don't know a thing about them but having easy access to the manual and parts is a plus for me. Somebody was thinking when they built their site. Which model are you looking at?
How Much?
- Thread starter layoutshooter
- Start date
Slo-Ride
Veteran Expediter
A/C is more imporant then heat to me but after deliverlying a load of christmas candy last week Im hoping that need is winding down.I can usually get thru most of the cold weather without idling but worry bout getting the motor rolling after sitting all night sometimes.
I like the Onan idea,rooftop A/c and Espar heat..1 step at a time with my pocket book.
I always bounce back and with friends like you in my corner it makes it easier to do so.
Good to hear!
MissKat
Expert Expediter
Layoutshooter: For what it is worth.
We have an SST100, Onan generator, Carrier A/c mounted o the roof, and a Webasto heater. We have been running the APU pretty much constantly when parked in order for the battery system to hold its charge in order to start the truck in the morning. However, the Onan APU system was not putting out enough juice to run the Carrier so in the worst of it (San Antonio, Vegas, etc. we would find a campground to plug in the electric cord at $22-34 a night). I read yesterday that there are some truckstops installing electric plugins for trucks that will average $10-11 a night. With the anti-idling laws now, this makes some sense. This was in Landline Magazine.
I digress. Anyway, we recently replaced all 4 batteries. This week the Eaton Autoshift locked up and died. In the troubleshooting it was found our alternator was putting out low voltage, I am not an electrician by any means (I am the paperwork chick), but I am hoping that this might enable us to run the Carrier unit somehow.
The Onan is VERY tempermental. There can be no trash in the fuel (like algae, twigs, etc). We replace the filter on it about once a month or so. If you don't the diesel fumes will waft iinto the sleeper via the exhaust of the refrigerator! The Generation 3 Carrier on the 1st truck was also a pain, the Generation 4 Carrier on the 2nd truck was perfect.
I enjoy reading you posts as it gives us insight into driving for the Fed.
The first owner taught us nothing, and our current (medium size fleet owner) treats us like we own the truck so I learn from yours and others vicarious experiences. Thank you for that,
Kat
We have an SST100, Onan generator, Carrier A/c mounted o the roof, and a Webasto heater. We have been running the APU pretty much constantly when parked in order for the battery system to hold its charge in order to start the truck in the morning. However, the Onan APU system was not putting out enough juice to run the Carrier so in the worst of it (San Antonio, Vegas, etc. we would find a campground to plug in the electric cord at $22-34 a night). I read yesterday that there are some truckstops installing electric plugins for trucks that will average $10-11 a night. With the anti-idling laws now, this makes some sense. This was in Landline Magazine.
I digress. Anyway, we recently replaced all 4 batteries. This week the Eaton Autoshift locked up and died. In the troubleshooting it was found our alternator was putting out low voltage, I am not an electrician by any means (I am the paperwork chick), but I am hoping that this might enable us to run the Carrier unit somehow.
The Onan is VERY tempermental. There can be no trash in the fuel (like algae, twigs, etc). We replace the filter on it about once a month or so. If you don't the diesel fumes will waft iinto the sleeper via the exhaust of the refrigerator! The Generation 3 Carrier on the 1st truck was also a pain, the Generation 4 Carrier on the 2nd truck was perfect.
I enjoy reading you posts as it gives us insight into driving for the Fed.
The first owner taught us nothing, and our current (medium size fleet owner) treats us like we own the truck so I learn from yours and others vicarious experiences. Thank you for that,
Kat
Interesting comment and quite the contrast to what we get with our Onan (Quiet Diesel 7,500), ARI sleeper (132") and Carrier roof unit (Air V). I note our sleeper is 32" larger than your SST 100 and wonder if the difference is due to the original configuration, mechanical issues, maintenance (filters, screens affecting air flow, battery condition, connector condition, etc.), sleeper insulation or a combination of the four?
Even in the hottest places (Vegas, Mohave desert, Phoenix, etc.), if we set the roof unit to high cool, it will freeze us out of the truck. We have never run it on anything but the low cool setting.
Battery charging improved dramatically when we switched to those yellow-top Optima batteries. What a difference they made! With the batteries we used to use, the auto-start generator feature would kick in around 5:00 a.m. and run for an hour if we bedded down for a full night. With the Optima batteries, the generator does not kick in at all since the batteries hold the charge much longer.
There was a time when the generator set on auto-on ran all night for some reason. There is a sensor that is attached to the outside of the batteries. It had fallen off. A piece of duct tape fixed that and everything has been fine since. (I forgot that item when I said above that our Onan was trouble free. Add one duct-tape repair to our list of Onan troubles.)
I don't know if your truck will be similar but ours has a couple of wires that connect directly to the batteries. They supply the ECMs (electronic control modules). Might it be that the peson who changed the batteries forgot or did a bad job hooking these wires back up? It happened to us once that our liftgate did not work after a battery install for that reason.
Something's up with your fuel system if your filter needs to be replaced that often. That is not normal.
MissKat
Expert Expediter
2007 Freightliner bought at Stoops Ft Wayne.
We apparently do not have the auto-start generator feature according to Don Bentz when we took it there to have him show us how everything works. We have t run the Onan to run the Carrier. We repossessed this truck for our owner in March and the previous driver had run with the tanks open allowing water to intrude. We have drained them, fed them algaecide and now we might get a little longer go on the filters.
ATeam I know you have all the creature comforts in your rig - we have a large dometico and double bed, convection oven, etc. but not the shower room. Wish we did.
We apparently do not have the auto-start generator feature according to Don Bentz when we took it there to have him show us how everything works. We have t run the Onan to run the Carrier. We repossessed this truck for our owner in March and the previous driver had run with the tanks open allowing water to intrude. We have drained them, fed them algaecide and now we might get a little longer go on the filters.
ATeam I know you have all the creature comforts in your rig - we have a large dometico and double bed, convection oven, etc. but not the shower room. Wish we did.
Whatever features a truck may or may not have, the truck is more enjoyable when everything works. I hope your recently cleaned fuel system works. I'd also get to the bottom of the cooling issue. With an Onan driving a roof unit in a sleeper just 100 inches large, it seems to me that you should have all the cool you need, even on the hottest of days.
It is in the shop right now being looked at. So far they can find nothing wrong.
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
We have a 96" Bentz with the smaller 5.5 kw Onan powering a Carrier V rooftop a/c, and it will freeze you right out of there in the hottest of weather.
I would definatly have the generator and a/c checked out because the 7.5 unit in the SST's (and I have been in a couple of them) is more than enough to keep that VERY cool.
Ok, last report. The shop was NOT able to find ANY problem. Had all the connections cleaned and everything tested. I have NO idea what happened.