rev v. ouch! sometimes kids need diapers changed. most companies will fire someone for pulling out cabinets. yeah tech. has changed. my apu supplies 120v. all the time it will kick on when it needs to. it is smarter than me. as far as fridge, pull out cabinet and fit the largest freezer/ fridge that will fit behind your seat when it is set for best driving. buy a cheap wal mart micro wave and you will save lots of money on food

 

They sure do. But changing diapers does not make you an expert on trucking, just like being a former truck driver does not make you an expert on today's trucking technology.

While this may be true, I doubt there is any company that would fire you for asking if you could.

The Thermo King Tri Pac of today supplies 120V power via an inverter, and will supply 12V power to your batteries to recharge. Running a 120V fridge would work just fine on a system such as this.

That's exactly what I was talking about, and is exactly what I did in my Century Class (as a company driver, BTW). And yes - I asked before I pulled out the cabinet, after giving them specifics as to what I was doing. They told me it was fine as long as that cabinet ended up back in the truck without any alterations or damage.

 

Take the cabinet out, you should not get fired (??) because you can save the bolts and put the dang thing back in. I've done it several times myself.

 

The Tri Pack is basicaly a big motorized generator. They put in a big invertor, think 2000 watt is standard, mine I got a 3000 watt cuz of all the cr@p I plug in. It runs everything and if the batteries get low the Tri Pack fires up and re charges the batteries. The Rig Master and Carrier units you have to fire up to get 110 volts.

 

From what I remember, that cabinet is a whopping 4 bolts to take out too.

 

My tripac was just put in a month ago...but the problem is that it only has a 60 amp alternator! This is good for a whopping...780 watts....

meaning that if you max out the standard 1800 watt inverter, you are still draining your batteries...even with the tripac running...

Can't leave anything over 700 watts plugged in for any length of time, or you'll drain your batteries...

 

What are you running with a super drain ? At the minute I am in S florida so A/C is running, computer, printer/scanner, fridge, cell is plugged in and heated some soup in the micro. I used my laptop to monitor my batteries, if it switches to on board battery I know it it time to shut other things down.
Maybe your truck batteries are getting weak.

 

Are you an O/O or company driver ? If O/O replace the running batteries with deep cycle golf cart batteries. Cost a little more but well worth it. The constant dis-charge/re-charge will break down regular truck batteries in less than a year but golf cart batteries will last 3 or more.

 

Haven't had a problem with it, becuase as you say, you will almost never use that much power for any real length of time. But, when I'm using my 1,000 watt water heater for more than a few minutes, even with the APU running, my low battery alarm in my truck starts to go off...becuase the APU can't produce as much energy as is being used, so it drains the batteries.

My truck batteries are a bit weak, but my company won't replace them...I've tried! But, with the apu, I don't think I'll have a problem for quite awhile...

 

That's the problem, weak batteries. I have a water heater for the sink and shower and the only time I would have a problem was if the WH went on when the micro did, when I switched th the three golf cart batteries the problem went away