It's just straped and cable locked. The generator has a built in charger just need the special Honda cord to hook up to the batteries.

 

Go with the Espar engine heater. That sucker puts out 17,000 btu's the equivalent of 5,000 watts vs 1,500 coming out of your block heater. Also with the Espar it circulates the water. Trust me this sucker is worth it!

I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba and many times I have to park my truck outside without plugging it in. Not once in 5 years has it not started. Even in -52C. Not plugged in, sitting for a couple days. Just 2-3 hours of the Espar running does it great!

To be honest, only recently the past few weeks have I ever plugged my truck in.

 

the 2000 doesn't have that option.
The Honda 2000i has the eco throttle function also.

 

thanks for the correction

 

Lot's of stuff here:

- I had my D2 installed yesterday. $400 at a shop that does them regularly and knows what they are doing. 15% environmental/shop/theft fee stuck on at the end- I won't do business with them again! .

- pump and fuel lines of the D2 look really flimsy. How do you guys keep the Blue Beacon from destroying them!?

- Negative on the Espar block heater. That'd be a total of $3k in their systems and still no ability to charge my batteries and no cooling. I don't live in Canada, I can skirt around all this sub 20 degrees weather as much as possible and idle the engine if I really have to. I'm glad to know the block heater is around 1500 watts, though.

- I'm thinking a cheap, portable generator to warm the block for a few hours on cold mornings, charge the batteries if ever needed- that and a roof vent for my condo and I should be ready for everything. I'm pretty good in the heat, if I open the door to my bunk and have a roof vent I'll be just fine. I started looking at generators wondering how light and portable I can get away with. I guess it's really expensive to uninstall and re-install an APU but a generator goes into the garage anytime I want. I like the generators you can carry around like a vaccuum cleaner but I guess that won't give me the wattage:

Amazon.com: portable gas generator: Automotive

- Mike, what does the DOT think of your gas cans? Imagine a DOT inspection, gas can full, hauling flammable liquid. Is that a really crummy day!?

-

 

I am seriously considering going the Espar or Webasto route for heating the cab and engine. And for sitting longer periods, the EU2000i for keeping batteries charged up, if needed. It would store nicely, along with fuel, in my tool box along the frame. AC not the primary issue since I only operate in the northern tier of the country (no west or east coast) and have done pretty good so far over the years using window screens and fans. I deal with cold far and away more than the heat. Been also considering a ceiling vent fan like on RV's since I have a midroof with a fairing.

 

I'm just questioning your reasoning, since I'm facing the same things. You're thinking $4,000 - $4500 for the above instead of just $8000 for the Tri-Pac? It is as you said, the generator comes off and goes where you want it to.

 

Copper, the Espars use so little power I wouldn't even worry about it. You could probably sit a week with the cab heater going before having to worry about anything.

Espar - AIRTONIC 2

A couple amps isn't much. Most good batteries have about 200 amp hours of storage. So that's 800 amp hours for 4 batteries.

You could drain 200 amps without worry. That's over 3 days(200 / 2 amps per hour = 100 hours).

Just maintaining the batteries is fine. I've had my cat batteries for over 3 years now they still work great.

Voltage V 12
Heat flow W 850 1200 1800 2200
Mean electr. power in operation W 8 12 22 34
Weight kg 2.70
Size mm 305x115x122

 

There are many considerations with the tripac. First of all, it won't warm up the engine as quick as an espar engine heater will. Second is weight, third is cost.

Cost me $2000 for both(my dad installed them) and all that's missing is ac which I barely use.

 

1500 watts seems to be the standard wattage for a factory block heater, there are lower wattages available but would likely have to be ordered. You can probabaly get away with 750 or maybe even 500 watts. Especially if you can trickle charge the batteries. Batteries at 0 degrees f only have approx half the power of 60 degree batteries. Then a smaller gen set handles things easier.....