At the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., Dometic Environmental Corp. (www.dometicenviro.com) is introducing several new additions to its product lineup.
Based on Dometic’s proprietary split-system HVAC technology, the 7,000-BTU day cab air-conditioning system is designed to provide two hours of cooling without running the truck’s engine. It uses a bank of Group 31 absorbed glass mat batteries as its power source, the company says; since it emits no exhaust, it fully complies with CARB regulations.
“Trucks waiting at a shipping terminal or warehouse are subject to state and local idling restrictions, not only in California, but increasingly in other jurisdictions, too,” says Lou Siegel, senior vice president of marketing and strategic business development for Richmond, Va.-based Dometic. “In addition, owner-operators and fleet owners are actively searching for ways to cut fuel and maintenance costs by reducing idle time. That’s why we developed this system, which is tailored to the specific requirements of day cab fleets and owner-operators.”
The Dometic air-conditioning system consists of a compressor/evaporator/blower unit that fits between the seats, and a ruggedized external condensing unit that mounts on the back of the cab or under the truck. The inside unit has a molded composite cover to help protect the unit from spills and to help provide additional noise abatement. The digital thermostat control panel is mounted on top of the unit to ease driver access. The inside and outside units are connected by reusable precharged refrigerant linesets with quick-connect fittings, which are designed to provide automatic charging to the correct pressures at hookup. No additional charging is needed, and no special tools are required for installation, according to the company.
The Dometic turnkey package includes a 2,000-watt inverter designed to convert 12-volt battery output to high-voltage AC power to run the air conditioner, and a high-capacity alternator with external regulator designed to charge the batteries quickly and keep them fully charged when the engine is running and the truck is moving from terminal to terminal. No additional batteries are needed for the system, but existing batteries will need to be AGM type, the company says.
The new truck HVAC systems, based on Dometic’s proprietary split-system HVAC technology, consist of a redesigned compressor/heater/evaporator/blower (CHEB) unit, which mounts inside of the truck, and an external compressor/fan (CF) unit, all running on Dometic’s new Qt-series digital controls. The inside and outside units are connected by precharged, reusable refrigerant linesets with quick-connect fittings.
The new CHEB and CF units are made with powder-coated aluminum covers to present a more attractive appearance and help resist corrosion. The CHEB has been engineered to minimize compressor noise inside of the truck, while the low-profile CF unit, which can be mounted horizontally under the truck or vertically on the back of the sleeper, has been re-engineered to reduce its size and weight. The Qt Control/Display panel is designed for easy intuitive operation and can be programmed for fleet and owner-operator power-saving preferences.
The split HVAC systems run on 115-volt AC power, which can be supplied by a bank of batteries, an onboard auxiliary power unit (APU) or shorepower. They are available in 7,000 BTU, 10,000 BTU and 14,000 BTU capacities.
“We are committed to a program of continuous product improvement to make sure our systems meet the demanding requirements of the trucking industry,” Siegel says. “These new upgraded split systems are based on feedback from our customers and the results of extensive road testing over the last 10 years.”
Designed to house Group 31 absorbed glass mat batteries necessary to run the system, the box is prewired for the batteries as well as the system’s circuit breaker and inverter, helping to reduce installation times. Dometic says the prewired battery box compliments its battery-powered air conditioning solutions, providing 10 to 17 hours of cool cab comfort. Run time is determined by the truck’s use profile and number of batteries.
