Hammond Air Conditioning Ltd., a developer of 12V air conditioning for trucks, introduced a new version of its Arctic Breeze Truck AC system to fit into a wide range of trucks and delivery vans, the company said.
According to Jeff Lemon, president and chief designer at Hammond, the company took on the development of a “split system” design when customers expressed interest in Arctic Breeze Truck AC for the Mercedes Sprinter cargo vans. “On larger trucks, the entire system, including the battery pack, can usually be mounted to the frame rails behind the cab or sleeper. Along with the Sprinter, we found that there is a wide range of light and heavy trucks that need a no-idle AC system, too, but have to fit it into a much more constricted space. Splitting the AC system into two separate components gives us the flexibility to fit these smaller vehicles.”
The new system packages the AC components so that the condenser and fan are mounted externally, while the compressor and motor are located inside the cab.
“Part of the secret to our success with the system is the efficiency of its motor,” Lemon said. “It’s extremely compact and quiet, so it won’t disturb anyone while they sleep in cool comfort in their cab.”
Last year, the U.S. EPA added Hammond Air Conditioning to its index of environmentally “smart” transportation technologies, qualifying Hammond to display the SmartWay service mark, the company noted. Hammond said it developed the system using just three proprietary components, ensuring simple installation and service. Arctic Breeze Truck AC delivers 8000 BTU of cooling, while drawing as little as 45 Amps from 6 AGM glass mat truck batteries. The fast-charging batteries recommended by Hammond provide up to 16 hours cooling time, even in the hottest regions of the country. Each system is equipped with an integrated low voltage cutout switch to prevent draining the starting batteries, according to the company.
Hammond calculates that, in most applications, an investment in its truck AC systems will recover the full cost within a single season based on fuel savings alone. Operators save additional costs through reduced engine wear and virtually zero maintenance. The purchase price and installation times for the new Arctic Breeze Truck AC split system are expected to be no different from the original, the company said.
Lemon said the split system will open doors to all types of cargo vans, straight trucks and day cabs, where operators either take sleep breaks in the vehicle or have long wait times for loading. He notes that even larger trucks in Canada often present space limitations due to larger fuel tanks and shorter rails. Recently, a tour bus operator in the southern U.S. began testing the split system to keep the driver’s compartment cool while passengers are sightseeing off the bus.
