Phillips & Temro Industries (PTI), an OEM and aftermarket provider of custom engineered thermal systems and solutions, has announced that its Idle Free Systems (IFS) all-electric auxiliary power unit (APU) has new benchmarks results for temperature pull down, maintenance and power consumption.

In a third-party test lab, the Idle Free Systems APU underwent a series of benchmark tests alongside two competitor electric APUs. The tests were conducted in a test bunk insulated to factory standard R2 level wherein six thermocouple locations measured the temperature throughout the bunk area.

The testing found the following results:

• The temperature pull down test measured the time required to lower a bunk heat-soaked to 85°F and 50% humidity to temperatures of 68°F, 72°F, 75°F and 78°F. The Idle Free Systems APU cooled the sleep bed faster in all four instances. Additionally, the IFS APU achieved the lowest possible bunk temperature.
• The maintenance test was run to determine the maximum unit runtime with four batteries per TMC 432A specifications. The ambient temperature was 100°F with 50% humidity. The units were run until they shut down due to low battery. Where competitor A and B ran at or below the required runtime, the IFS APU ran the longest at 620 minutes which exceeds the minimum run time, while maintaining the lowest bunk temperature throughout the test.
• The results of the power consumption test revealed that only the IFS APU was able to provide power for air conditioning and simultaneously charge the APU batteries and the truck batteries. The amperage draw of both competitors’ APUs exceeded the Shorepower amperage of the charger, which means the truck batteries did not charge during Shorepower air conditioning operation.
  The Shorepower Truck Electrification Program (STEP) is a U.S. Department of Energy funded program to help the trucking industry increase efficiency while decreasing fuel consumption through electrified parking spaces (EPS).

“There are three main considerations when purchasing an auxiliary power unit: compliance with anti-idling regulations, fuel and costs savings, and driver comfort. The validation of the reliability, performance and capabilities of the Idle Free Systems APU will be incredibly beneficial to fleets as they evaluate systems for their trucks and drivers,”

“In complying with its mission to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposes rest and break provisions for Class 8 drivers. A comfortable bunk, a warm engine, and access to a computer or TV aren’t luxuries; they are necessities that contribute directly to driver comfort and safety,” said Mike Bellemore, segment manager for Idle Free Systems at Phillips & Temro Industries. “According to these benchmark tests, the IFS APU provides the most exceptional value in an electric auxiliary power unit overall.”