Isn't there a factory oil heater for these trucks? I see it fully covered in the HVAC section of RAVE. Diesel is basically #2 heating oil with a high sales tax. Regarding AC without an engine, the systems will use up the batteries pretty quickly. Running a system on 24 volts will definitely help and you can set up your truck to charge the batteries off a 12 volt alternator and deliver 24v volts to the AC but there are 12 volt systems available too. Here's a possible source: Truck air conditioning section The excellent spelling and clear presentation of their products on the site sure makes me confident in the quality of their product.

 

very helpful, thanks!

and here's why - it's either a 50a or 25a power requirement (12v/24v)
and here's a battery
http://sepbatteries.com/super-b-12v1...Fcp_QgodwhoAyw

which gives me 2-4 hours of max A/C time before I have to recharge, 8 would be good, but if I put a timer on the control panel to start and charge the battery every 90 minutes - it should work out okay.... and yes, that's a $2,500 battery.... but only 44 lbs

 

Great gobs of battery goodness. That has got to be a Gucci battery with that price tag.

 

Unfortunately, I've had to delve into rebuilding a Prius Battery. A fully rebuilt unit with newer style cells can be had for less than $1000 if you shop around. I have a 2001 which uses the motor to run the A/C, but my Mom's Prius uses electric, if I'm seeing it correctly. It does start the motor to charge the battery back up, but the A/C continues to run without the motor.

Maybe I'm wrong and it's just using the stored compression before it starts up the motor again.

Also, what about looking at a Semi-Truck wrecking yard for the Battery A/C system? You could probably score a pretty good deal on the whole setup. My nephew drives trucks, and he goes through them like candy. Replaces his trucks about every 2 years.

 

all very good ideas, I wish there was a "thanks" button - what I write below is what I've found, but the wrecking yard idea to find a late-model, wrecked semi is a really good one.


Thanks!

the one thing about Prii is they use the wrong battery and they are hella heavy (750 lbs, heavy). - Lithium Ions come in things like the Volt or the current crop of electrics like the Leaf
The other bit about the Prii - they have two batteries, they have a 12v battery to start the engine and run the electronics, the other runs the assist and it's an odd voltage (like 20v). The A/C is run off the motor, and cannot operate without the motor running (gens 1 and 2 of the Prius, the new Prius, it isn't true, they are electrically driven). Here's some general information from my research - Electric A/C started in a big way in the Volts, and are a smaller-sized than the semi systems. In an 80k truck/trailer, a couple extra pounds really isn't a big deal, in a car, it is. The hot-rod community has started latching on to electric A/C, and I've heard/seen systems that adapt a volt or latest gen prius system to old cars (they don't want an air compressor on the motor, so they run it off the generator)...

please don't let what I just said discourage anyone from piping up, just like the wrecking yard idea, I get a lot of gems from the posts.

 

Something I had not thought about... The Prius Battery is 300ish Volts (scary to rebuild). Maybe there's an effective way to convert to 24v?

 

I looked into A/C via a Volt A/C compressor - but they run on 360v 3ph DC.... wiring nightmare IMO.... so I'll keep looking, my wife may get 120v ac air compressor and a honda generator

funny, someone today told me that my H3 was "huge" compared to a Land Rover Discovery....

missing from the photo is a BMW 325xi wagon with a 5 speed... and no, it's not black..
every one has been warmed over, and 3 of the 5 came home on a trailer as a non-runner (H3, Jetta drove). With that said, nothing at my house hasn't been hauled by the pickup on the end.

The dirt bike is a CR500 af. That is, a 1991 CR 500 motor in a 2004 CRX 250 frame.... it's a beast

 

2 stroke 500, I'm jealous. That thing must be a monster... I can barely hold onto my 2008 Ktm 250 xc.

 

500 with a pipe, porting v-force reeds, larger piston, larger carb.... they're 65 hp stock, figure this one is bumping on 100 hp.

 

I assume you've actually verified that you can register a OBDII petrol->diesel conversion vehicle where you live.
A lot of people forget that important step.

There's a good thread on DWeb about a DII -> Isuzu diesel conversion.
And one on Pirate I think about a DII -> R380 conversion, though it might be on Expedition Portal, I can't remember for sure.