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YOUR EXPERT for Anti Idling Solutions- sponsored by Espar Heater Systems

John Dennehy

V.P. of Marketing and Communications
Espar Heater Systems
(800) 387-4800
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Mr. Dennehy has been V.P. of Marketing and Communications with Espar for 9 years. He has played an integral part in working with several levels of government agencies in both the U.S. and Canada to bring awareness to the challenges of idling, anti-idling technologies and the reduction of green house gases. Mr. Dennehy will entertain questions on anti-idling technologies, state regulations and state/province initiatives regarding rebates/incentives and also idling laws and fines within each state.

APU UNIT

March 27, 2006 @ 5:01 pm


Q.		ARE THERE GRANTS? THAT AN INDEPENDENT OWNER OPERATOR CAN GET, TO HAVE AN APU UNIT INSTALLED TO LIMIT IDELING.HOW DO I APPLY FOR ONE??


A.		Yes, in some states there are. Please check this website http://www.epa.gov/smartway/idle-fund.htm on opportunities that might apply to you.

Europe

February 21, 2006 @ 7:11 pm


Q.		I’ve been looking into idling and emissions reduction technologies and have found that European drivers don’t idle. I also found out they have a 24V system, unlike the 12V in the US. Does this partly explain why they don’t idle? ie is there much less risk of a dead battery when they use heating/power etc Thanks for your help


A.		European's don't idle. Over 80% of the trucks in europe have auxiliary fuel fired heating systems, the same goes for automobiles. The reason is twofold but it has nothing to do with 24 volt systems. European's are so much more aware of their environment than we are in N.A. and secondly, they pay as much as 3- 4 times more for fuel than we do, hence not wanting to waste it idling.

Vocational Trucks

February 17, 2006 @ 8:20 am


Q.		Recent article Cost of Clean by Sean Kilcarr he speaks of the DPF needing cleaning or replacement at 200,000 to 400,000 miles. We at Titan Virginia Ready Mix will not put that many miles on our class 8 truck in eight years; we do how ever put many hours idling our trucks to keep the concrete mixed until unloaded. My question: when do you think the vocational side will have to clean or replace the DPF and is the idling that we do going to load the DPF quicker for more frequent servicing?


A.		These Diesel Particulate Filters are relatively new technologies, and I am not an expert on this. Your best bet is to get in touch with your truck manufacturer to ask his opinion on cleaning and replacement. I did however talk to one of our dealers who is adept on this kind of thing and he indicated to me that your best bet would be to change or clean the DPF based on hours, which should be indicated in your service manual. We both believe that the idling you do will accelerate the load on the DPF requiring you to service at more frequent intervals. The number he gave me was 42 miles for every hour, so divide 200,000 miles by the 42 and you get 4,762.

Question 57

January 25, 2006 @ 12:00 am


Q.		how do the experts determine that we are burning approx 1 gal fuel p/hr? my own studies show that yes with the old mechanical fuel pumps we burned 1- 1/4 gal. p/hr, but with computerized injection systems, my calculations show only 3/10-4/10 gal per hr. burned at idle. these numbers are directly from cummins engine computer print outs of an n-14 500 hpwr engine. i could make these records available for review. also, there is a theory that engine wear is not determined by miles, but rather fuel burned. though i have a system similar to yours and therfore understand that no fuel burned is the best solution. i have posed this particular question regarding fuel burned at idle to challenge the mathmatics and science driving the urgency of this so called problem. lets get real, if anyone really studied the “at idle consumption” with todays computerized injection systems they would find that the present hype regarding the amount of fuel burned at idle is wrong.


A.		I am inclined to post your email with your findings, interesting statistics. However I believe that you are idling that engine at dead idle which is probably around 400 rpm, the engines being manufactured today are extremely efficient and there is no waste/supplemental heat being produced. If you were to try and get heat to the cab for from the coolant, you would probably find that you would not be able to stay comfortable, hence having to boost the rpm up to 900-1000 rpm and that is where you would run into the gal/per hour.

Question 58

January 16, 2006 @ 12:00 am


Q.		Why is diesel higher than regular gas? Why did Diesel used to be much cheaper than regular gas?


A.		Diesel did in fact used to be cheaper, but that was before diesel began to emerge as the more efficient fuel. The bottom line is, as diesel becomes the fuel of choice in various parts of the world, supply tightens. As that happens, prices rise. And since we're inextricably linked to world petroleum markets, our prices rise too. It's gonna get worse long before it gets any better.

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