I have a TriPac that came with an Espar D2. I'm getting ready to have them installed. I am thinking about upgrading the Espar. At first I want to upgrade to the D4, it puts out a little more heat which would be nice when I am in Alaska. Realistically, I don't go to Alaska that much. I spend most of my time in Texas. We have a few cold days below 25 F., but rarely. For instance, the last week or so, we've had lows in the 60's F. The D4 is overkill, but so what, it would be perfect for those -40 F. days and nights, and wouldn't have to work so hard in Texas. Then I learned of the Hydronic 5, the unit that heats your coolant which warms you engine. Is this unit suitable when used to warm the cab and sleeper? In other words, can it be used as a cab/sleep heater all night? Even when warming the engine isn't critical? Doesn't the TriPac have the option of having a coolant heater? Is this the coolant heater that comes with the TriPac upgrade?
Which Espar Heater?
Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by terrylamar, Jan 28, 2013.
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I would personally stick with the Espar Airtronic D2 that came with your tripac. It puts out plenty of heat. As for your question about coolant heating, the tripac apu already has an option for coolant heat. Its available as either their arctic package or extreme arctic package with a coolant sensing switch that will start the apu when temps fall low for easier starting your tractor's engine.
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I'd prefere D3LC. D4 is too expencive, D3 is of the good power and no so expencive.
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My D2 is good to about -30. I wouldn't shut off the truck past that.
Maybe insulating and sealing your truck is a better option.
The problem with the D4 is it will be more like an on/off switch. When it's just cool outside you'll either be cold with it off or sweating with it on the lowest setting. -
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD="width: 30%, bgcolor: #ffd76e"]Specifications
[/TD]
[TD="width: 30%, bgcolor: #ffd76e"]AIRTRONIC® D2
[/TD]
[TD="width: 30%, bgcolor: #ffd76e"]AIRTRONIC® D4
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 30%, bgcolor: #ffd76e"][SIZE=-1]Heat Output
BTU/hr (KW)[/SIZE][/TD]
[TD="width: 30%, bgcolor: #ffd76e"][SIZE=-1]7,500 (2.2) Boost
6,150 (1.8) High
4,100 (1.2) Medium
2,900 (0.85) Low[/SIZE][/TD]
[TD="width: 30%, bgcolor: #ffd76e"][SIZE=-1]13,650 (4.0) Boost
10,200 (3.0) High
6,800 (2.0) Medium
3,400 (1.0) Low [/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE] -
For some reason I can't do certain things, like add paragraphs on this forum. Anyway, the chart above shows that the D4 at it's lowest setting should be comfortable. Any yes, insulating my truck is on my list of things to do. This is a list that is getting longer and longer by the day. I plan on keeping this truck for the rest of my driving career, so I might as well drop money into it.
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Take a look at the gaps between the settings. I can tell you from experience that the D4 would spend almost all of its time on the two lowest settings. Problem is there's quite the gap between the two. I guess you could play around with opening the middle curtain etc... depending on how cold it is.
Even the D2 needs one or two more stages to work better. Maybe the D4 with a digital thermostat would work. I want to get a digital one for my D2. -
I have a tripac, the espar for me is good to about 0 to +5F. about there, it takes 4-6 hours and then I am wanting to start the truck up and let it warm up everything again.
When it starts to hit -5 to -10, I am parking the truck anyway. That cold, it's just too hard on equipment I don't care to run.
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