RIG MASTER APU

Mar 30, 2017 at 08:53 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I bought a new rig master apu in nov. i am having nothing but ussues with it. i was wandering if anyone is having problems also. When it gets really cold outside i cant seem to make enought heat to stay warm and the temp on the engine wont go over 120 degress. sadly i have only been getting the run around with the warranty dept. at rig master. anyone have any thoughts.

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:03 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. are you plumbed into the trucks cooling system or stand alone with APU radiator

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:11 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I know 3 guys that have the carrier APU and are plumbed into the trucks cooling and when it is cold out they have problem gettin g APU temp warm, and I know a guy that has the same carrier and has stand alone radiator and has no problem getting 150-160 when real cold I have a diamond power stand alone and have no problem 150-160

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:12 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "are you plumbed into the trucks cooling system or stand alone with APU radiator" i am stand alone. we have changed the thermostat 3 times and the housing. we have tried blocking the air off the radiator with a weather front we clamped off the heater lines going to the bunk and could only get the engine temp to 140 degress. i have the block heater pluged in to put a load on the generator. but when it get in the low 20's and colder i can set the temp in the bunk to 80 and when i wake up its in the 50's.

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:12 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "are you plumbed into the trucks cooling system or stand alone with APU radiator"

i am stand alone. we have changed the thermostat 3 times and the housing. we have tried blocking the air off the radiator with a weather front we clamped off the heater lines going to the bunk and could only get the engine temp to 140 degress. i have the block heater pluged in to put a load on the generator. but when it get in the low 20's and colder i can set the temp in the bunk to 80 and when i wake up its in the 50's.

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:13 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "I know 3 guys that have the carrier APU and are plumbed into the trucks cooling and when it is cold out they have problem gettin g APU temp warm, and I know a guy that has the same carrier and has stand alone radiator and has no problem getting 150-160 when real cold I have a diamond power stand alone and have no problem 150-160" the thermostat we have put in is 180 degree thermostat but i cant get the engine to go over 120 degress

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:13 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "I know 3 guys that have the carrier APU and are plumbed into the trucks cooling and when it is cold out they have problem gettin g APU temp warm, and I know a guy that has the same carrier and has stand alone radiator and has no problem getting 150-160 when real cold I have a diamond power stand alone and have no problem 150-160"

the thermostat we have put in is 180 degree thermostat but i cant get the engine to go over 120 degress

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:27 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. my apu has a electric heater and on normal nights in the mid 30 it will burn me up, but when the temp drops to the 20 it is hard to get over 60 I just thought my problem was lack of insulation

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:32 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "my apu has a electric heater and on normal nights in the mid 30 it will burn me up, but when the temp drops to the 20 it is hard to get over 60 I just thought my problem was lack of insulation " no the new rig master has a twin blower and is supposed to be more btu than the older models. i cant believe that rig master has just been jerking my chain. since dec. and they still havent fixed the problem.

Replied on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 09:32 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "my apu has a electric heater and on normal nights in the mid 30 it will burn me up, but when the temp drops to the 20 it is hard to get over 60 I just thought my problem was lack of insulation "

no the new rig master has a twin blower and is supposed to be more btu than the older models. i cant believe that rig master has just been jerking my chain. since dec. and they still havent fixed the problem.

Replied on Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 11:32 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Noisy junk. You get what you pay for. I don't know anyone happy with a Rig master APU

Replied on Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 11:42 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Does the rig master also make electricity?if so get a small electric heater.. like you can buy at an RV store or boat supply store.. and plug that in..i had a Willis APU and even that one you would get cold..

Replied on Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 04:10 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Is it possible you may have gotten a bad thermostat ? I have seen this problem before. I would recommend that you purchase a new thermostat from a different vendor, and if possible one of a different brand, just to eliminate the possibility that it may have been a bad production run from the factory. Next thing to do is to make sure it is facing the right way when you install it. It could have been installed wrong from the factory, so verify the direction of flow, ( consult service manual). Test your coolant to be sure that your not running strait glycol, as this will not conduct heat properly.( since your not plumbed into the trucks coolant system, it's a possibility). Shoot it with a temp gun and take readings on different sides of the coolant system, there should be at least a 15 degree difference. If not you have a flow issue, probably a water pump. If none of those are the cause, you may have a bad head gasket leaking compression into the coolant, that will cause low heat output as well. Pay attention, if you can smell antifreeze . Does it produce white smoke from the exhaust when it runs? If so that's antifreeze leaking into the combustion chamber. Good luck.

Replied on Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 04:10 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Is it possible you may have gotten a bad thermostat ? I have seen this problem before. I would recommend that you purchase a new thermostat from a different vendor, and if possible one of a different brand, just to eliminate the possibility that it may have been a bad production run from the factory. Next thing to do is to make sure it is facing the right way when you install it. It could have been installed wrong from the factory, so verify the direction of flow, ( consult service manual). Test your coolant to be sure that your not running strait glycol, as this will not conduct heat properly.( since your not plumbed into the trucks coolant system, it's a possibility). Shoot it with a temp gun and take readings on different sides of the coolant system, there should be at least a 15 degree difference. If not you have a flow issue, probably a water pump. If none of those are the cause, you may have a bad head gasket leaking compression into the coolant, that will cause low heat output as well. Pay attention, if you can smell antifreeze . Does it produce white smoke from the exhaust when it runs? If so that's antifreeze leaking into the combustion chamber. Good luck.

Replied on Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 06:35 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. do you have the kohler engine or perkins/cat? do you have the ac generator? plug in your block heater if you do, it puts more of a load on the engine. call bigrig at gretna ne 402-332-4833. they are more knowlegable than any dealer i've found.

Replied on Mon, Apr 03, 2017 at 10:15 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "i am stand alone. we have changed the thermostat 3 times and the housing. we have tried blocking the air off the radiator with a weather front we clamped off the heater lines going to the bunk and could only get the engine temp to 140 degress. i have the block heater pluged in to put a load on the generator. but when it get in the low 20's and colder i can set the temp in the bunk to 80 and when i wake up its in the 50's." Is the block heater working on your truck? I installed a Rigmaster on a new truck one time and had the same problem. Ened up being the block heater cord on my truck was pinched on assembly and I had not realized it didn't work until the Rigmaster would make enough heat. Make sure the generator is working and that your block heater is working. Best of luck.

Replied on Mon, Apr 03, 2017 at 10:15 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "i am stand alone. we have changed the thermostat 3 times and the housing. we have tried blocking the air off the radiator with a weather front we clamped off the heater lines going to the bunk and could only get the engine temp to 140 degress. i have the block heater pluged in to put a load on the generator. but when it get in the low 20's and colder i can set the temp in the bunk to 80 and when i wake up its in the 50's."

Is the block heater working on your truck? I installed a Rigmaster on a new truck one time and had the same problem. Ened up being the block heater cord on my truck was pinched on assembly and I had not realized it didn't work until the Rigmaster would make enough heat. Make sure the generator is working and that your block heater is working.

Best of luck.