Most frequently asked questions about APUs and the BLACKROCK APU

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Most frequently asked questions about APUs
and the BLACKROCK APU

QUESTION 1: What does APU stand for?
ANSWER: An APU is an Auxiliary Power Unit. APU technology has been successfully used in many industrial applications for decades. From RV’s to aircraft, APUs have been providing secondary power and heating/cooling without the expense of operating the main engine.

QUESTION 2: What is a BLACKROCK APU for heavy trucking?
ANSWER: A BLACKRROCK APU delivers power, performance and reliability. The BLACKROCK APU is an alternative to running the truck’s main engine using a secondary auxiliary power source. This power source provides a driver with superior comfort and convenience thanks to its 26,000 BTU/hr of cooling/heating and 120 volt AC power. A client who runs on auxiliary power will reduce fuel consumption, downtime and harmful emissions, while extending the main engine’s life by approximately 100,000 miles, thus increasing profit.
QUESTION 3: How does the BLACKROCK APU work?
ANSWER: The BLACKROCK system allows you to choose either a YANMAR 2-cyl or 3-cyl engine, both compliant with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier II emissions requirements. The YANMAR engine provides mechanical power to operate the air conditioning compressor, 120 volt AC generator and a 12 volt DC alternator. This engine is sized to provide the necessary power for the needed functions without the cost, expense and overkill of operating the rig’s main engine.

QUESTION 4: What is meant by generating 120 volt AC power?
ANSWER: The BLACKROCK APU produces 120 volt AC power, allowing the use of standard electrically driven equipment without the need for expensive inverters or “shorepower” connections. This allows drivers to use microwaves, TV’s, lights and tools wherever they stop.

QUESTION 5: Why have a BLACKROCK APU?
ANSWER: A BLACKROCK APU helps truckers maintain profitability by saving money through reduced fuel consumption and extending the main engine’s life. In cities and states that have adopted anti-idling laws, an auxiliary power unit is an accepted alternative to idling . . . reducing fuel consumption and emissions and avoiding unnecessary fines. Drivers using a BLACKROCK APU are provided with heating and air conditioning plus all the 120 volt AC creature comfort amenities they need to maintain a high quality of life while on the road.
QUESTION 6: What makes the BLACKROCK APU superior to its competitors?
ANSWER: The BLACKROCK APU is superior to its competitors because it is the only APU that has all of the following characteristics:

Professionally engineered aerospace design

Configurable to meet the wide range of climatic and geographical requirements of long-haul trucking routes

120 volt AC power generation to run appliances

3 year/4,000 hour limited warranty on the engine, backed by YANMAR

2 year/4,000 hour limited warranty on the APU, backed by Black Rock

Network of convenient dealers

The BLACKROCK APU cover has been designed to allow ease of access to and rapid exchange of key components

Readily available name-brand components can be removed and replaced within an hour

YANMAR's engines are EPA TIER II and European Union (EU) emissions compliant

Most tested design via computer simulation, on-road testing

Longest oil change intervals on market – 1,000 hours – backed by YANMAR

Best in Class Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) output (26,000 BTU/hr) in all temperature conditions

Financing Available
QUESTION 7: Where does an APU go on the rig?
ANSWER: The APU is mounted on a frame rail of the rig in an area with 30 in (76 cm) of free space. Specific location depends on the rig and the client’s choice.

QUESTION 8: How much does it weigh?
ANSWER: Depending on the configuration the client selects, the installed weight will vary between 460 lbs (209kg) for a 2-cyl model and 510 lbs (232kg) for a 3-cyl model. This installed weight includes the HVAC system.

QUESTION 9: How much noise does the APU create?
ANSWER: The BLACKROCK APU meets the federally mandated National Park Service Standard (36 CFR 2.12: 60 DB at the A-WEIGHTED scale @ 50 ft) for RV generator noise, and is quiet enough that a conversation can be held right next to it.

QUESTION 10: How does the BLACKROCK APU help with cold starts of the rig's main engine?
ANSWER: The APU provides 120 volt AC to power the main engine block heater and any aftermarket secondary heaters, such as those for tanks and fuel lines. This approach will maintain engine heat without creating potential truck warranty and failure concerns common with systems that tap into the main engine’s coolant and oil systems.
QUESTION 11: Do small diesel engines meet EPA standards?
ANSWER: The BLACKROCK APU uses a YANMAR engine that is EPA Tier II compliant, meeting the 2006 United States EPA standard for engines of less than 50HP.

QUESTION 12: Who installs the APU onto the rig?
ANSWER: The APU is installed by one of our dealers. Our dealer network is trained and authorized by Black Rock in the installation of the BLACKROCK APU. Click the dealer locator tab above to find your local dealer.

QUESTION 13: How much downtime will be required for the installation?
ANSWER: Installation time is specific to the condition of the rig. Average installation can be completed in a single day by a two-mechanic team, minimizing down time.

QUESTION 14: Where is the BLACKROCK APU serviced and repaired?
ANSWER: At a Black Rock authorized dealer. Click the dealer locator tab above to find your local dealer.

QUESTION 15: How often does the BLACKROCK APU need to be serviced?
ANSWER: No more frequently than the oil change of the main engine. Our oil change interval is 1,000 hours – longer than most competitors and fully supported by the engine manufacturer’s warranty.

QUESTION 16: What do you mean by user-specific configurability?
ANSWER: The BLACKROCK APU can be ordered to meet the fleet’s or client’s driving habits by providing options on:

2-cyl or 3-cyl YANMAR engines (both EPA Tier II emissions compliant) to support the load usage pattern of the client.

The amount of 120 volt AC power generation for creature comforts like TV’s, DVD players or emergency items like high powered floodlights or power tools.
QUESTION 17: How can a BLACKROCK APU save a client money?
ANSWER: A client using a BLACKROCK APU, who turns off the main engine of a big rig during rest periods, loading, unloading and fueling will immediately:

Reduce fuel costs, saving money.

Extend the engine’s life, deferring major engine overhauls, allowing more hauls before service downtime and increasing resale value.

QUESTION 18: How quickly can a client see cost savings?
ANSWER: Immediately. Even if the unit is financed 100% (on approved credit), the monthly fuel savings should cover the monthly payment, assuming normal idling patterns.

The typical long-haul rig idles 2,500 hours per year and consumes approximately 1.2 gallons of fuel per hour idling under load. If fuel costs $2.40 per gallon, the main engine’s idling will cost the client $7,200.

The 2-cyl BLACKROCK APU will consume 0.2 gallons of fuel per hour under load while the 3-cyl consumes 0.3. The same 2,500 hours of idling will cost only $1,800, saving the owner $5,400 on fuel alone. The owner will also save on engine overhaul costs

QUESTION 19: Does installing an APU onto your rig void the rig warranty?
ANSWER: As long as the APU does not invade the rig’s HVAC and coolant systems, it should not affect the rig’s warranty. That is why we designed the BLACKROCK APU to be independent of the main engine’s systems.

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