Kohler Power Systems will expand its generator product line to include an auxiliary power unit (APU) for the heavy-duty trucking industry. Its new 5-kilowatt APU will be available later this year and will offer truck operators what is claimed to be the only air-cooled APU in the 5kW, side-rail mounted size. The air-cooled, self-contained engine means less intrusion into the truck’s critical systems. With compactness being crucial, Kohler’s first APU product is small – 27 W x 26 H x 23 in. D — and weighs less than 350 lb.

The APU, offering 120-volt AC and 50-Amp DC power, is designed with a direct-drive alternator – a direct connection between the engine and alternator instead of belts – which should provide reliability and reduce maintenance issues. Its oil-service interval is 500 hours.

The standard digital controller allows the driver to start and stop the generator and adjust the heating and cooling from inside the cab. It also features an easy-to-read LED screen that displays up to 13 operational conditions. Other features include a sound-attenuated enclosure for quiet
operation.

Kohler, incidentally, was founded in 1873 and has some 500 distributors and dealers continent-wide. Call 800-544-2444.