Western Star Trucks is now offering an integrated auxiliary heating/air conditioning and power generation package as optional, factory-installed original equipment on new 4900-Series truck models.

The Idle Solutions package is being supplied by Dometic Environmental Corporation and Temco Metal Products Company. Installations will be made at Western Star In-Service Centers.

The system makes it easy for drivers to sleep comfortably in the summer or winter while complying with anti-idling laws, saving diesel fuel, protecting the environment, and reducing wear and tear on the truck’s engine. It consists of a Dometic 14,000 BTU HVAC system and a Temco 7.2 kW power generator. It’s completely independent from the main engine and other truck systems.

The Dometic HVAC system consists of a condensing unit, which is mounted outside the cab, and a cooling/heating unit inside the sleeper. The two components are joined by quick-connect refrigerant linesets, which are precharged at the factory, allowing for easy installation without special EPA-approved equipment.

The system provides 4000 watts of heating capacity for cold weather.

The Temco auxiliary power unit uses a three-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 15.8-hp Perkins diesel engine driving a 7.2 kW generator. The 1800-rpm diesel is said to provide longer engine life while using an average of 0.3 gallons per hour of diesel fuel and provides ample power to run the air conditioner and other electrical appliances on the truck.”