Perrin Manufacturing offers Dynasys SL APU for day cabs and sleeper cabs

Perrin Manufacturing – a manufacturer and distributor of the energy-efficient diesel-electric Dynasys Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) – displayed its new 18-inch-wide Dynasys SL for the first time at booth 13252 at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show, in Louisville, Ky. The automotive-style HVAC system is available with a multi-purpose HVAC console that fits virtually all major day cab configurations and an under-bunk version that accommodates most traditional sleeper cab styles.

Unlike the Dynasys APU, the Dynasys SL APU does not include an AC power generator, but focuses solely on operator comfort and climate control of the vehicle’s cabin. The automotive-style system is lighter weight and employs a belt-driven AC compressor to generate up to 24,000 BTU/hr of cooling power and heat dissipation from its diesel power plant to deliver up to 8,000 BTU/hr of heating strength.

Both Dynasys and Dynasys SL APUs are the most compact models on the market and fit the frame rail mounting space of most North American day cab and sleeper cab brands. With 25 percent less weight than the standard Dynasys model and its ability to accommodate both day cab and sleeper cab power units, the new Dynasys SL gives fleets more options, more flexibility and more convenience by providing enhanced in-cab comfort, as they compete to attract and retain drivers.

“At only 18" wide, the Dynasys and new Dynasys SL have the thinnest profile of any diesel-powered APUs on the market,” Terry Nielsen, chief engineer for Dynasys, says. “With the proliferation of AC inverters in most day cabs and sleeper cabs today, we wanted to provide an alternative APU without self-contained power generating capabilities, that would be about 25 percent lighter and even easier to maintain.”

The original Dynasys and new Dynasys SL are the only APUs on the market to use a corrosion-resistant stainless steel outer envelope and heavy-duty zinc-plated frame with powder coating. Also unique to the Dynasys brand is its in-cab, touch-screen user interface controller.

To add to operator comfort, the units are also designed with advanced noise reduction technology, keeping them at or below 75 dB under full load, producing about a third less noise than an idling Class 8 diesel truck.

Both the original Dynasys and new Dynasys SL are powered by an easily accessed two-cylinder Caterpillar CO.5i diesel engine, boasting an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating of Tier-4, the lowest emission rating for its class. Dynasys APUs attach to a power unit’s existing fuel tank and operate on less than one quarter of the diesel fuel needed to idle a class-eight diesel engine. Use of either Dynasys APU also significantly reduces soot buildup from nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission and thus reduces the incidence of diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration on any vehicle they support.

“The new Dynasys SL APU has been engineered for severe duty environments,” Nielsen says. “Its hardened design makes it a great alternative for challenging off-road environments where heavy debris accumulation is an issue.”

The Dynasys SL day cab model has a versatile HVAC console with four large multi-directional air vents, two large integrated cup holders and two storage trays. The sturdy, molded plastic and steel construction console also includes a USB charging port and a common 12V DC power receptacle.

Perrin Manufacturing has broad experience designing and manufacturing HVAC and APU systems for heavy duty, off-road and exotic commercial work vehicles. Perrin has its own state-of-the-art testing facility and conducts Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1503 testing on all of its HVAC products.