Tech Tip: Is your stowage doing more damage than good?
With winter upon us, wet weather and de-ices are more prevalent than ever, which is the perfect storm (no pun intended) for corrosion build-up on a vehicle. While the electrical connections of a plug and socket union are a primary location for corrosion build-up, there is another place that could be doing more damage to
EnerSys gains approved vendor status for JIT Truck Parts
EnerSys recently achieved approved vendor status with JIT Truck Parts. Launched in 2010 and headquartered in Highland Park, Illinois, JIT Truck Parts is a distributor of heavy-duty aftermarket parts. With distribution centers throughout the U.S., their main locations are in Louisville, Kentucky; Reno, Nevada; and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. According to EnerSys, Odyssey batteries feature a three-
Is solar a viable ancillary power option for heavy-duty trucks?
Every day the sun sends its powerful rays to Earth. In fact, NASA satellite missions have noted that “at Earth’s average distance from the Sun (about 150 million kilometers), the average intensity of solar energy reaching the top of the atmosphere directly facing the Sun is about 1,360 watts per square meter.” That’s enough to
Must-do truck battery maintenance in the shop
You want to catch as many potential truck battery problems before they happen as you can, and that means checking the truck electrical system during preventative maintenance. Here’s how to get started. First, safety. “Technicians should always follow the shop rules for PPE equipment,” said Larry Rambeaux, sales application engineer for Purkeys. “The most obvious
WAI commits to its alternators product line
WAI says it has an “unwavering commitment to be first-to-market” with the “latest and most complete coverage” for new heavy-duty alternators. WAI’s complete line of alternators are made for Class 1-8 trucks and construction equipment. WAI says its alternators include Transpo electronics manufactured by WAI, as well as premium-grade WBD bearings. WAI adds its alternators
Don’t let parasitic loads take a bite out of your truck batteries
More on-board, electronically-driven and controlled systems means more strain on your batteries that are already faced with tackling tough applications and pandemic-driven changing duty cycles. “Parasitic loads are ever-increasing,” said Vicki Hall, director of transportation technical solutions for EnerSys. “The more electronics and creature comforts are being added to trucks, especially sleeper cabs, the higher
How summer heat drains your truck batteries (and what you can do about it)
Ask any heavy-duty truck battery or electrical system expert about the summer heat’s adverse impact on battery performance and they’ll likely share the age-old adage: “Summer heat and sun are what kills a battery; it just doesn’t know it’s dead until it gets cold.” (Seriously, I asked five experts and that was every single answer.)
What your static truck wiring diagrams aren’t showing you
The truck’s electrical system is a complicated web of wiring, a current-carrying circulatory system that sprouts from the truck’s batteries to power a myriad of systems. Nearly everything on today’s heavy-duty trucks is electronically controlled, and if you have an electrical system problem, it could be costly. Lighting alone hovers within the top three CSA
Watch: Avoid downtime with the right electrical wiring specs
Lighting is one of the top three CSA violations, but it can be mitigated with the right electrical wiring specs. An electrical system failure can be serious, imparting onto your fleet fines and unwanted downtime, so invest wisely as you look to put the products on your equipment that will have the lowest total cost
Making the Right Battery Choice for Your Fleet
Putting the right battery in the right application makes all the difference when it comes to uptime and fleet performance. The wrong type of battery, or ones not equipped for your fleet’s needs, can turn routine maintenance into emergency replacements, and anything done in an emergency or on the side of the road will cost
How electrical system reliability impacts aftertreatment performance
Proper maintenance leads to long battery life and less downtime.
Tips for testing electrical systems
Trucks’ electrical systems grow more complex with each passing year. In the past, before the advent of the onboard computer systems, circuits were more likely to keep functioning with corroded terminals, wire insulation hardened and splitting, improperly spliced wires and any number of other issues. With today’s sophisticated electrical systems, proper testing practices and repair
