One challenge for today’s truck fleet owner is balancing the increased workload placed on batteries with expectations regarding lifespan.
Fleets are accustomed to thinking about battery life in terms of months, but battery life is also measured in terms of cycles. The
same number of cycles can be expended in a shorter time period. The primary factors driving development of the AER-12VN are
the increased energy needs during both key-on and key-off periods, plus the need to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. Batteries
and the interaction between alternators are among the most misunderstood components we can find in a truck.
Not only can poorly or
inefficiently charged batteries lead to early failure and unnecessary replacement costs but can also lead to "emergency" repair efforts
and take away from a mechanic¹s daily schedule and ability to perform other fleet maintenance tasks such as general troubleshooting
and repair, ultimately affecting the fleet’s overall sustainability and vehicle readiness.
According to the ATA, battery and alternator
problems are the third highest operating expense after fuel and tires. They also account for 11.7% of problems on the road.
Common
solutions to this problem are often to add higher output alternators and additional batteries which are not only costly, but ultimately
ineffective.
The solution lies in proper management of the existing electrical systems.
As long as the engine is running, all of
the power for the accessories is delivered by the alternator. The battery is actually a load on the charging system. The only time
that the battery would supply power with the engine running is when the current capacity of the alternator is exceeded.
Commercial
trucks require more power from their batteries to operate the increasing number of electrical/electronic components for comfort and
enjoyment. There are batteries for any number of onboard systems, but regardless of what is powered, longevity and cost must be factored
into operating expenses.
Trucktronics was founded for the purpose of creating a self contained electronic regulator that converts
a standard heavy duty truck alternator into a highly efficient battery management system. Once installed the regulator would provide
significant benefits in terms of fewer batteries used, higher performance from existing batteries and alternators, reduced maintenance,
less downtime and less service disruptions.
The installation of our product would significantly reduce operating costs and downtime.