Heavy Duty Trucking, February 2018
HDT FEBRUARY 2018 78 WWW TRUCKINGINFO COM TRAILERS BODIES and a cycle counter into a single liftgate control unit It offers a low battery light to alert users when batteries are running low While a smart control helps control battery drain Walker says fleets also need to pay attention to how many cycles they are doing during a delivery day and how the system is being charged One cycle is equivalent to a single up and down action of the liftgate If youre doing 30 cycles a day on chassis batteries youre going to blow through batteries quickly he says Thats where youre going to need to start looking at dedicated batteries and possibly a boosting charge system to be sure you do not kill your chassis batteries too quickly Remember that a liftgate will consume more power when its lifting weight than when its running up and down empty If youre doing mostly drop offs the liftgate is going to use very little power he says But if youre dropping a cart off and picking up another one that weighs 2000 to 3000 pounds in a single cycle that will add a lot to power consumption Some fleets have been experimenting with solar power as a viable solution to liftgate power problems adds Griessner who notes that solar power is a great supplemental charging system especially for trailers sitting in a yard for weeks Solar power can keep the batteries charged even when the trailer is disconnected from the truck Though it once was acceptable to use simple power systems basically a single cable running from the truck to batteries that power the liftgate this is not an option in the more robust and frequent delivery applications of an e commerce world Solar power and DC DC converters can boost the charge voltage for the batteries running the gate Walker says Power connections also warrant a closer look notes Griessner who says liftgates should meet IP67 IP68 standards This ensures sealed connections that keep both dust and water out Arc suppression also can be added to shield the solenoids operating a liftgates pump and motor This makes this technology more reliable less prone to wear and tear and less prone to corrosion he says PHOTO MAXON LIFT Galvanized steel as in this liftgate from Maxon Lift is one tactic manufacturers use to prevent corrosion Find out more about how this app canrevolutionize how your drivers weigh 1 877 CAT SCALE 228 7225 catscale com weighmytruck comNow accepting Time is money and your drivers need to makeevery minute count The Weigh My Truck appis the fastest way to weigh Its a game changerthat streamlines the weighing process and payment all from a mobile device ITS THE FASTEST WAY TO WEIGH CAT HDT 011818 qxp_ Layout 1 1 18 18 11 31 AM Page 1
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