march2021 - 19
»Thermo King's 30W solar panel can mount
to either the trailer or the TRU itself. It
helps keep the battery topped off so the
TRU can restart after its off-cycle rest.
Photo courtesy of Thermo King
W
ith much emphasis placed on the tractor, the trailer can sometimes become an overlooked asset for
a fleet. While neglecting the trailer is never a good
idea, it is especially unwise when managing a fleet
of refrigerated trailers. Thankfully, manufacturers
of transport refrigeration units (TRUs) and trailers
alike are finding ways to provide reefers that are
not only safer and more productive, but also easier
to manage and maintain.
The bottom line is that no fleet wants to see
unscheduled service with any asset - especially
a refrigerated trailer.
" The only time we want to see a TRU going into
the shop is for a scheduled maintenance event, "
says Tom Kampf, product manager for Thermo
King, a provider of transportation temperature
control systems.
Given that underlying objective, fleets should
look at the various reasons a TRU might fail in
the field. According to Kampf, the most common
failure mode is a TRU that simply fails to start.
The most common cause is an insufficiently
charged battery.
Companies such as Purkeys offer battery
recharging solutions to help guard against this
common failure mode. The Purkeys SteadyCharge
Accessory Battery Charger monitors and maintains an optimal charge level by preventing
depletion during inactive periods. SteadyCharge
is operational whenever tractor and trailer are
connected. There is no need for additional cables
because SteadyCharge simply uses a trailer's existing 7-way cable.
Fleets and TRU manufacturers are also looking
for other ways to prevent battery failure in the
field. The harnessing of solar energy is an increasingly popular one.
Tapping into solar
In the case of Thermo King, solar panels have been
offered as an aftermarket add-on for more than
five years, and as an optional feature from the
factory for the past two years.
" A solar panel is now one of the top five options
ordered by our customers, " Kampf points out. " Our
30W solar panel can mount to either the trailer
or the TRU itself. The solar panel helps keep the
battery topped off so the TRU can restart after its
off-cycle rest. "
Aside from being a relatively inexpensive way
to help maintain sufficient TRU battery charge,
fleets also like the fact that a solar charging panel
is relatively straightforward in both operation
and maintenance.
" Our TRUs have an integrated charge controller so we don't overcharge, " Kampf explains. " Our
solar panel system is also all 12V, so we thankfully
don't have to do anything to convert the power
generated by the solar panel. Our solar panel
is also designed to be a maintenance-free item.
March 2021 | FleetMaintenance.com
19
http://www.FleetMaintenance.com
march2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of march2021
Uptime: Can you outsource your in-house maintenance department?
Editor's Note: Contributing to the Right to Repair
Equipment: The impacts of suspension maintenance
In the Bay: Advances in reefer management are heating up
Shop Operations: The next generation of CMMS
Under Vehicle: Technology lends fleets a hand with fifth wheels
Tech Trends: A streamlined fleet
Management: Keeping honest KPIs
Training: Overcoming the technician language barrier
Fleet Parts & Components
Tools & Equipment
Guest Editorial: Improving tire management using scrap tire analysis
march2021 - 1
march2021 - 2
march2021 - 3
march2021 - 4
march2021 - 5
march2021 - 6
march2021 - 7
march2021 - Uptime: Can you outsource your in-house maintenance department?
march2021 - 9
march2021 - Editor's Note: Contributing to the Right to Repair
march2021 - 11
march2021 - Equipment: The impacts of suspension maintenance
march2021 - 13
march2021 - 14
march2021 - 15
march2021 - 16
march2021 - 17
march2021 - In the Bay: Advances in reefer management are heating up
march2021 - 19
march2021 - 20
march2021 - 21
march2021 - 22
march2021 - 23
march2021 - Shop Operations: The next generation of CMMS
march2021 - 25
march2021 - 26
march2021 - 27
march2021 - 28
march2021 - 29
march2021 - 30
march2021 - 31
march2021 - 32
march2021 - 33
march2021 - 34
march2021 - 35
march2021 - Under Vehicle: Technology lends fleets a hand with fifth wheels
march2021 - 37
march2021 - 38
march2021 - 39
march2021 - Tech Trends: A streamlined fleet
march2021 - 41
march2021 - Management: Keeping honest KPIs
march2021 - Training: Overcoming the technician language barrier
march2021 - Fleet Parts & Components
march2021 - 45
march2021 - Tools & Equipment
march2021 - 47
march2021 - 48
march2021 - 49
march2021 - Guest Editorial: Improving tire management using scrap tire analysis
march2021 - 51
march2021 - 52
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