Welcome to our next installment of the technician\u2019s log. Today we are going to talk about inverters and battery chargers, which are essential items in every modern cab. Why? Well, for a few reasons. Just one example includes when you are parked at a truck stop. A proper inverter and charger will help keep the batteries on your trucks topped off in the morning. Also, when putting a truck out of commission for a while, a charger can make sure the battery can start the truck when put back in commission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
[wp_ad_camp_2] <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, the inverter part of the inverter\/charger combo\nwill make AC power available in all receptacles inside the sleeper cab. It is\nextremely important to have a reliable source of onboard AC power for sensitive\nequipment such as CPAP and other essential electronics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many fleets are going over every pound with a fine-tooth\ncomb in order to boost payload and fuel economy. And with such an emphasis\nplaced on fuel economy these days, can you really blame them? How much weight\ndoes such a device typically add? Not enough to put a huge dent in fuel\neconomy. So, what have you got to lose?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inverter and chargers come in various form factors. The best\ntypes offered through major truck manufacturers come in a compact, lightweight\nfootprint weighing roughly 12-13 lb. In the grand scheme of things – meaning\noverall payload – this weight is almost negligible. Even more, you don\u2019t really\nhave to worry too much about maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can generally integrate servicing into standard\nmaintenance program. For example, every time the oil is changed, you can run a\nquick service on the inverter or charger. These devices are quite hardy, so it\nshouldn\u2019t take much to ensure everything is in proper working order. But if you\nreally want to step up your game, you will invest in an inverter\/charger combo\nthat requires no maintenance. A high-level device will actually improve your\noverall maintenance situation by decreasing the load on your battery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You also want to look for a device that is equipped with a\nfailsafe. Does it have any protection features such as overload, over\ntemperature, under or over voltage, or low battery voltage protection, which\nhelp increase the life of an inverter? Speaking of the life span, do you know\nwhat to expect? Should it be three years? More or less? Furthermore, how does\nduty cycle impact lifespan? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Look for a device that has a minimum 2-year warranty. A good\ninverter and charger combo should run you about 8-10 years if it is well taken\ncare of as the duty cycle is not too intense. Still, quality inverters will\nresist spikes and overloads and stop before its internal components and\ncircuits are exposed and ultimately damaged. They should have protection\nfeatures built-in so that they can withstand heavy duty cycles for longer\nperiods of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why an Onboard Charger is Critical<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A quality inverter with a built-in charger offers many features \u2013 onboard AC power, the ability to use shore power to charge batteries, and pass through incoming shore power to operate hotel loads when parked at truck stop. In fact, an inverter\/charger enables a truck driver to enjoy the comforts of home while on the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n [wp_ad_camp_2] <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A sleeper with any of the following additions would benefit\nfrom an inverter\/charger:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You also need to consider compliance. You want a device that\nmeets UL458 and TMC RP163 requirements for safety, quality and reliability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to compliance and reliability, the old adage,\n\u2018you get what you pay for\u2019 comes into play. Quality inverters should have a\n\u2018Regulatory Listed\u2019 approval \u2013 such as UL or ETL with UL458 rating. This means\nthe inverter was inspected and approved by an independent agency, which\nsafeguards against issues with electricity. UL458 is the listing for inverters\nand chargers in mobile applications. They must meet strict vibration,\nenvironmental, and thermal requirements that non-UL458 units do not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n TMC\u2019s RP163 calls out this UL listing for all inverters and\nchargers installed in a truck. What\u2019s more, TMC\u2019s RP160 that discusses DC and\nAC wiring in a truck has requirements that are automatically met by UL458\nlisted inverters. The main point being that the neutral and ground are bonded\ntogether within the inverter. Inverters that are not UL458 listed do not do\nthis as it allows the inverter to be made at a much lower cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buying an inverter that is not Regulatory Listed tells\nsomeone \u2018buyer beware\u2019. These types of products quite literally shock users,\nplus they often can\u2019t internally protect themselves against power surges. So,\nwhat can you do to maximize life and ensure your inverter\/charger combo doesn\u2019t\npose a danger to your truck drivers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, we do not recommend a truck driver doing self-installation.\nRemember, you\u2019re dealing with electricity. So, if you\u2019re not comfortable\nhandling wiring at your house, you better not try it in your rig. Therefore, it\nis best to ensure the shop technicians are doing the work, rather than the\nfront-line truck drivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re working on a 12-volt lighter plug or a 300W\ninverter for the laptop, installation should prove to be no problem. But, for\nlarger inverters it\u2019s important to understand fusing, voltage-drop\ncalculations, and knowledge of applicable safety standards. We cannot stress\nenough how important it is to get it right the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a bevy of things to consider when installing an\ninverter, starting with \u2018where it should go\u2019 and making sure there is adequate\nventilation to allow heat to dissipate. You also must look at wire sizing and\nthe distance between the inverter and plug-ins which can be put in the sleeper;\nplus, the distance between the battery and inverter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We really recommend either an OEM install (factory assembly\nline or pre-delivery inspection) when you purchase a new truck, or have the\ninstallation done by an authorized dealer. The OEMS have installation down to a\nscience and it\u2019s done on the line to rigid specs. Truck and aftermarket dealers\nalso have the experience, so it\u2019s worth spending a few extra bucks to have the\ninstallation done right, the first time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your Essential Inverter Checklist <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you have learned everything there is to know about\ninverters and inverter\/charger combos, you will want to have a checklist handy\nwhen you make your recommendations to fleet management or procurement. First\nup, access size. It is easy to think you need the biggest and baddest inverter,\nbut when you are looking at a range from 300 to 5,000-watts, you could easily\nmake a mistake and purchase an inverter that isn\u2019t right for you. Always make\nsure you check the wattage number and assess it for your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also two different types of power pushed through\ninverters. The first is sine wave and the second is modified sine wave. While\nboth work well in a truck environment, you want to use a sine wave device if\nyou are running sensitive electronics off the system. Whether it be a CPAP\ndevice or otherwise, you don\u2019t want to be worried about inconsistent voltage or\nspikes or drops. You want the power to react just the way it would at home for\nthose devices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Modified sine wave is good for other devices where\nconsistent power flow is not necessary. Most electronics will work fine with\nmodified sine wave, you just don\u2019t want to take the chance that it may short\nout sensitive devices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the inverter or charger combo you choose,\nyou want to ensure you and everyone else in your shop is comfortable with\ninstallation and maintenance. Remember, you are working with electricity. You\nmust be aware of wire sizing and distance between the inverter and plug-ins.\nAlso, what is the distance between the battery and the inverter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best option is to have the OEM install if you can, or have it installed by an authorized dealer. Don\u2019t hesitate to spend a few extra bucks to ensure the installation is done right. This is especially true if you are using an inverter\/charger combo. Many inverters will run the batteries down to 10.5 volts, which will allow truck drivers to run their devices longer in the cab. Important to note, however, is that the LVD feature is required to start the truck with an inverter. Or you could run two dedicated deep-cycle batteries and connect them to the inverter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [wp_ad_camp_2] <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever you choose to do, inverters are an important part\nof any in-cab ecosystem. To keep your truck drivers happy, you need to ensure\nyour shop understands how they work, how to install them, how to maintain them,\nand what recommendations need to be made when purchasing them. Do your due\ndiligence, and you are bound to make the right choices for your fleet. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"