Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/353300
Understanding lower fuel costs Features such as auto idle and auto shutdown can make a big differ- ence in fuel consumption, but if your operators already use fuel- conserving practices – by minimiz- ing idling time, for example – the impact of these features will be reduced. Work modes also help reduce fuel costs and it's hard for even a good operator to replicate the effect of work modes through careful operating practices. Some manufacturers' comparisons of fuel consumption are overall numbers of a new machine com- pared to its predecessor. Some are numbers for specific applications or may be comparisons to competitors' machines. There is no construction equivalent to the EPA's test cycle for determining mileage in passenger vehicles, so it's up to customers to understand the numbers offered by OEMs. It's not that manufactur- ers are being deceptive, but in the absence of standardized reporting they're free to present numbers as they wish. JCB is among the companies offering big-picture fuel numbers for all the models it makes, includ- ing backhoes. "By early next year we will have saved our customers a staggering 264 million gallons of fuel," says Tim Burnhope, JCB's chief innovation and growth offi- cer. "The machines that we sell in 2014 alone will help our customers to save 80 million gallons in their first year of use, when compared to the machines that we were sell- ing in 2010." JCB's 3CX backhoe loader from 2010 consumed about 2.3 gallons per hour. In current 3CX ECO mod- els, the number is about 1.6 gph. Part of the improvement comes from JCB's Ecomax engines, which have been optimized for Tier 4 Fi- nal. Part of it comes from electronic control systems. EcoDig harmonizes output from three hydraulic pumps to maintain performance even at lower engine speeds, delivering up to 15 percent fuel savings. The TorqueLock feature of the EcoRoad mode provides a 25 percent fuel savings when roading in higher gears, an example of savings cited for a specific application. More tools To further expand the versatility of what are already versatile machines, backhoes are designed to integrate August 2014 | EquipmentWorld.com 20 machine matters | continued Ranging from 17,500 to 19,500 pounds, Volvo's BL60B and BL70B backhoe loaders use a D3.8H four-cylinder 3.8-liter Volvo engine. The machines are fitted with two floor-mounted ergonomic levers, and feature a small turning radius, a narrow, tall arch designed boom and a one-piece chassis. volvoce.com