Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/490954
52 | Overdrive | April 2015 EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT Truck batteries They're getting smaller, lighter, tougher and smarter BY DEAN SMALLWOOD F or all of our dependence on truck batteries in commercial applications, they largely are forgot- ten or ignored – until they fail. That's why most of the slowly evolving developments involving automotive batteries over the past century have centered on longer maintenance-free life. Today, the focus is on additional storage capacity and power density. Rising fuel prices, anti-idling laws, alternative-drive vehicles and an exponential boom in the power requirements on commercial vehicles all are driving more battery research and development. Many of today's most popular batteries are absorbed glass mat units that can handle new trucks' complex electronic systems, and the truck battery evolution is just beginning. Experts say the next generation of products will be smaller and lighter with even greater energy stor- age capacity. Also on the way are "smarter" batteries designed to control and prioritize energy consumption while auto- matically counteracting temperature extremes. Carrier PowerRush Platinum Carrier's PowerRush Platinum AGM battery is engineered to retain more power in low temperatures by using absorbed glass mat technology to provide 1,150 cold-cranking amps of high starting power, deep cycling ability and added cold starting performance. The pure lead battery is designed for higher performance and longer life than con- ventional 12-volt wet-cell batteries. Carrier Transicold, trucktrailer.carrier.com Deka Intimidator Deka's Intimidator AGM battery line is built with a tightly compressed structure and a rein- forced internal design that helps protect against intense vibra- tion while providing added starting power. The unit also has a sealed exterior to help resist moisture and a flat-plate design for added cube space. The battery is designed to handle severe driving conditions, frequent stopping and starting and power for electronic devices. Deka Batteries, dekabatteries.com Odyssey Performance Series The Odyssey Performance Series 31-800 battery from EnerSys is engineered to provide 802 cold-crank- ing amps and a deep- cycle capability of up to 400 cycles at 80 percent depth of discharge to handle the increase in onboard accessories in heavy-duty vehicles. The nonspillable battery is designed to resist vibration and has a two- year storage life at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Odyssey Performance Series Batteries, odysseybattery.com Interstate AGM Interstate's MT7 AGM battery features the company's Pure Matrix Power, a 99.99 percent pure nonalloy lead in ultra-thin plates. The battery, available in group sizes 34, 65 and 78, is designed to accom- modate the cycling demands of additional devices such as cell- phones, backup sensors and GPS navigators. The unit also is leakproof, vibration-resistant, maintenance-free and installable at any angle except upside-down. Interstate Batteries, interstatebatteries.com