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 NON - IDLING?With rapidly increasing fuel costs (Opens in new window.) and more aggressive state legislation on pollution, all kinds of solutions have been tried, costing individual truck owners and trucking companies millions of dollars. In spite of the quite sophisticated products offered, we have over the last decade at least watched what we now call the euphoria - desperation phase. Somebody installs for instance an Espar or Webasto heater and euphoria sets in about how wonderful a solution that it is and then, bingo, the batteries do not support the heaters or whatever. Even low cost bunk heaters in the form of heating blankets that are placed in the bottom of the bunk bedding are being accused of destroying batteries. Nobody really stops and reflects how absolutely impossible such a statement is. So why is this problem just going on and on. You can go from simple heater solutions to so called APU’s that supposedly charges the batteries with their own built in alternators. Nobody has really explained to me why a 65 amp alternator should charge the batteries more completely than a 130 amp alternator that runs all day when the truck is moving. The reason for this is that nobody, and I mean nobody, from the truck driver to the truck shop up to the highest levels of engineering in the large organizations, that sell you advanced heating/cooling systems possess any knowledge of battery charging technology, not even OEM Trucking companies have engineers that comprehend this issue. As a truck owner, individual or company you are just asked to believe that products such as direct fired diesel heaters, and APUs is the solution. Same euphoria - desperation phase. The batteries refuse to support these auxiliary power units. Hey, there is nothing wrong with these products. They perform as well as anybody could ask, but they simply do not address the real problem, a problem that has existed as long as lead acid batteries have been used as a power source. I want you to sort of repeat as a mantra: Conventional alternator charging systems CANNOT restore lead acid batteries to full capacity after they have been drawn down. And here is where you are being left defenseless. There is not enough battery knowledge out there to judge the performance of the charging process. With engines etc. where you know the amount of fuel being used, there is no problem to estimate fuel economy etc. Because you know the fuel tank capacity and how much fuel you are putting in at each fuel stop. With batteries you do not really have enough information and many go by the principle: as long as the engine starts it must be OK. Another statement that is heard more and more frequently: My truck batteries do not seem to get enough charge. That is really a shame because once you get used to the right terminology you, as and individual or trucking shop will have no problem determining if the batteries are being charged or not. I will endeavor to set you right in this regard, to give you the knowledge to prove for your self whether your batteries are being charged or not. You will not have to get fooled any more!
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We generally do not go below 50% usage in our available amps. So in a truck with four start batteries you have available 4 x 70 amps = 280 x 50% = 140 amps. From this point there is generally enough power (amps) available to start an engine. Many trucks are equipped with LVP (Low Voltage Protection) that shuts down the circuits for other use than starting. This happens at 12.3v or at 60% of capacity. So now you can easily figure out how many amp hours you have available when parking the truck for the night. 12.3 = 60% of 280 amp hours = 168 amp hours. So 280 Ah - 168 Ah = 112Ahs available,. Let’s say you have a cooler running that draws 4 amps per hour, cab lights @ 4 amp hours, a TV at 4 amps/hour. You have installed an ESPAR heater. These things are electronic marvels that use about 1 amp per hour. Estimate using TV and lights for about two hours before shutting down for sleep. You can now calculate the following usage for a ten hour stop. Lights and TV 2 hours = 16 amp hours. Cooler 10 hours = 40 amp hours. ESPAR heater 10 hours = 10 amp hours. Total for the 10 hour stop = 96 amp hours. Still available 46 amp hours! If you checked the voltage of the batteries they would show 12.5v. This not an exact science but serves as a workable rule of thumb.
We have also received a lot of complaints from trucking companies that they have only been able to get 4 hours running out of their ESPAR’s and after that the drivers have to idle the trucks. I want to do the same example. 12.3v at which the LVPU shuts off equals 60% of battery capacity or 168 Amphours. Add 26 amp hours for the first two hours and add 8 amp hours for another two hours for the cooler. And 2 amp hours for the ESPAR. The battery was between 12.5 - 12.4 volts when the truck parked for the night. We have measured many truck batteries being 12.5 volts. This means that the batteries are not being charged properly.
The above is just to show how simple it is to relate battery capacity and usage. It is of course not necessary to go through these type of calculations to decide whether your batteries are being charged or not. After your truck has arrived at base let it sit over night, without any loads on the batteries. Go out and check the voltage of your batteries. 12.8v = good. Whatever charging equipment you have is doing its job. 12.7 = well ok but continue to check. 12.6v = not acceptable unless you have a draw on your batteries, such as a fridge or forgotten bunk light. Keep on checking. If one reading comes up less than 12.6 your batteries are not getting proper charge. Get an ADVERC System. After a few days’ running your batteries will recover to 12.8/12.7 and from this point on will last for several years, depending how well you care for them.
Just by following these simple guide lines you now have control over the charging situation. Now it does not matter what anybody tells you about charging this and charging that. After a night’s rest for the batteries just whip out your tester, get a reading and you’ll know. 12.8v = good. 12.7v = well ok but continue to check.. 12.6v = unacceptable, if subsequent readings come up less than 12.6v, get an ADVERC System.
Batteries Don't Die, They are Murdered...
Batteries.
There are numerous different battery types out there, that are supposed to be the absolute most perfect solution for your charging problems. What is happeninge is that the general complete lack of comprehension of battery charging technology, is being used against you. It is generally called “marketing hype”. Believe me, your are not getting one iota better performance out of these batteries than general truck starting batteries. There does not seem to be any limit, to which companies will go in this “hype” business. A ‘GREEN’ Battery is now being offered as the solution and I was quoted a price for this “GREEN” battery of $300.00 a piece that is $1200.00 for four batteries for your truck!!!!!!! That comes close to the cost of three ADVERC Systems that will keep your original truck start batteries going for at least four years. But now you know better. Get out your tester. If you have bought some fancy battery, just put your tester to it after a nights battery rest. 12.8 = Good. 12.7 = well ok but continue to check. 12.6v = unacceptable if later readings come up less, get an ADVERC System. It will restore those expensive batteries just the same as the start batteries.
A word of caution here. Most truck starting batteries are “Maintenance Free” and that is fine, considering the general lack of battery maintenance discipline. However, if they are drawn down too much, let’s say below 11 volts they will probably not recover. If your truck is equipped with a LVPU you do not have to worry. With an ADVERC System installed the LVPU will mostly not be triggered. However, if for some reason you have overlooked to charge your batteries at a long lay-over for instance, the LPVU will kick in and protect your start batteries and make sure you have enough starting power. And here is another ADVERC advantage. Your batteries will recharge in half the time.
An LVPU in a conventional charging system protects your maintenance free start batteries and are supppsed to make sure there is enough power available to start the engine. As you or your drivers know the LVPU kicks in at shorter and shorter intervals as the batteries deteriorate. Finally there is nothing left to do than to idle the truck or change batteries and continue the damage cycle anew. Now there is another problem with this. The LVPU forces the starting of the truck at lowest possible voltage, which means excessive maintance of electric motors particularly starter motors. From customer documentation we know that in delivery trucks with Tail Gate Lifts, starter motor failures were reduced by more than 70% after having the Adverc System installed. Another irony is that as you add batteries to be able to use your Tail Gate Lifts, those batteries are immediately reduced to the general circuit voltage. Your four truck batteries, which are now at 12.3v will immediately drawn down your Lift Gate batteries to the same voltage, when you install them new. Brilliant. But now you no longer have to take mine or anybody’s word for it. Just whip out your voltage tester and test all the batteries. Start batteries and Lift Gate Batteries alike after a nights battery resting period. 12.8v = good 12.7v = acceptable but keep checking.
12.6v = unacceptable, keep checking. If you get a lower reading than 12.6v, your batteries are not being charged properly and are deteriorating. Get an ADVERC System. It will restore the batteries at this point and get rid of your maintenance problem.
Before I go on here, let me mention that we started a trucking company here, Dauninge Transport MC-358975 in 1999, so that we would know first hand the problems and issues particular to the trucking industry. During these eight years we have tested the ADVERC system with the most common alternators, batteries, cab heating, no idling systems, etc. Our advice is based on actual trucking facts and experiences, which separates us from most other brands. In short we know what we are talking about. Add to that a collective knowledge of more than twenty years of ADVERC installations in Europe.
Let me also give another piece of information here. Many times larger capacity alternators and batteries are being suggested as a solution to charging problems. This is absolutely wrong! The charge of a battery (amps) is directly related to the alternator volt output. I could of course tell you to whip out your digital meter and confirm this fact, but I really do not want you to throw away money on alternators and batteries that will have no effect whatsoever, when all you have to do is to install an ADVERC System to correct your battery charging. At a lower cost and several times the efficiency. Let me refer you to the article I posted on this web site under the heading: SPRINTER MOBILE KENNEL CONVERSION. You will find that after a year an electric system with a 120 Amp BOSCH alternator and one start battery was completely destroyed after being called on to power the van’s own A/C and a ThermoKing 12v auxiliary A/C. One year after installing an ADVERC System and an auxiliary battery to buffer the ThermoKing A/C the van’s batteries were still at full capacity and everything is working as it was inteneded.
Cab heating.
12v Bunk Warming Pads. - T-36.
This heating device is excellent for less harsh climates. Set at max (on 100% of the time) it uses about 45 amps for an 8 hr sleep. Now if you go back to your aquired battery knowledge you have at least 112 amphours available. Consider that this heater cycles on/off in most cases 50% of the time, actual usage would be around 24 amps for an 8 hr sleep. Plenty of current available for this bunk warmer with fully charged batteries.
ESPAR, Webasto - diesel fired heaters.
These small super heaters use only about 1 amp/hour. That would mean that, not considering thermostat cycling time, the usage of battery current (amps) for these type of heaters is only 10 amps for the entire 10 hour stop. Again going back to the lesson on available current from four batteries, you will now find it laughable that anybody would suggest that four regular truck batteries can not support these heaters. Whip out the voltage tester and you will get the answer. 12.8v = good 12.7 = OK, but take regular test readings. 12.6v = your charging is incomplete. If at further tests the voltage goes below 12.6v install an ADVERC system. Your batteries will be restored and will support your ESPAR etc heaters. NO IDLE - NO PROBLEM.
Even though I recommend for you to take more readings at 12.6v my recommendation is to install an ADVERC System in every truck you have. It will have such an effect on the performance of your electrical system and maintenance cost. The ADVERC System will pay for itself in increased battery life alone. A new truck equipped with a DELCO 35Si, four maintenance free batteries and an ADVERC System will run the first three years without any maintenance costs, (except for external damage), at all. That is why the ADVERC System is generally regarded as a “fit and forget” solution to battery problems. (See home page).
Cab Air Conditioning.
We are getting into an area, which is far more complicated. I will say from the beginning that it is not really practical to approach this subject without considering Auxiliary Power Units. We thought that any system on the market was costing more than what we were willing to pay. Particularly considering the cost of diesel eight, ten years ago. So what if we would have to idle a few days during the hot season. Then we got the bright idea. Nowhere in the world are window air conditioners lower priced that in the U.S of A. A good one room window air conditioner could be had for less than a hundred dollars. So we started to count energy requirements. A 5200 BTU a/c would draw 550 watts or about 60 amp hours. We were going to use Deep Cycle batteries that would need maintenance. That meant we did not have to be too careful in using more that 50% of their capacity. We found suitable batteries made by US Batteries, which had a capacity of 130 Ah each. Six batteries would give us a total of 780 amp hours. If we drew them down to about 12 volts we would have used 70% of the capacity. So six batteries would give us 780 x 70% or 546 amp hours, which we thought would equal about 9 hrs running. So we made a hole in the back of the condo and fitted the window a/c. got a 1000 amp inverter, a marine switch where we separated the batteries into two banks, one with two start batteries of the non-maintenance kind, and one bank with the 6 deep cycle TMX 31 batteries. The cost of the batteries, inverter, battery box, and A/C came to about 950 dollars, a far cry from the 7000 - to 8000 dollars for an APU System. An ADVERC System was already installed. Without an ADVERC System there is absolutely no chance to recharge such a massive battery system or obtain any sort of acceptable battery life. We never got nine hours of straight running out of the system. The usage of current, increases quite a lot a these heavy battery loads. But we soon learned to utilize various features on the window air conditioner that has made it possible to use this system for many years. We would set the a/c to run at 70 degress for two hours. That would keep the temperature comfortable for going to sleep. Mostly the temperature would go down somewhat during the night, but if it was too hot. The a/c was set for another two hours and that worked fine.
This is George's installation on his truck.
One day George saw our truck in Florida with the a/c sticking out in the back. He had considered for a long time to do something similar, he was simply wasting to much money on idling. His batteries were down to 12.5v even when idling constantly. But rather than go to the solution with a lot of batteries, switches, etc., he was going to go one better than us. He was going to use a Honda Gas Powered 2000 watt generator. He was informed that he needed an ADVERC System to maintain charge in his truck batteries. Worked like a charm. It is his truck that is on the home page and this page of the web site.
Dawn, my wife and partner met George in San Diego, CA., a year later. He rolled out an impressive model of a new Harley-Davidson with a big grin on his face. “These are the things you can get by saving money from not idling!”
(Not George's actual bike, but you get the message!)
After having realized how remarkably quiet the Honda Generator was running, I immediately aquired one and got acceptable air conditioning even for longer layovers in hot days. The Honda Generator is also approved for California clean air standards, and there is practically no noise level to consider. A very workable solution for States like California, Washington and Oregon plus all the Northern States for truckers that do no want to spend the 8000 to 10000 dollars for APU’s.
Auxilliary Power Units.
Back in the middle nineties, shops started installing direct diesel fired truck heaters such as the WEBASTO DBW – 2010. Only to find (after the euphoria phase) that the batteries did not support them .In those days trucks came with three starter batteries as standard. Believing then as now, that the devices themselves took too much energy out of the batteries, the idea took hold that if you got a separate little generator diesel engine with its own alternator that would work while parked the truck would be the solution. If you back to your newfound battery technology knowledge, you can now prove to yourself how absolutely absurd this was and is. Battery capacity 3 x 70 Ah = 210 Ah. 50% available capacity = 105 Ah. Max energy use of WEBASTO DBW – 2010 = 6 amps. Total for 8 hour stop = 48 Ah. See NOW you know. This calculation does not take into account the percentage of thermostat cycling time. If included the total energy usage is much less. In the evolution of things to get to a non-idling solution, air conditioners were included, in these APU’s. Today there are a number available on the market. I haven’t found a better way to get acceptable air conditioning, than by using the APU’s available on the market. There is a wide spread belief that the APU’s will deliver heat, air conditioning and charge your batteries. They all deliver heat and cold, but one thing they cannot do is (yes back to the mantra) to restore the batteries to full charge. And now you have a problem. The available battery power is constantly diminishing and the cycling times get shorter and shortet and finally they run all the time. As the batteries deteriorate so does you circuit voltage and the blowers are getting less and less effective, and the air conditioning efficiency suffers. I see more and more vehicles idling, while their APU’s are not. We meet drivers that have put in bigger alternators and bigger batteries, and quite frankly this is a bit sad. All battery charging is a product of voltage through resistance and has nothing to do with neither alternator size or battery type or size. So here we go around and around the same problem. The only solution is to change batteries maybe as often as every five months or as you are beginning to find out, install an ADVERC System for an instant, long lasting solution.
One of the most popular brands of APU’s is without a question the ThermoKing TriPac system Its engineering is very appealing. However the very features of the TriPacs make the batteries deteriorate at a very high rate. Let’s use your newfound battery technology knowledge. In the heating mode the TriPak starts running at about 12.4v. That is equal to the 70% level or at 196 amps of remaining capacity. At 12.6 v at which you would find most batteries (or less) that are relatively new, there would be 224 amps available minus the shut off level = 196 amos. So at this level of battery power there would be only 28 amps available, for lights, TV, cooler and heating..A further deterioration by only 5% to 12.5v there would only be 14 Ah available and another 5% detrioration to 70% would not leave any amperage at all, but the TriPac would pretty well run continuously. This is not speculation or guess work, it is based on facts. All you have to do is to get your voltmeter out and measure your batteries after a couple of hours rest and you know. However, if the ADVERC System controlled the charging process your batteries would be fully charged when making the night stop. At 100% charge there would be a total of 104 amp hours available. Your TriPak system would not be called upon to support the ESPAR Heater. There is quite a difference in wear and maintenance between having to run several times every night and NOT AT ALL!!!
Ambient Temperature.
Here we have a double whammy for APU’s and original truck charging systems. It is sort of generally understood that it is more difficult to get battery efficiency in cold weather than in warm weather. That alone confirms that charging is a function of voltage through resistance. The resistance increase in a lead acid battery as it gets colder and decreases when it gets warmer. This leads to undercharging in cold and overcharging in hot weather. Both conditions ruins the batteries. The voltage needed in cold weather needs to be higher to overcome the resistance and this voltage is too high in hot weather. As a truck travels for instance from Wisconsin to California through the deserts, there would be only a short stretch where the voltage output would not lead to destruction of the batteries. The problem is compounded with APU’s. The voltage setting range of a TriPak system regulator goes from 13.6v to 14.2, but I have been unable to find what is most common. I recently inspected a truck traveling from California to Wisconsin. The main alternator was damaged and did produce 13.2 volts only. Still the batteries, normal wet types, had an excessive amount of moisture on the surface. This is an indication that the APU systems alternator, which was running continuously at night, had caused the over charging.
The ADVERC Controller measures the ambient temperature continuously every nanosecond and makes sure that the absolute correct charging voltage reaches the battery. The over/undercharging situation can only be solved by installing an ADVERC System and set the charging voltage on the Bosch alternator/regulator as low as possible. With an ADVERC Controller present your batteries are in as new condition when the truck is parked for the rest period and the main concern is to supply current to blowers and other devices that need current during this period. It is also easier for the circuits to reach the 13.6 volts which is the shut off point for the TriPak engine. This would prevent the over charging condition in hot climates, where an APU system would be running at considerably longer intervals.
Voltage Drops.
Here is a battery killer that gets very little recognition. Voltage drops are normally associated with insufficient wiring and nobody really knows what it is or how to recognize it. A recent interview with a trucking company’s shop staff highlights the problem. They could not understand why a truck that run by a team, and virtually moving all the time, would need new batteries every six months. Here our experience with Dauninge Transport and constant monitoring of amperage usage in one of the trucks revealed the following. Since it was in the summer and the truck traveled from the Chicago region to Nevada and California, not only would the driver be running the a/c blowers at full blast but the but the partner being in the sleeper ran the bunk a/c blower at full blast as well, resulting in a compbined energy usage of over 45 amps. There is no charging amperage available for the batteries at all. If they are new the first thing that will happen to them is that they will be drawn down immediately. The deterioration in this type of situation is very rapid and would necessitate battery replacement twice a year. The Dauninge Transport truck though ran with its team for almost two years, starting out with two year old batteries which were still performing fine when their run ended two years later.
A conventional system with fixed voltage output will loose charging voltage every time lights, blower fans etc are connected. This is very easy to establish. Start the truck and increase the engine rpms to about 800-900. Watch the dash voltmeter and put on the lights (one drop), cab blower fans (another drop), sleeper blower fans (another drop). Headlights constantly ON, creates another charging diminishing voltage drop.
For trucks equipped with the ADVERC Systems the voltage meter will show no change in the charging voltage. The ADVERC Controller, designed to protect the charging current to the batteries, will instantly cause the alternator to compensate for any oncoming voltage drops.
SUMMARY
There is an awesome synergy between the ADVERC Battery Management System and the TriPac APU’ (and all other APU’s should their engineering staff realize the above mentioned technical ramifications). The ADVERC solution to battery charging is obvious. Consider the following added benefits obtained, in this case for a new truck that is in service about three years, before being replaced:
- No more battery maintenance
- Indefinite battery life
- Reduced charging times (at least by 50%)
- Maximum efficient use of battery capacity
- No restrictions on inverters or inverter use
- No restrictions on coolers and fridges
- No restrictions on Microwaves
- Improved heater starting and combustion control eg. ESPAR/Webasto
- Dramatic reduction in start motor wear
- Increased alternator life
- Ambient temperature compensation
The ADVERC System offers a complete solution to battery problems, but its absolute superior advantage lies in the fact that it makes all electric devices, appliances, auxiliary charging systems, many times more expensive, work to perfection the way they were designed to work. Whether you install the ADVERC System yourself or not, the cost for the ADVERC over a three year period amounts to only $20 - $30 per month!!!! Start adding up the savings not only in fuel, but battery costs, maintenance cost, increased life various parts and motors, decreased wear on APU’s plus the fact the these advantages are obtained the moment the ADVERC System is installed, every unit installed pays for a couple of more units per month. The ADVERC is totally self financing from the beginning.
The ADVERC Type system came onto the European market in 1983. The present model ADVERC Mk Iva, was perfected twenty years ago. There has not been a single malfunction of this controller from its introduction, which is reflected in the ADVERC UK company’s giving a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY for this product.
The ADVERC Battery Management System is relatively unknown in the US, If you Google the word “Adverc” you will find over 750 references to the ADVERC System. There are within these several forums on the product and I cite a typical statement about ADVERC from one forum at www.ybw.com:
Re: Adverc or what?
Adverc is excellent. Both from a performance AND customer support point of View.
The assistance we received when installing ours, 16 years ago, was far above What we could reasonably have expected, yet nothing was too much trouble. The unit has performed totally faultlessly for the entire time, including seven years of full time cruising.
Very highly recommended product and company
Jerry
From its introduction the ADVERC System became a “MUST HAVE” for the yacht owners. That is why you find an overwhelming amount of information on ADVERC for marine applications. Also private persons tend to utilize the vast sea of information available on the Internet than do companies. However, if you analyze it a little bit you are sure to find the yacht owners and owners of trucks with similarly equipped sleepers are sort of in the same boat. (Pun intended).
You can order your ADVERC System on this web site. It is very easy to fit the system to the common alternators used in the trucking industry, DelcoRemy and Leece-Neville. Order the 3AA03K ADVERC MkIVa Truck Kit 12v negative. For TEN Systems or more contact us for a quote.
Questions?
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Sven A. Norvell
Power Premiums,LLC
Adverc USA