The Waytek Blog

Any purchasing department is familiar with the term "solid state." Solid state electronics and circuits are fairly common in automotive electrical, but how well do you understand how this technology works, as well as the benefits and drawbacks? So let's take a look at solid state components, and what they mean for vehicles and engineering.

(Source: Telematicsnews.com)

What Are "Telematics"?

Fleetmatics.com defines Telematics as "any integrated use of telecommunications with information and communications technology. It is the technology of sending, receiving and storing information relating to remote objects – like vehicles – via telecommunication devices". This is often achieved through a combination of a GPS receiver and an electronic GSM device that use software to communicate vehicle data to another location.

While Waytek is Wired To Serve™ a diverse range of circuit protection, to provide the best product for your needs it is imperative to identify what your system truly requires.

Molex® has a history of making industry leading crimp tools, so it's no surprise they have some excellent resources for crimping wire.

Power inverters are an important tool for fleets, especially commercial long-haul trucks who want to attract and retain drivers despite the current labor shortage. However there are many technical aspects to consider when making this substantial purchase.

Modern commercial vehicles have more auxiliary units drawing battery power than ever before. In the past, when vehicles were powered off, all electrical loads were also, but many of today's commercial trucks require electricity full time, especially those with sleeper cabs. 

For this reason, low voltage demands are a greater concern of fleet managers than ever before, as the increased loads can cause stalls and breakdowns at unexpected moments, costing time and money for fleets. 

Enter battery management to the rescue. Learn what components you need to keep from draining batteries and stalling vehicles.

Running a fleet isn't cheap. When asked to list some of the top costs, many people would likely name fuel, oil, or tires. However one major cost that some do not even consider is fleet downtime. With the high cost of purchasing and maintaining fleet vehicles, every hour or day they are out of commission equals profits lost. In a 2015 survey conducted by Decisiv, a fleet management software company, fleets reported that downtime cost them an average of $448 to $760 a day, per vehicle.

Electrical system problems is a common cause of downtime and service calls for fleet vehicles, with blown fuses being one of the most common types. Modern applications require more power than ever before, which can overload circuits. 

As technology advances, the demand for high amperage circuit protection only increases. To support these applications, we're proud to announce we now carry the Series 17 Thermal Circuit Breakers by Mechanical Products (MP) in high amp options of up to 300A.

Anti-idling laws are a rapidly growing trend in fleet regulation. Numerous states and municipalities have passed laws prohibiting most types of unnecessary vehicle idling. The types of vehicles included by law vary by jurisdiction; some states and municipalities only regulate heavy duty vehicles of over 14,000 lbs, some restrict all diesel vehicles, while some laws include ALL motor vehicles.

Ever since Waytek added the newest Forward & Reverse Relay Module from Cole Hersee by Littelfuse, we've noticed strong interest from many customers, along with many questions and comments about this new generation of relay modules. Below, we have outlined the features and benefits to help you better understand this new product class.

It's 2016, and people rely on more personal electronic devices than ever before.

Oh, you wanted me to tell you something you didn't know? Sure thing - I'm happy to report that Waytek has added some of the newest and hottest USB charging components on the market and has seen unprecedented sales in this category.

But what's driving this boom? How are these new generation of chargers different? Let's discuss...