When selecting circuit protection devices for trucks, off-road equipment and other mobile equipment, it’s important to have a complete understanding of the system to be protected. Don’t rush or minimize the process when planning your circuit protection.
Topics: How To, Resources & Tools, Circuit Protection, Buying Guides
Unless you've been repairing or wiring 12-volt equipment for a long time, the world of automotive wiring can be daunting. You’ll need to understand some jargon and technical terms to get started. To ensure you're getting the right wire for the job, here's an essential overview of what you need to know.
Topics: Resources & Tools, Buying Guides, Basics, Vehicles, Wire & Cable
When it comes to battery management, battery isolators and automatic charging relays (also called ACRs or voltage sensitive relays) are both used to safeguard reserve battery power to prevent breakdowns and protect other vital vehicle or boat functions.
So, how are these two components different? Is one better than the other? When should you choose one over the other? Here are some things to keep in mind.
Topics: Resources & Tools, Buying Guides, Battery Management, Battery Isolators, ACRs
Relays, solenoids, and contactors are all switches—whether electro-mechanical or solid state—but there are critical differences that make each suitable for different applications. In this article, we will explain how each of these devices work and discuss some key selection considerations.
Topics: Resources & Tools, Buying Guides, Relays
If your equipment rolls, floats, lifts, or hauls, it's probably got a battery management system. The need to protect these core functions makes it crucial to understand what these invaluable components do, how they work, and their place in equipment electrical systems. Here's the least you need to know.
Topics: Resources & Tools, Buying Guides, Battery Management
It's one thing to have the wires you need to get your automotive electrical project up and running, but those wires need somewhere to terminate, or you might as well leave them on the spool. Here are some dos and don'ts for ensuring every wire has the connection it needs.
Topics: Resources & Tools, Buying Guides, Terminals & Connectors, Wire & Cable
Mobile equipment like construction equipment, agricultural equipment, emergency vehicles, boats, and trucks must be designed with safety as a top priority. Not only do these vehicles represent a major capital investment, they're used by humans whose lives could be at stake if safety standards are not met. Any electronic component within a vehicle must be designed for both performance and safety. Many are susceptible to electrical hazards like electrostatic discharge and switching loads in circuits, so protective devices are necessary.
In today's vehicles, onboard electronics connect to the battery and the alternator. The alternator is often the culprit for transient phenomena like "load dump." This happens when a discharged battery is disconnected while the alternator is generating current and the alternator current continues to service other loads. Electrical spikes can lead to malfunctions and permanent damage to electronic components and could ultimately threaten vehicle reliability and safety.
Topics: How To, Circuit Protection, Buying Guides
Time delay relays are designed to control an event based on time. Work trucks, buses, emergency vehicles and other mobile equipment require delayed circuit operation for several applications. The solid state design of time delay relays withstands the electrical environments typically found in on and off-road vehicles and equipment. The key is selecting the right time delay relay for your application.
Topics: How To, Buying Guides, Relays
Both halogen and xenon headlights are popular light options in the automotive, truck and heavy equipment world. They both have very long lives, longer than incandescent miniature bulbs, so what are their differences and how do you decide which type to use?
Topics: How To, Buying Guides, Lighting
Topics: How To, Resources & Tools, Circuit Protection, Buying Guides
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