The Waytek Blog

Some DC electromechanical switches are hard to come by in today’s environment of materials  shortages and shipping constraints. In contrast, solid-state switches and contactors can be easier to source and offer many advantages over traditional switches—often at the same price point.

As commercial vehicles evolve, so does the need for increased protection of their electrical systems.

Modern vehicles have more auxiliary units drawing battery power than ever before. In the past, when vehicles were powered off, so were all electrical loads. Now, many of today’s commercial trucks require electricity full time.

Battery management is critical because increased loads, when not managed properly, can draw down batteries, leading to stalls and breakdowns.

Switches—whether they're toggles or rockers, push-button or disconnect—are found in every 12-volt electrical system, doing everything from turning on lights to moderating critical systems. To understand the basics of electrical switches, you must first understand the circuitry inside, then be able to discern the differences between different types of switches. Here's a crash course.

Fire trucks, work trucks, towing vehicles, boats, ambulances and off-road equipment do more than start their engines and move from point A to point B. Accessory components such as lights, entertainment systems, communications equipment and more are electrical loads drawing power from the battery when the engine is off. A common solution is adding an auxiliary battery to operate the additional loads, however if an auxiliary battery is simply wired into the vehicle electrical system, you will experience multi-battery drain issues. Starter batteries need to be isolated from auxiliary batteries.