FLEET EQUIPMENT MAGAZINE DISCUSSES PURKEYS’ SELECT AND DIRECT
Fleet Equipment Magazine recognized Purkeys Fleet Electric in a January 2015 article, available online, concerning Purkeys’ decision to consolidate all their TC products into two liftgate charging systems SELECT and DIRECT. According to Chief Creative Engineer Bruce Purkey, the reason for consolidation was simple, “We listened to what the customers said and carefully researched ways to better indicate to drivers and technicians if the whole charging system is working properly.”
Purkeys Chief Engineer Dale Henningson developed the SELECT and DIRECT systems and consolidated 24 systems down to two. According to Bruce Purkey, “Not only do they work well and provide more charge time for these applications, it also indicates that the system isn’t charging properly before the trailer hits the road.”
As mentioned in the article, Purkeys’ consolidation of technology was also aimed at making it “easier for fleets to find the right solution to their liftgate battery needs.” The top reasons liftgate batteries do not get charged include:
- Too much distance from the power source, resulting in a voltage drop due to the use of longer cables that do not apply enough voltage to properly charge the liftgate batteries
- Poor diagnostics procedures to detect defective charging systems
- Wrong types of batteries used for liftgates
Purkeys SELECT and DIRECT address these issues in the following ways:
- By utilizing a DC/DC converter, which boosts the voltage available at the liftgate battery, to overcome the voltage drop caused by long cables
- By including easy-to-read indicator lights, enabling drivers and technicians to confirm the charging system is working properly before leaving the lot
- By offering a variety of configurations to hook up to the liftgate batteries, giving fleets the ability to customize their system
According to Fleet Equipment Magazine, “Fleets can now charge liftgate batteries faster in low mileage, high frequency liftgate operation applications.” This saves fleets both time and money.