The World Leader In Battery
Maintenance Technology
Municipalities Improving Battery Performance
Photos: (Left) The Houston Fire Department is using Solargizer and PowerPulse battery maintenance systems on their equipment in order to improve battery reliability and increase battery life. (Top right) 12-Volt PowerPulse units installed on a Houston Fire Department fire truck. (Bottom Right) Two Industrial 12-Volt Solargizer solar panels mounted on a Houston diesel refueling truck.
Houston, Texas - The Houston, Texas Fire Department services the fourth largest metropolitan city in the United States with approximately 50 stations. It uses over 260 pieces of fire-fighting equipment which include over 852 total batteries. With that many vehicles and all the special electronic equipment they use, you can imagine the potential battery nightmares they could face on a regular basis.

That's why Houston -- as well as several other major municipalities -- are using Solargizer and other PulseTech battery maintenance systems to prevent battery-related problems.

The Houston fleet includes a wide variety of pumper and ladder trucks, as well as paramedic units. Many of them have battery systems connected in parallel because they are heavily dependent on battery cranking amps to start the diesel engines.

During a routine call, the fire trucks will make an average trip of less than three miles, then they will sit idling at the scene. At the same time, electrical components such as emergency lights, radios, computers, and system monitors are kept on and these draw a lot of power. This leaves the batteries in a constant state of undercharge, which means the equipment is using more energy than the batteries are capable of supplying. As a result, the batteries only last about a year.

Even if only one battery is bad it is standard operating procedure to replace all the batteries. This is costly, and it also requires engines to be put out of service for extended periods. If an engine is at the maintenance depot having the batteries changed, it needs to be replaced by a reserve fire unit. This creates a constant, daily logistical challenge for Houston.

When George Martin, division manager of the Fleet Maintenance Division in Houston, learned about the pulse technology battery maintenance systems offered by PulseTech, he saw a possible solution to the constant battery-related expenses and downtime facing the city. He had a 12-volt PowerPulse unit installed on each of the six parallel batteries on a pumper truck, and one each on the two parallel batteries on a paramedic unit at Station 35. George also installed an Industrial 12-volt Solargizer on a diesel refueling truck. He then had the batteries monitored during a four-month period to see how well the PulseTech systems improved the batteries.

At the same time a control group of the same type equipment was established at Station 46 without PowerPulse units to compare results. Both stations are "hot" which means they make several runs a day. The equipment will sometimes operate as much as 12 to14 hours within a 24-hour shift.

At the end of the four months, both voltage and cold cranking amps (CCA) were up on the pumper truck and paramedic units at Station 35, and down on those at Station 46. In fact, the paramedic unit without PowerPulse units had to have the batteries replaced even before the test was concluded. Higher voltage and CCAs means the batteries are stronger and more reliable. They are also more capable of supplying the energy needed for the electronic accessories.

Before installing the Solargizers, the diesel refueling truck had to be jump started on a monthly basis. The batteries also had to be replaced every six months at a cost of about $200. After four months with the Solargizers, the refueling truck never had to be jump started, and the batteries are in excess of their CCA rating.

According to George, the Houston Fire Department is very happy with the results. "On the units using the PulseTech systems the voltage and cranking amps have been maintained like new the past few months without having to charge the batteries," he says. "These systems have helped enhance fire department reliability and quality."
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