Trailer Talk blog by Tom Berg, Senior Editor
Plugging motorized pallet jacks into warehouse power supplies is so old. There’s a new solution to the battery charging chore. Leave it in the trailer and charge it right there.
Companies delivering pre-wrapped palletized loads with motorized pallet jacks and liftgates save time and reduce physical strain on drivers. But the jack’s batteries run down during a day’s use, which fleets usually handle by taking the machine out of the trailer and plug in its on-board charger in a warehouse.
This consumes time and warehoused space, and subjects batteries to deep discharging and deterioration, says Purkey’s Fleet Electric, founded by Bruce Purkey, an active member of the Technology Maintenance Council of ATA and a recognized electrical guru in the organization.
Purkey’s answer is the TAPS (Trailer Auxiliary Power System) Kit. TAPS converts DC power from the tractor to AC power in the trailer. The system allows the pallet jack to be plugged into an AC power receptacle within the trailer and be charged from its onboard charger.
TAPS only operates while the tractor is running, so it does not draw down the tractor’s batteries, and it keeps the pallet jack’s batteries at or near a 100% state of charge. The electrical systems in the tractor and trailer are kept in balance so that both operate as designed.
TAPS is used by major beverage companies and other large delivery fleets throughout the USA, Purkey says. The system is designed to be easily installed and require little maintenance.
You can learn more about the TAPS Kit at Purkey’s Fleet Electric, or by calling 1-800-219-1269.
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8/3/2012 – Plug in pallet jack’s batteries right in the trailer with TAPS
Plugging motorized pallet jacks into warehouse power supplies is so old. There’s a new solution to the battery charging chore. Leave it in the trailer and charge it right there….
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