CVW spoke to Rotronics to find out about the correct use of power packs and what to look out for if you are going to invest.
If you are having to store vehicles for long periods of time without them being used, then a power pack will often be the tool that enables the vehicle to get mobile again. However, you need to consider why the batteries have been allowed to go flat in the first instance, and what potential irreversible damage has been caused by allowing the batteries to become deeply discharged.
Power packs can also be used as a source of remote power supply, to support the trailer floor operation when a truck is not attached. However, it is essential to ensure you validate the suitability of the pack for this application, as it may cause damage to the power pack batteries. Where power packs become a fundamental necessity is at the roadside, when dealing with a vehicle non-start. However, it’s important to remember that a boost start is merely a temporary fix of an underlying issue that needs workshop attention.
In many instances power packs are used as a direct result of poor maintenance and lack of regular testing and charging of the vehicle’s batteries. The risks of failure can be greatly reduced by simply introducing regular pro-active inspection and charging of batteries as part of routine maintenance.
Tech Tips
- Power packs should not be used for prolonged periods. They should provide bursts of energy when a vehicle has broken down.
- A power pack should be used in a one-off situation. It is not a battery charger.
- You must follow all the instructions carefully to ensure that you don’t cause any irreversible damage and reduce the performance and life of the power pack.
- Incorrect use can cause danger in overheating and excessive gassing.
- The unit should always be switched off, not live, when connecting to the power pack.
- It is very important to use the correct voltage setting as this being incorrect can damage the ECU’s and vehicle electronics.
- Charge it up immediately after use, and it needs to be kept on full charge.
- Rotronics doesn’t recommend using a cheap power pack because that means that you are using cheap batteries within the unit. There is no such thing as a low cost, reliable, lightweight, high performance power pack.
