Maxwell Technologies showcases truck engine start module at TMC

Updated Feb 24, 2015

photo (11)As electrical loads on commercial vehicles increase, so too does demand on truck batteries. The issue is further complicated by the fact that lithium ion and deep cycle batteries that excel at providing long-term, in-cab power, but are not as efficient at providing sustained bursts of cranking amps when it’s time to start the vehicle after a long night off-duty. At the same time, starting batteries do a poor job of meeting long-term power requirements demanded by resting drivers.

Maxwell Technologies has developed a highly-specialized Engine Start Module (ESM) to solve this problem. Essentially, a Maxwell is a highly specialized, 12-volt battery that uses power-dense ultracapacitors to provide a sustained burst of starting amps that can easily start any heavy-duty Diesel engine.

The Maxwell ESM connects directly to a truck’s starter via a dedicated third terminal on the unit. The remaining truck batteries are isolated from the cranking process and concentrate on providing long-term power to the vehicle when it is at rest. The Maxwell ESM, in turn, is dedicated solely to starting the vehicle and is not drawn upon when the engine is turned off. The ESM unit replaces a single Group 31 battery in the vehicle’s battery box.

Once the ESM has started the truck, the alternator recharges it in less than 15 minutes. Mark Burnside, senior product manager, engine starting, at Maxwell Technologies, says the company has 4,000 units in the field now and is certified for over 100,000 cycles. The unit comes with a 4-year, non-prorated warranty.