Christian P. Koop

In December 2012, I wrote an article titled “Battery Management for Emergency Vehicles” that was basically about charging systems and how important it is to keep batteries properly charged and maintained in emergency response vehicles (ERVs).

I also briefly talked about an alternative method to aid in charging a battery bank that is very efficient - solar panels. Solar panel technology has improved greatly and has become more affordable over the past few years. Its use in helping to keep battery banks fully charged is invaluable, particularly for ERVs that are relied on to start without fail for emergencies. I will delve more into solar panels in this article. But before I do, I will explain the different types of batteries available; how they differ; and, most importantly, how solar panels not only can help keep them properly charged but also can extend their lives and improve the bottom line of any organization that recognizes how important and beneficial they can be and puts them to use.

Battery Technology

Battery technology has evolved over the years. But before I mention the different automotive and heavy-duty types available today, I must give credit to the inventor of the storage battery. Allesandro Volta invented the first modern dry storage battery in 1796. The first batteries may have actually been used as far back as 250 BC. A French physicist, Gaston Plante, invented the first wet lead acid storage battery in 1860, which paved the way for the development of automotive charging systems because the dry-type storage batteries first used in the early automobiles could not be recharged. Battery technology has changed and improved significantly over the years. The lead acid storage battery has evolved into several types.

Today there are two types of lead acid (LA) batteries: starting (aka cranking) and deep cycle. Under these two LA battery types there are three subcategories: wet cell (flooded), gel cell, and absorbed glass matt (AGM). Of these three, the wet cell is available in serviceable and maintenance-free versions, or they are sealed and filled with electrolyte. Electrolyte is a mix of water and sulfuric acid that provides the path for the chemical reaction that takes place between the lead and lead dioxide plates in the battery to produce electricity.

The starting battery is the one most commonly used with ERVs and has more and thinner plates to provide high amperage very quickly for starting. The deep cycle has thicker plates to provide current over longer periods of time, although it cannot provide as much instant energy as the starting battery. Gel batteries have a nonliquid jelly type of electrolyte because silica has been added to the electrolyte. Because of this, they can be mounted in many positions. Gel batteries are designed for deep-cycle applications and typically need a reduced voltage to recharge. AGM batteries are considered dual-purpose or a cross between cranking and deep cycle. Although they have liquid electrolyte, it is suspended. Both the gel and AGM store well and do not sulfate as easily as the wet cell. Both cost much more than the wet cell and require different charge rates. Because of this, they may require specialty chargers. A cranking battery may only tolerate 10 heavy deep cycles before it kicks the bucket, while a deep cycle may be able to go 300 deep cycles.

Keeping Them Charged

In my past article, I compared batteries to a checking account. If you continuously withdraw money from your account without making timely deposits, you

Christian P. Koop

In December 2012, I wrote an article titled “Battery Management for Emergency Vehicles” that was basically about charging systems and how important it is to keep batteries properly charged and maintained in emergency response vehicles (ERVs).

I also briefly talked about an alternative method to aid in charging a battery bank that is very efficient - solar panels. Solar panel technology has improved greatly and has become more affordable over the past few years. Its use in helping to keep battery banks fully charged is invaluable, particularly for ERVs that are relied on to start without fail for emergencies. I will delve more into solar panels in this article. But before I do, I will explain the different types of batteries available; how they differ; and, most importantly, how solar panels not only can help keep them properly charged but also can extend their lives and improve the bottom line of any organization that recognizes how important and beneficial they can be and puts them to use.

Battery Technology

Battery technology has evolved over the years. But before I mention the different automotive and heavy-duty types available today, I must give credit to the inventor of the storage battery. Allesandro Volta invented the first modern dry storage battery in 1796. The first batteries may have actually been used as far back as 250 BC. A French physicist, Gaston Plante, invented the first wet lead acid storage battery in 1860, which paved the way for the development of automotive charging systems because the dry-type storage batteries first used in the early automobiles could not be recharged. Battery technology has changed and improved significantly over the years. The lead acid storage battery has evolved into several types.

Today there are two types of lead acid (LA) batteries: starting (aka cranking) and deep cycle. Under these two LA battery types there are three subcategories: wet cell (flooded), gel cell, and absorbed glass matt (AGM). Of these three, the wet cell is available in serviceable and maintenance-free versions, or they are sealed and filled with electrolyte. Electrolyte is a mix of water and sulfuric acid that provides the path for the chemical reaction that takes place between the lead and lead dioxide plates in the battery to produce electricity.

The starting battery is the one most commonly used with ERVs and has more and thinner plates to provide high amperage very quickly for starting. The deep cycle has thicker plates to provide current over longer periods of time, although it cannot provide as much instant energy as the starting battery. Gel batteries have a nonliquid jelly type of electrolyte because silica has been added to the electrolyte. Because of this, they can be mounted in many positions. Gel batteries are designed for deep-cycle applications and typically need a reduced voltage to recharge. AGM batteries are considered dual-purpose or a cross between cranking and deep cycle. Although they have liquid electrolyte, it is suspended. Both the gel and AGM store well and do not sulfate as easily as the wet cell. Both cost much more than the wet cell and require different charge rates. Because of this, they may require specialty chargers. A cranking battery may only tolerate 10 heavy deep cycles before it kicks the bucket, while a deep cycle may be able to go 300 deep cycles.

Keeping Them Charged

In my past article, I compared batteries to a checking account. If you continuously withdraw money from your account without making timely deposits, you

Christian P. Koop

In December 2012, I wrote an article titled “Battery Management for Emergency Vehicles” that was basically about charging systems and how important it is to keep batteries properly charged and maintained in emergency response vehicles (ERVs).

I also briefly talked about an alternative method to aid in charging a battery bank that is very efficient - solar panels. Solar panel technology has improved greatly and has become more affordable over the past few years. Its use in helping to keep battery banks fully charged is invaluable, particularly for ERVs that are relied on to start without fail for emergencies. I will delve more into solar panels in this article. But before I do, I will explain the different types of batteries available; how they differ; and, most importantly, how solar panels not only can help keep them properly charged but also can extend their lives and improve the bottom line of any organization that recognizes how important and beneficial they can be and puts them to use.

Battery Technology

Battery technology has evolved over the years. But before I mention the different automotive and heavy-duty types available today, I must give credit to the inventor of the storage battery. Allesandro Volta invented the first modern dry storage battery in 1796. The first batteries may have actually been used as far back as 250 BC. A French physicist, Gaston Plante, invented the first wet lead acid storage battery in 1860, which paved the way for the development of automotive charging systems because the dry-type storage batteries first used in the early automobiles could not be recharged. Battery technology has changed and improved significantly over the years. The lead acid storage battery has evolved into several types.

Today there are two types of lead acid (LA) batteries: starting (aka cranking) and deep cycle. Under these two LA battery types there are three subcategories: wet cell (flooded), gel cell, and absorbed glass matt (AGM). Of these three, the wet cell is available in serviceable and maintenance-free versions, or they are sealed and filled with electrolyte. Electrolyte is a mix of water and sulfuric acid that provides the path for the chemical reaction that takes place between the lead and lead dioxide plates in the battery to produce electricity.

The starting battery is the one most commonly used with ERVs and has more and thinner plates to provide high amperage very quickly for starting. The deep cycle has thicker plates to provide current over longer periods of time, although it cannot provide as much instant energy as the starting battery. Gel batteries have a nonliquid jelly type of electrolyte because silica has been added to the electrolyte. Because of this, they can be mounted in many positions. Gel batteries are designed for deep-cycle applications and typically need a reduced voltage to recharge. AGM batteries are considered dual-purpose or a cross between cranking and deep cycle. Although they have liquid electrolyte, it is suspended. Both the gel and AGM store well and do not sulfate as easily as the wet cell. Both cost much more than the wet cell and require different charge rates. Because of this, they may require specialty chargers. A cranking battery may only tolerate 10 heavy deep cycles before it kicks the bucket, while a deep cycle may be able to go 300 deep cycles.

Keeping Them Charged

In my past article, I compared batteries to a checking account. If you continuously withdraw money from your account without making timely deposits, you

By Alan M. Petrillo

When a fire department or fire district specs a new pumper or rescue-pumper, one of the main concerns often is the location of the handlines used for fire suppression.

1 Precision Fire Apparatus built this rear-mount rescue-pumper with two 1¾-inch and one 2½-inch preconnects in the hosebed. (Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Precision Fire Apparatus.)

Front of the vehicle, both sides, rear, high, low, or a combination of those options - each department has its favorite way of sitting handlines. Those different placements might be a result of department tradition, manufacturers’ designs, or ergonomic concerns where the object is to make the rig more firefighter-friendly.

Configurations

2 The Smithville (MO) Fire Protection District had Precision Fire Apparatus build a rear-mount pumper with preconnects in an extended front bumper.

John Schultz, director of pumper and custom chassis products for Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says that while crosslays are still mainstays on pumping apparatus, the height of those crosslays has become a big concern for departments. “Products like our PUC pumper have changed the industry in bringing overall crosslay height down to a more manageable level,” Schultz says. We are seeing lower crosslay deployment heights on our standard pumpers becoming more common. Departments want to bring them down without extending the wheelbase of the vehicle.”

3 E-ONE built this top-mount pumper for the Morris (NJ) Fire Department with integral speedlays below the pump panel. (Photos 3-7 courtesy of E-ONE.)

Schultz notes that a crosslay typically is found over the top or integrated with a pump house, while a speedlay is usually added on to the front of a pump house, which adds length to the vehicle body and may increase wheelbase. “Crosslays on top of a pump house usually are open and may or may not have a removable tray,” he says. “If we’re integrating the crosslays into the pump house, it has to be more condensed to get the crosslays in there. With speedlays, you most often have trays for deployment, although some departments opt for a fixed speedlay configuration.”

4 Bumper-mounted crosslays are becoming Read more 268 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious3102310331043105310631073108310931103111NextLast Theme picker Section Quick Links   Fire Mechanics Documents EVT Discussion Forum Fire Mechanic Photo Gallery Training & Testing 2019 Scholarship Logo Wear Store Upcoming Events Theme picker Sponsors Fire Mechanics Section Board Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Chair Elliot Courage North Whatcom Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Vice Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Vice Chair Mike Smith  Pierce County Fire District #5 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Secretary Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Secretary Greg Bach South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #1 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #1 Doug Jones South Kitsap Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #2 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #2 Paul Spencer  Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #3 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #3 Jim Morris Mountain View Fire Department Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #4 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #4 Arnie Kuchta Clark County Fire District 6 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #6 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #6 Brett Annear Kitsap County Fire District 18 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #5 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #5 Jay Jacks Camano Island Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Legislative Representative Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Legislative Representative TBD TBD Read more 3373 0 Article rating: No rating Immediate Past Chair Posted: Oct 20, 2015 Immediate Past Chair Brian Fortner Graham Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating RSS Theme picker 2020 CAR SHOW Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement - Copyright 2025 by Washington Fire Chiefs Home Members About Us News Calendar Resources Documents Sections County Fire Chiefs FRWC WSAFM