Month: April 2018

You see the signs and slogans everywhere urging you to buy local. Heck, there’s even Small Business Saturday, a Christmas shopping day dedicated to small and local businesses. Despite the push for buying local, people tend to overlook the benefits that come with buying local in the distribution and battery industry. Sourcing locally won’t just save you time, it can save you money as well.

Shorten your supply chain

All too often we source goods from the cheapest supplier without consideration for how far away they are. Sure you expect to pay some sort of shipping cost, but what about the cost of time?

By sourcing locally you shorten the distance between you and the supplier, which allows you to get the stock you need and move it out to your customer more quickly.

More control when placing a bid

There is nothing that will kill a job bid faster than not being able to rely on the arrival of materials and supplies.

With a locally sourced supply chain, you increase your ability to deliver the goods on time and get the job done on schedule. Not to mention reduced freight costs. You can’t argue with on-time deliveries and reduced costs to help you win business.

Locally sourced means reduced cost

Every day across the country millions of dollars worth of freight move up and down the highway. The expense of shipping is one of the largest expenses that distribution companies face. Why not eliminate that expense by buying locally?

Not only are you saving on the shipping costs, but you are also eliminating the risk of shipping damage, lost freight, and lengthy claims.

Save dollars, the environment, and your community

Sourcing locally means reducing your carbon footprint and helping the environment. By reducing the distance that your materials have to travel, you are reducing the emissions that would otherwise be emitted.

Locally sourcing items such as batteries allows you to have 100% recyclability as well. Most battery distributors will take your old batteries and recycle them. However, shipping used batteries to a recycling plant can be costly and filled with hazardous materials paperwork.

By sourcing locally, you can simply return the used batteries to your supplier for recycling and rest easy knowing you helped save the planet while saving money at the same time.

Build a larger customer base through green practices

It’s no secret that businesses large and small are all going green. There are green initiatives cropping up all over the place, and many companies are looking for like-minded organizations.

Using your locally sourced supply chain as an addition to your green business plan will go a long way in attracting new customers who want to focus on decreasing their environmental impact without straining their bottom line.

Connect with your community and potential employees

Sourcing locally increases your contact with the community and other business leaders in your town. Not only does this increase your exposure to potential business but it also allows the community to see you as a contributing member and not just another business.

There are lots of benefits to becoming more involved in your local businesses and the community as a whole, one of which is increasing the local job market and how job seekers see your company.

By positioning yourself as a key business in the community you will become a company that people seek to work at, instead of having to go in search of help wherever you can find it.

All of a sudden you are getting to pick the people who fit into your organization and you may just find your business growing as a result of a happy workforce.

Golf carts have made completing 18 holes of golf more fun and far less physically demanding, but they can also be dangerous despite their low speeds when inexperienced drivers are behind the wheel. This has become a pressing regulatory issue in recent years as golf carts are now used to get around gated communities, drop children off at school and run errands, and there are now more sophisticated carts known as low speed vehicles that are even approved by NHTSA for use on city streets.

Golf Carts Can Be Dangerous for Children

Golf carts accidents can be deadly because drivers and passengers are often ejected in a collision. This can result in life-changing traumatic brain injuries. Parents should be especially concerned because studies have found that four in 10 golf cart injuries are suffered by children. Parents often let their children drive golf carts because they are slow and seem safe enough, but this can be a deadly mistake. Before allowing their children to get behind the wheel of a golf cart, parents may wish to consider the following.

Golf carts were not designed for street use

Golf carts are exceptionally good at ferrying people around parks and golf courses where obstacles are few and traffic is not a consideration, but they cope less well on tarmac. Before letting their children drive a golf cart even in a gated community, parents should bear in mind that their suspensions, braking systems and steering features were not designed with emergency maneuvers in mind.

Golf carts have few safety features

Golf carts are not equipped with airbags, anti-lock braking systems or side-impact protection, which is why injuries can be severe when they crash. Children are especially prone to being ejected in golf cart collisions because they weigh less than adults, and boys between the ages of 10 and 19 are the demographic most commonly injured.

Good fun lives next door to recklessness

Despite their safety drawbacks, golf carts can be great fun to drive. However, their low speeds can generate a false sense of security in those who drive them. This should be of particular concern to parents because children may assume thqat driving a golf cart is just as safe as riding a bicycle.

Mitigating the Risks

There are a number of steps that parents can take to help their children enjoy golf carts safely. Parents should teach children that even low-speed collisions can be deadly and vigilance is the best safeguard against injury, and children who drive golf carts should be supervised at all times until they have mastered the controls and demonstrated that they can act responsibly. Many of the most serious injuries suffered in golf cart accidents involve head trauma, which is why parents are encouraged to set an example for their children by wearing a helmet of some sort when driving one of the electric vehicles. Other things that parents can do to reduce golf cart accident risks include adding safety features to their carts, purchasing a LSV instead of a golf cart and helping their children to better understand the dangers by buying them a kid’s golf cart.

Consider a LSV

While low speed vehicles may not be quite as safe as a sedan, pickup truck or SUV in an accident, they do have lights, safety belts and other safety features missing on most golf carts. However, parents should be aware that an electric vehicle that reaches speeds of 25 mph is still considered low speed by NHTSA.

Add safety features

Parents who already own an electric golf cart can improve safety by upgrading braking systems and adding lights and reflectors. There are also golf cart modification kits designed to improve performance that parents should avoid.

Kid’s golf carts could help younger children to better understand the risks

Parents who wish to teach younger children about electric vehicle safety can purchase golf carts specially designed for kids. These kid’s golf carts usually cost between $250 and $500 and are limited to speeds of 5 mph or less.

When you shop for a car, hundreds of features may be considered throughout your research. The vehicle’s miles-per-gallon average is definitely a concern among most consumers.

In response to this consumer need, car manufacturers have been trying to conserve gasoline in their designs for years. The latest trend is incorporating stop-start technology into the engine. You may not be familiar with this feature, but it’s slowly appearing in new cars on nearly every lot today.

Understand this technology so that you know what to expect down the road.

What is stop-start technology?

Stop-start technology is simply a different design when it comes to engine operations. Cars traditionally stop at lights and signs where the engine idles. Press the accelerator, and the engine roars back to life. It doesn’t shut off.

When you have a stop-start feature, the engine shuts off entirely when you come to a complete stop. As you lift your foot from the brake, the engine activates for instant speed. This simple change saves gasoline in the long run. Combine stop-start features with other advancements, such as lightweight metals and enhanced tires, and you have a vehicle that might hit 50 miles per gallon or more.

Incorporating stop-start into American vehicles

Back in 2011, car manufacturers began to incorporate stop-start technology into standard, gas-powered vehicles. The concept behind the change was largely due to increasingly tight, EPA-emission standards. These rules, however, don’t always go along with what consumers want in their next vehicles, such as:

• Several dozen miles per gallon
• Large SUVs
• Aggressive styling

The stop-start technology works well with these consumer desires because good mileage can be matched with a big vehicle. Other options, such as lightweight parts, continue to help the MPG in each car.

The outlook for 2018

Beginning in 2017, stop-start technology showed up in many different vehicles. These manufacturers made it a point to update their features, such as:

• Ford
• Buick
• Lincoln
• Volvo

To remain competitive in the marketplace, stop-start features will probably continue to expand to other manufacturers. European vehicles have long had some form of this technology in their vehicles because of high, gasoline prices. With prices increasing across the globe, every car manufacturer is looking for another pathway toward enhanced MPGs.

Mixed feeling among consumers

In all honesty, American consumers haven’t necessarily embraced stop-start technology. From car batteries to body styling, maintaining the car “as is” has been a cultural norm since the 1950s. Car manufacturers are responding to this mixed bag of emotions by offering an “off” button for the stop-start feature. Consumers are using it.

When it comes to saving on gas, however, some consumers are acclimating to the new feature. They understand the ultimate reasoning for the technology, which only improves their finances one mile at a time.

Understanding the engine-wear dilemma

One fact that both consumers and manufacturers must face is the wear on the engine because of stop-start features. Starters and car batteries, in particular, take on strain that’s not within their design. They don’t normally shut off and activate as often as stop-start features require.

Manufacturers respond to this dilemma with batteries that work with the latest technology. Enhanced starters are also part of the designs. With every component checked and rechecked, engine wear with stop-start features shouldn’t be a concern in the future.

Completing the system with advanced batteries

From the Ford F-150 to Mercedes models, stop-start technology is showing up as often as cruise control today. Engine wear, especially on the battery, cannot be a factor. As a result, manufacturers are adding these batteries to the vehicles, including:

• AGM
• EFB

Absorbent Glass Mat batteries use compression between energized plates, which reduces sulfation that leads to no power upon startup. Enhanced Flooded Batteries are an advanced design based on the lead-acid battery. Carbon additives connected to the internal plates reduce charge loss on these latest battery innovations.

Are you confused about the batteries necessary for your next sale or personal need? Northeast Battery is here to explain the latest technology and how it might apply in your situation. From EFB to AGM batteries, advanced products and applications are our specialty. Get your customers on the road with a battery technology that they can trust.

Everyone has dealt with a dead battery before. It never comes at a convenient time.

Driving to work or moving around in an alternative vehicle are now put on hold. Avoiding these situations is always the goal. You’ve probably heard of trickle chargers in the past. Do they really make a difference? Are they considered rapid chargers? Explore the details surrounding trickle chargers and how they can improve your car battery’s longevity.

The science behind car-battery charging

Before you can understand the best way to charge a battery, learning about the internal processes is important. Car batteries come with a mixture of metal plates and electrolyte solutions. A chemical reaction occurs during the battery’s use, including:

• Lead and lead dioxide plates come into contact with the electrolyte
• Electrons travel between these plates during battery use to create electricity
• The plates ultimately end up with lead sulfate on their surfaces, which indicates a dead battery

When you charge the battery after depleting this chemical process, the incoming power changes the lead sulfate into lead dioxide again. As a result, you have a battery that can be charged repeatedly.

What is a trickle charger?

If you’re considering an alternative power source for your car battery, a trickle charger is a smart investment. Most people understand that their car’s battery is constantly charged by the alternator, which is a main component in your vehicle’s electrical system. However, you don’t necessarily run the car every day.

That’s when trickle chargers come in handy. Attach the charger to your car battery when it’s parked, and you have a steady stream of power. Dealing with a dead battery isn’t part of your day anymore.

Learning about their functionality

These low-amperage chargers are perfectly designed for car batteries. Trickle chargers are aptly named because they only allow a tiny amount of current to enter your battery. In fact, you’ll normally see an amperage value of one or two amps on a given device. There’s not much power in these chargers, but charging slowly is the goal.

Giving the battery steady power means that it’s not being overcharged or overheated. Both of these scenarios make rapid charging a poor choice for any car battery. You want slow-and-low power for a long-lasting battery.

Should you use one?

You might park your car for 24 hours or more, and the battery seems fine when you turn over the engine. Should you purchase a trickle charger? It comes in handy when you have a busy lifestyle, such as juggling work and family. In fact, ensuring that your family always has a good battery is one of the main reasons to use trickle technology.

There are no worries about the charger being forgotten with today’s models. Hook up the charger, and there’s an automatic shut-off feature. Teach the kids about battery science so that they have a greater appreciation for the chemical processes within.

Perfect applications

You may be sold on the science behind these batteries, but you’re wondering about the proper applications. Consider these situations that might call for trickle charging, such as:

• Long-term vehicle storage
• Freezing temperatures
• Reviving a dead battery
• “Topping off” a good battery’s charge

Any other charger with a faster, charging rate might damage the battery otherwise. Although chemical processes can be sped up to a certain degree, their molecular changes still take some time. Trickle charges simply offer those premium conditions where batteries stand the test of time.

Safety tips

Because trickle chargers remain attached to the battery for long time periods, follow a few safety tips before using them. These steps include:

• Choose a well-ventilated area that’s protected from rain
• Be sure to shut off the engine
• Deactivate the charger before it’s attached to the battery
• Connect the charger’s ground wire to the vehicle’s frame

With these steps completed, connect the live wire on the charger to your battery. Activate the charger, and allow it to do its work.

If you’re still curious about trickle energy and battery life, contact Northeast Battery with your questions. Our team is proud to serve your power needs during any season. With the proper system charging your car batteries, fewer surprises are in your future. Reliable power is always a welcome sight.