Powering Liftgates
Liftgates used a few times a day on over-the-road hauls often run off the truck’s battery and experience few power problems. But delivery routes with multiple stops may not provide enough battery charge time, causing trucks not to start and liftgates not to work. Advances in batteries and charging systems, as well as the use of solar panels, are helping to change that. “Typically, the charging system on a tractor-trailer is the alternator,” said Bruce Purkey, founder and former chief creative engineer...