Tony Zeal, Training Manager at CTEK, is on-hand to discuss the upselling potential of battery support units.
Vehicles today can be related to expensive computers. When a vehicle enters a workshop for service or repair, the diagnostic processes being undertaken as part of these procedures are placing the battery under greater strain than ever before, risking battery failure. Therefore, when selling diagnostic tools and equipment to their customers, factors should also be providing a battery support solution to maximise workshop efficiency.
Paying attention
We undertook a workshop survey in partnership with PMF’s sister publication Professional Motor Mechanic and identified that as many as 50% of vehicles has a battery that needs attention. These batteries either need recharging, reconditioning, or replacing. Herein lies a threat that could cause problems when carrying out diagnostic procedures or flash programming ECUs. If the battery isn’t in a great state when it enters the workshop, any drains or strains during the diagnostic process could result in battery failure, disrupting the diagnostic procedure. Battery support is a vital activity often not fully appreciated for its importance in saving a technician’s time, insuring against costly diagnostic failures and preventing possible costly damage to the ECU.
Maintaining battery charge is critical
Fault code diagnostics require the ignition to be switched on without the engine running. This means that during programming, the vehicle’s systems are operated solely from the power of the battery. Maintaining battery charge is critical to avoid unnecessary down time, lost vehicle data or even damage to sensitive electronics.
Protect against ghost faults
If this diagnostic procedure is undertaken when the battery has low voltage, and isn’t supported, an error code or fault will be reported by the diagnostic tool. This is because in the quest to protect against the battery failing, the vehicle Canbus system – the main communication channel between all vehicle control modules – will start to shut down all the systems it doesn’t need, like the radio, start/stop function, electric windows, air conditioning, etc. Error codes may be reported for non-functioning systems, and if technicians don´t know that low battery voltage is the cause of the fault, they will start looking for, and trying to repair, a fault that is not really there, hence the expression ‘ghost fault’. This will remain a fault until the low voltage issue has been taken care of.
Ensure a constant voltage
Battery support is vital for the supply of ‘clean’ constant voltage for vehicle programming. Indeed, many modern vehicles simply won’t even start communicating with diagnostic equipment unless a specified voltage can be seen across the vehicle system.
Also, consider de-rating. Battery support units deliver high levels of power over a relatively long period of time, and as a consequence, they can generate a lot of heat. As a safety precaution, many units are set to de-rate. This is a process whereby the unit will reduce charge levels and at really high temperatures reduce current output. De-rating is becoming a huge challenge for many workshops, risking disruption to the diagnostic or reprogramming procedure. Make sure that any battery support solution you recommend is designed to handle de-rating.
Always recommend dedicated battery support
As has been said, using dedicated battery support equipment is a necessity when undertaking diagnostic work. This presents factors with an opportunity to introduce complementary battery support products when a diagnostic product is purchased by their customers.
CTEK has a range of professional battery chargers and support units that can deliver from 40 to 120A of battery support. They offer total flexibility for the user, with selectable voltages, and react extremely quickly to sudden increases in power demands to maintain a steady voltage at all times.
With variable yet extremely stable outputs due to inherently low voltage ripple, low current ripple and a range of integrated safety features, CTEK’s Pro products are safe for the battery and the vehicle’s delicate electronic systems. They are the perfect power supply to work alongside diagnostic equipment.
Battery support is vital to ensuring workshop productivity and efficiency. When selling diagnostic equipment to their customers, factors should also be discussing battery support; we would argue it’s not a case of whether workshops can afford to make additional investment on battery support equipment, it’s whether they can afford not to!
