DALLAS, Tex. – Teleflex says an idling truck wastes more than $350 of fuel every month while also needlessly increasing the stress placed on key engine components. As a result the company has introduced the second generation Proheat I.C.E. independent cooling and electricity system.

“A lot of people see generators as just another toy, like chrome stacks,” complains Al Smith, Teleflex’s national sales manager. The new model features several advancements including reduced wiring, sealed connectors and reduced noise.

“We also have taken all of the major components and located them inside the truck away from the road grime,” he adds. “This, coupled with a hermetically sealed compressor, results in a much more robust design.” The company’s research indicates that 40 to 50 per cent of a truck’s life is typically spent idling.

“With the addition of Proheat I.C.E., we’ve seen that amount of time drop to only two or three per cent,” explains Smith. “With the used truck market so low right now, guys are asking for engine print outs before they buy anything.” Less idling time is one of the key qualities buyers are looking for in a unit, he adds. Smith admits that the previous incarnation had an image problem and says, “reliability was a big issue.”

He blames a great deal of the problem on poor installations. To help address this concern, Teleflex has established its Proheat Centers of Excellence; A continent-wide network of installation facilities, the Centers of Excellence all employ experienced Proheat installers.

“If we don’t get a good installation, we’re lost,” says Smith. n