april2021 - 33

When replacing the distribution module, bolts
and seals will be provided with a new module. It
is imperative that the clamp bolts be torqued to
60 inch-pounds. " Over-torquing the clamp bolts
will damage the distribution module and require
its replacement, " Geoffroy warns.
One other issue a technician could run into is a
poor connection at the SAE J560 receptacle, which
transfers electrical power from the tractor to the
trailer. That is typically due to the plug deforming
and not fully locking into place, which promotes
wear and deterioration. " The Defender receptacle
is now 3/8-inches deeper, which helps cut down on
rocking and helps lock it into place more positively, "
Geoffroy points out. Thus, there is no reason to open
the nose box unless system diagnostics require it.
" In the event that disassembly is needed, carefully remove the mounting bolts' nuts, " Geoffroy says.
" Do not attempt to force frozen fasteners loose. This
could strip the carriage mounting threads. If a nut
seizes, use a nut splitter to remove it. "
Whenever opening the nose box, Geoffroy says
it's a wise idea to add dielectric grease to the ring
terminals and the enclosed female terminals for
the J560 receptacle. Also, recognize that the nose
box may be equipped with a gasket made of felt
or rubber. " If the old-style felt gasket is present,
replace it with a new reusable rubber gasket, "
Geoffroy says. " If the J560 receptacle itself is
damaged and requires replacement, it can be
replaced without further disassembly. Just be
sure to use a Peterson replacement receptacle. "
When closing the nose box back up, the connector retaining nuts and nuts around the perimeter
must be torqued to 80 inch-pounds. " Applying
excess torque may result in irreparable damage
to the nose box components, " Geoffroy says.
Much like the Defender modular wiring harness,
Geoffroy says the LumenX lights themselves
require no scheduled preventive maintenance. On
that note, connections should never be disconnected unless repair or replacement is needed.
" When working with LumenX lights, do not
grease the silicone sealed connectors, " Geoffroy
says. " Greasing the terminals will prevent the silicone seal from seating properly, which will lead
to undo corrosion. On the other hand, you should
apply dielectric grease to the .180 bullet connectors anytime they are disconnected and replaced. "

»The distribution module is a key component
of the Peterson Defender Harness and
Lighting System. No scheduled maintenance
is required, but proper steps must be taken
to clean all connections when inspecting
for potential corrosion or damage.
Photo courtesy of Peterson Mfg.

" When you
think about the
many systems
on a commercial
vehicle, a lot of
maintenance
issues tie back to
connections. "
Paul Sniegocki, chief technology
officer at Clarience Technologies

Sensors and telematics

Interior trailer maintenance, which includes lighting systems, can be aided by the use of a trailer
telematics system. Various sensors strategically
positioned throughout a trailer can help fleets gain
real-time access to information that helps them
adopt a more proactive approach.
One example is the Road Ready advanced trailer
telematics system from Clarience Technologies.
Road Ready is an agnostic solution that communicates with other sensors that are already onboard
a trailer, such as ABS and TPMS, regardless of
brand. Additionally, Road Ready offers its own
suite of sensory devices to monitor things like
interior cargo volumetrics, trailer temperature,
door open/close events, and lighting outages.
" Lighting is one of the top CSA issues for tractor-trailers, " says Paul Sniegocki, chief technology

»The MCU, pictured in the upper-right
corner of the trailer, is the " brain " behind
the Road Ready system. It can be hardwired
into the trailer's electrical system. Or, as
pictured here, the MCU can operate on solar
power (black solar panel to left of MCU).
Photo courtesy of Clarience Technologies

officer at Clarience Technologies. " Our trailer
telematics system can detect electrical issues
throughout the trailer's circuit. Fleets can even

check the overall health of a lighting system
remotely if they desire. If the sensor reports back
that everything is okay, the fleet knows the electrical system is healthy. If everything isn't okay,
the fleet knows it has a maintenance issue to
address - and now they can address it in a more
proactive way. "
Road Ready sensors can be hardwired into
a trailer's electrical system. Fleets can also opt
for a replaceable battery option. In either case,
Sniegocki says installation is easy. The sensors
are installed using a proven, industrial-strength
VHB tape - the same kind of tape used to secure
automotive bumpers.
The communication between the sensors and the
Road Ready MCU (master control unit) is executed using wireless technology, which can provide
advantages from a maintenance standpoint.
" When you think about the many systems on a
commercial vehicle, a lot of maintenance issues tie
back to connections, " Sniegocki points out. " With
wireless sensors, you don't have to worry about
those potentially troublesome connections. "
Road Ready wireless sensors operate on replaceable batteries. Depending on how often a given
sensor is asked to gather and report information, a given battery often lasts up to three years.
Regardless, a fleet gets a notification when a
battery is beginning to fail.
Aside from the sensors, the other key components of the Road Ready system are the MCU
(aka the " brains " of the Road Ready system) and
a SmartBridge Integrator (SBI). The SBI allows the
Road Ready system to take information from partner sensory devices regardless of communication
protocol, i.e. CAN bus, and transmit it to the MCU.
According to Sniegocki, both the Road Ready
MCU and SBI are maintenance-free and built to
withstand rigorous conditions. Installation is also
straightforward.
" Using that same high-strength tape used to
install the sensors, an MCU only takes about 15
minutes to mount on top of or at the front of a
trailer, " Sniegocki says. " The SBI is easily installed
in the rear of the trailer. It is completely sealed
and uses automotive-grade sealed connections. "
PetersonPULSE is another trailer telematics solution that has come about over the past few years.
This hardwired system is engineered to CAN bus
specifications using cabling that is lighter, more flexible, and more installation-friendly than traditional harness cabling. Additionally, a backup battery
provides power when the trailer is untethered.
In tandem with technologies from its partners,
PULSE detects real-time status of numerous vital
trailer systems such as ABS and TPMS. With respect
to trailer interiors, PULSE monitors cargo temperature, cargo door status, and interior lighting.
" PetersonPULSE can be retrofitted onto existing trailers or installed at the factory by an OEM, "
says Cory Adams, vice president of engineering
at Peterson Mfg. Aside from normal electrical
system maintenance, PULSE is relatively maintenance-free. When a technician does want to
interface with the system, they can do so via a
Bluetooth-capable handheld device. " An app
allows interfacing and interaction with the trailer to diagnose issues or update software, for
instance, " Adams points out.

April 2021 | FleetMaintenance.com

http://www.FleetMaintenance.com

april2021

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