CPI Helps Charging Stations Fulfill the Promise of Electric VehiclesIt seems like every day that goes by, electric car charging stations are popping up in more and more places. So called EV stations (Electro-Voltaic), are on a mission to make electric car usage more convenient and widespread by putting stations everywhere that people go.
The transformation to electric vehicles is slow, but make no mistake: it is happening. BNEF predicts 4 million EVs will be delivered annually by 2030, representing a quarter of all vehicles sold in the U.S. Technical and Economic Challenges Abound in the Conversion to Electronic Charging.All those cars will need power to run. While it is easy to plug in your car when it’s home in your garage, what if you run low on power while you’re on the road? Will there be a charging station close enough to you? Will it be “fast charge” or will you have to wait hours for your car to charge up? Typical fast charge today will still require up to an hour to bring your car to 80% capacity. That’s a big adjustment for folks used to spending 5 minutes to fill up at a gas station. And there’s the issue of the availability of charging stations. Even if there is one installed at your local supermarket, it’s going to be subject to all manner of public abuse and neglect, not to mention being outdoors and subject to hot sun, rain, wind, dirt, and more. To do this national rollout right, we want lots of EV stations everywhere we go, and they need to be working right when we get there. One EV charging station challenge solved by CPI Waterproof Limit SwitchesCharging station manufacturers face a variety of challenges insuring the operation of their stations in the field. Recently, one manufacturer of EV stations with placements across the continental US faced a daunting problem, people! Human nature being what it is, It turns out then when people are done charging the car, they generally want to get going quickly and putting the charging cable back correctly in its holster isn’t their first priority! To allow for more perfect and reliable charging cable holster detection, the CPI D1022 plunger switch was selected for the job. “The D1022 is really perfect for this application,” notes John Crozier of CPI’s switch engineering team, “It is a stainless steel, completely weathertight plunger with a double exclusion seal mechanism that keeps crud out of the mechanism, no matter how badly it’s abused.” A key part of the design of this switch is its ability to over-travel. This allows for the switch to suffer a certain amount of abuse from users of the station without impacting the functionality of the switch. Inside the plunger mechanism sits one of CPI’s sealed momentary switches, completely waterproof (rated IP68) and available off-the shelf with dozens of specifiable electrical and mechanical parameters to suit every need. One other key characteristic of the D1022 is its overall electro-mechanical endurance rating. When running at 5V, < 1A the switch is rated for over 100,000 cycles. That means that the EV station in the middle of nowhere in Kansas that you pull up to desperately in the middle of the night, will be working properly when you get there. Or at least CPI’s switch will be. Field failures of EV equipment are problematic in many respects. They create a bad brand perception, they erode consumer confidence in the viability of electric vehicles, they are expensive and logistically difficult to service, and can result in genuine human misery. With the reliability of the D1022, and all CPI limit switches, manufactures can put some of these issues in the rear-view mirror. For more Information on the D1022, and our complete line of small form factor waterproof switches, call the team at CPI today. Originally posted: https://www.cpi-nj.com/ev-charging-stations-look-to-cpi-switches/ On a beautiful sunny day not too long ago, Raptor Lifts founder Jeff Troester figured it was a great day to load the family into the car and take the boat out on the lake. After spending the requisite 2 hours getting kids, towels, sunscreen, life jackets, snacks etc… together the family headed out.
They all got to the dock and loaded up the boat into the lift and lowered it, only to discover they were about 2 inches from floating. A small distance for sure, but when you think about it, it might as well be 2 miles. While his family looked on, Jeff tried every clever thing he could think of to get the boat off but nothing worked. Plus, how would he get it back on? For want of an inch, the great family day was lost, the family piled back into the car, and ate their snacks on the way back home. To avoid this problem over the years, Jeff paid for extra dock sections and engineered floating devices under the boat, but nothing worked consistently and all were expensive and royal pains in the *!?*$!. But as Benjamin Franklin famously said, “necessity is the mother of invention,” and it never sat right with Jeff that no boat lifts available could put a boat directly in the water without the 15 or so inches they typically require as bottom clearance. For lakeside boats in low water launch conditions, that is simply a non-starter. Fast forward a few years later and Jeff is now the founder of “Raptor Lifts,” (https://raptorliftsmarine.com) a premiere maker of shallow water lifts for recreational boats, and the latest customer to discover CPI’s line of Waterproof Limit Switches. CPI Limit Switches were made for Marine applications.CPI limit switches are no strangers to the mobile lift and crane markets where manufacturers have relied for years on their unique mechanical characteristics to solve tough environmental and operational requirements. Take that durability and put it underwater, and you have a perfect description of the kind of applications CPI switches were made for. As sensors for lift positioning and end of travel sensing, CPI limit switches are all but perfect. CPI limit switches allow customers to choose a fully sealed, truly waterproof limit switch, with a wide variety of electromechanical properties such as, button travel, maintained or momentary closure, electromechanical endurance, temperature range, and voltage and wiring configuration. This switch is then paired with one of our many stainless-steel mounting brackets which facilitate mechanical switch actuation inside of your equipment. In the case of Raptor Lifts, the team chose the B3112 industrial grade waterproof limit switch. This switch offers momentary operation from a normally closed position but normally open variations are available as well. The switch is mounted inside our E1100 Mounting bracket which provides a straight lever actuator. When the lift moves into position, the lever is depressed, activating the switch which stops the motor. Almost any CPI Waterproof Switch Can be placed in our many actuator brackets.This switch and actuator combination is run at >5A and in that environment, CPI has tested the switch to have electromechanical endurance over 1 million cycles. This means no expensive in-warranty field failures, and reliable operation throughout the life of the lift. Give your Marine Equipment a Lift! With CPI Limit Switches. To learn more about our waterproof limit switches, please visit our website at: https://www.cpi-nj.com/ Originally posted: www.cpi-nj.com/blog/raptor-lifts-with-cpi-switches/ One of the most common applications for CPI switches is when they are configured as in 12v systems as safety switches, interlock switches or manually activated as when they are mounted on steering wheels of work trucks, fork lifts, even motorcycles and mountain bikes.
12v switches are commonly called for in many industrial vehicle designs for everything from horns and alarms, to outrigger proximity detectors in fire engines and backhoe-loaders. The 12V bus is standard for most power supplies and all CPI switches are rated from 5v to 28v so 12v dc operation is perfectly in our sweet spot. Furthermore these switches are fully industrial IP68 rated. CPI Waterproof Switches are among the most durable 12v switches you will find in the world. They are truly waterproof unlike many marine switches which are simply splashproof. Our switches are fully sealed and fully submersible, sealed in either Santoprene or Neoprene, including where the leads attach. These options also allow for extended temperature ranges including cold operation down to -40F without contact sticking. Vehicle Applications for CPI 12V Waterproof SwitchesDesigners select our 12V switches because their applications are usually outdoor or because they anticipate a harsh duty operational environment. Our 12V switches are rated for over 50,000 cycles (depending on amperage being switched), and are all but impervious to extreme vibration or extended operating temperatures. Here’s a few examples of our most popular 12v Switch variations. CPI Waterproof On/Off Switches A great example of our 12v waterproof switch line includes the K1005 rocker switch. This is a maintained contact, on/off type switch, typically available with a neoprene cover. The switch has positive tactile actuation and is available in 2 wire and two conductor cable. This 12v switch, and all CPI 12v Switches, can be placed in a variety of mounting brackets. These brackets can allow for fixed mounting on a dashboard, pipe mounting, or flexible mounting using a hook mount for flexible operator positioning. Custom mounting options are available from the factory. CPI Waterproof 12v Rocker SwitchesA great example of our 12v Rocker Switch in action is our K1007 SPST Maintained Rocker Switch. With our standard Neoprene seal this switch operates from -60F to 180F without issue and can be specified with current capability up to 15A or electromechanical endurance up to 5 million cycles. And don’t forget that like all our waterproof switches, the K100X series of Waterproof rocker switches is truly waterproof: not splash-proof or water resistant. CPI 12v Switches – Waterproof DurabilityWhen designers don’t want to take a chance on field failures, or switch failure in critical safety applications, they often end up at CPI’s doorstep. Call our engineering team today to discuss your application. Originally posted: https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/cpi-12v-switches-for-demanding-applications/ The design of the modern work truck is moving forward at an amazing pace. With long haul trucks, the focus has been on collision avoidance systems and advanced controls for fuel economy, but dump truck builders have long had a different focus.
For Dump Trucks, it’s all about safety. Historically, makers of class 8 dump trucks have not exactly been “early adopters” of technology, preferring instead to allow these advances to trickle down after many years of trial by fire on long haul trucks and other vehicles. More recently however, increased safety regulations, modularized construction methods and accelerated adoption rates for technology have conspired to put more and more intelligence in the “Dumb Dump Truck” than ever before. That means an increasingly connected vehicle, with improved fuel economy, and an ever increasing focus on safety systems. Switches Used in Work Trucks Must be Robust It turns out that CPI switches and sensors are critical components of safety systems on dump trucks, work trucks, and many construction vehicles owing mostly to their extremely durable, and watertight operational characteristics. CPI waterproof limit switches have an extremely small pendant switch style form factor and can be mounted in a wide variety of actuation mechanisms, allowing flexible placement in machines and vehicles. They can be sealed in either Neoprene or Santoprene making them fully waterproof and capable of extended temperature operation from -20 to 120 degrees F. And finally, the switches are capable of extremely high electromechanical endurance. CPI has qualified certain switch models to over 5 million cycles of operation. Safety Systems In Dump Trucks and other Work Trucks Here are just a few safety systems that have used CPI limit switches over the years along with the parts commonly used. Dump Body Detection – Our E1092 simulated roller mechanism is mounted easily under the truck bed using one of our waterproof pendant switches like our B9112, NO switch. When the bed is raised, a circuit is completed, raising a visible (and potentially audible) alarm in the cab. This design is used for safety sensing in bucket trucks, loaders, and other vehicles that require mechanical feedback as to boom or bed position. Cab Down Detection – This is a safety interlock switch function, which prevents the system from operating until the hood or cab is closed. While any of our E-series limit switches can be used, CPI actually makes a specific plunger style switch for this application called our J4 Plunger Switch. Originally developed for the military, this switch has an ultra-rugged design featuring a wiper seal and a plunger that can withstand 50 psi to overcome hardened-sand and ice buildup. Neutral Safety – One of the most common safety systems in commercial vehicles is neutral safety detection. In this application, various vehicle operations are prevented until the transmission is confirmed to be in neutral gear. Commonly chosen for this is our J4 ball switch, a hardened, small form factor, stainless steel ball switch designed with our patented seal exclusion system that actually forces contaminants out of the housing every time the ball is actuated. This waterproof switch design is so reliable and robust that it was used to detect the status of torpedo doors on navy submarines. Back Up Alarm – Another common requirement of work trucks is the audible back-up alarm which sounds when the vehicle is moving in reverse. Our E1092 is a great example of a robust limit switch with a simulated lever actuator that is commonly used in this application. Completely made of high grade stainless steel it is truly waterproof, and completely customizable with almost countless mounting and actuator combinations available. This switch can be designed to meet operational standards for military use (B2 series) as well as heavy duty industrial applications (B3 thru B9 series). Parameters such as travel length, current rating, and electromechanical endurance are customizable. CPI has achieved endurance qualifications over 5 million cycles with this basic roller limit switch design. Waterproof Safety Switches for Industrial Use There are hundreds of specialized safety switch applications on dump trucks, work trucks and other industrial vehicles. Those that choose a CPI solution generally do so because they want the most reliable operation in the field that they can possibly have. When the safety of operators is on the line, why would you want anything else? We have a vast amount of off-the-shelf options for our switches. And yet all our switches can be cost effectively customized for custom mounting and electrical parameters. Call us today to discuss your safety switch system requirements with a product specialist. https://www.cpi-nj.com Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/dump-truck-safety-system-design/ One of the more overlooked uses of CPI’s line of waterproof limit switches may be its selection for a wide variety of outdoor, harsh duty lift activation systems. These systems have a number of attributes that make CPI waterproof pendant switchesa perfect solution:
CPI Switch panels come in a variety of configurations: separate circuits, in-series, and in-series with interlock (to prevent both switches from operating at the same time). We can produce multiple switch panels that also include additional electrical components such as LED indicator lamps per customer specification. Next time you need a lift, why not give CPI a call? Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/lift-controls-reach-new-heights-with-cpi-switches/ Engineers searching for electromechanical switches that are truly waterproof are generally doing so for a few common reasons:
The Top Reasons Waterproof Switches FailThere are a few things manufacturers do to cut corners on the design and manufacturing of so-called “waterproof switches”, that can cause early failure:
Call 973.887.9400 today and ask for our Waterproof Switch Application Team.Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/top-5-reasons-your-waterproof-switches-arent/ Sometimes you need a switch that’s really, truly waterproof. Not just water-resistant or “splash-proof. And if you want one with carefully manufactured durability and extended temperature operation, well you’ve narrowed down the field even further. For tough marine or outdoor applications, CPI’s panel mounted, sealed waterproof switches get the nod after that cheap offshore built switch that seemed so great, starts to fail in the field. Why not start with our switch and save yourself the headache? Basic CPI Pendant Style Waterproof Switch. The internal switching mechanism here is a snap-action copper sine blade spring with a riveted contact. The standard contact material is silver alloy with gold alloy and gold plated silver contacts available upon request. Our switches are even available in low-medium-high configurations so that you can choose the tactile feel you need. There are a few things that make CPI switches the go-to switch when you are done messing around with other implementations.
Our dual panel mount configuration is a good example of a commonly used stock panel mount configuration. In this panel, the twin switches can be wired in series, parallel, or left as individual circuits as shown below. Both vertical and horizontal panels are stock but hey, we can make it look like whatever you need, that’s what we do and we do it right here in lovely East Hanover NJ, not on the other side of the planet. Call CPI for all your Truly Waterproof Switch Panel Needs.If it’s time to think seriously about your toughest marine or outdoor applications, then we really want to talk to you. Call CPI today to ask about all our Waterproof Switches. Ask for Mac. Visit www.cpi-nj.com for more information. This content was originally posted at https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/cpi-waterproof-switch-panels/ Hate mowing your large lawn? Have no time to get out there regularly to keep the grass from going to seed? Then do what millions of Americans do and throw a little money at the problem by hiring a landscaping company to do it. Instead of walking your home mower around your yard in between running the kids to soccer practice and getting the car serviced and going going slowly deaf in the process, pay a landscaper to come take care of it with one of his huge, super efficient ride-on mowers.
These aren't your average pieces of turf equipment found in home depot mind you. These commercial mowers pack a host of careful engineering and design considerations as well as needing to be functional in the tough, wet, and abusive outdoor environment that your lawn inhabits. A perfect environment for a CPI waterproof switch actually... CPI Waterproof Limit Switches for Outdoor Commercial Mowers. When Walker Mower came to us they were frustrated. In their original design they had specified cheap sealed limit switches for three separate functions inside their mower design. Problem is that the switches weren't really uh..."sealed" and during standard outdoor usage and during "washdown" operations the switches had an annoying tendency to fail. Walker had four critical applications for a reliable waterproof limit switch in the commercial mower line that needed immediate replacement and improvement.
CPI Waterproof Limit Switches and Commercial Turf Equipment were made for Each Other. In addition to the proven robustness of our truly waterproof switch designs another appealing factor to Walker Mower was the adjustability of our switches. Because of our 70 year history in switch manufacturing, there isn't anything we don't know about the tradeoffs of making exactly the switch you want. Things like pre-travel, over-travel, actuation depth, and electrical parameters can all be specified. Our flexible mounting configurations means that it is probably you will not have to custom design a mounting. But if you do, we can do that. In the world of commercial turf equipment and commercial mower design, there is no better partner than CPI for switches that work right the first time and keep on working. Call us today to discuss your application or visit www.cpi-nj.com. This content was orginally posted at https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/commercial-turf-equipment-runs-with-cpi-switches/ While many of the most demanding applications for our waterproof switches exist in military vehicles, planes, offshore drilling equipment, naval vessels, and mining and drilling equipment, it turns out that our switches have found a home in wide range of specialty vehicles, recreational vehicles, and farm vehicles too. Switch uses in these vehicles vary, but the common thread is the requirement for reliable operation and longevity under potentially abusive environmental conditions.
Back Up Alarm Switch – Anyone who’s worked in construction or walked through a Home Depot has heard that high loud beeping sound as a dump truck or Forklift operates nearby. Construction Vehicles, Forklifts, delivery trucks, dump trucks and farm combines are just a few of the places you will find our E1 series limit switches activating a variety of audible alarms. Since this equipment usually needs to operate outdoors it is important for this application to have a truly waterproof switch capable of driving a variety of current loads. Cab Closed Interlock Switch – Originally designed for the Military, our J4 plunger switch has seen operation in a variety of Safety Interlock applications on a wide variety of vehicles. Our rugged design comes with a wiper seal and a plunger that can withstand 50 psi to overcome hardened-sand, complete operation underwater, or ice buildup. Start Switch – Whether its your Jet Ski, Snowmobile, or your Quad, you need a start switch which won’t fail in a saltwater, or outdoor environment. These are vehicles that are designed to be abused, and the switches in them better be designed that way too. Our D1040D is a panel mount version of our waterproof plunger switch which is pretty much ideal for this purpose. Kick Stand Down Detection – Communication systems used on police motorcycles rely on our E1092 series switches to provide seamless flow of communications to police dismounting their vehicles. Our switch is mounted to the kickstand using a custom bracket and reliably detects tell them when the kickstand is down so that helmet audio sources can be rerouted instantly. Our switch replaced a competitors limit switch that failed constantly due to the high vibration environment, and its inability to handle the actuator overtravel common to real world use. Contact CPI Today There are dozens of other non-automotive vehicular applications for our waterproof switches. To find out more information visit www.cpi-nj.com. This content was originally published at https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/waterproof-switches-for-specialty-vehicles/. People who work for a living on Commercial Fishing boats tend not to mince words…
I mean really, why should they. The fact is that commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in America. The bureau of Labor Statistics ranked commercial fishing as the job with the highest fatality rate in the country with 141.7 deaths per 100K, almost 75% higher than the fatality rate for pilots and flight engineers. (the next highest on-the-job fatality rate). The injury rate for crews is nearly 100% due to weather conditions, working on heavy machinery on a rolling deck. In other words if you work long enough on a commercial boat you will get injured, its virtually a guarantee. That’s why commercial boat manufacturers aren’t interested in messing around with the reliability or operational toughness of their onboard electronics and machines. Their clients wouldn’t stand for it. Sitting in a gale, 100 miles offshore in the dead of an Alaskan Winter with half a million dollars of King Crab on board, is a bad place for your electronic control systems to take a vacation. Here at CPI we believe our waterproof marine switches were simply made for the commercial marine world. Consider the following real world switch failures and you’ll understand how critical a robust, truly waterproof marine switch can be. And incidentally, all these applications are places CPI switches have already proved themselves. Waterproof Marine Switch Panels Flexible mounting options for our many switch types include a standard panel mount variety. But unlike the switches used for recreational boats, our waterproof switch panels contain completely sealed switch electronics which have been qualified to 5 million cycles and can meet almost any electrical, mechanical, or endurance requirements. Typical examples of these switches include panel mount versions of our momentary and maintained pendant switches and our D1040 Panel Mount Waterproof Plunger switch. Winch or Crane End of Cable Safety Limit Switch Winches and/or cranes are standard on most commercial boats and a limit switch typically manages end of cable detection. It is all that stands in the way of a snapped cable, lost payload, or a dangerous and dynamic on-board crane failure The CPI J4-Series Limit switches have been designed into dozens of land and sea based cranes for exactly this purpose due to their environmental hardness and endurance. Both lever type limit switches and our robust roller limit switches can be used depending on the design. Flow Control Systems One of the less glamorous jobs of a good limit switch is monitoring valve position for onboard bilge systems or lavatory system holding tanks. Failure here is more foul than fatal but our J4 Series Ball series often get the job owing to their solid steel construction, double seal design, and overall electromechanical endurance. Hatch Open/Closed Detection Another application for CPI J4 Plunger Switches is to reliably detect the status of watertight hatches. We have it on good authority that a few of these switches are responsible for telling US Navy submarine commanders whether their torpedo doors are fully open or closed. Either ball or plunger switch variations of our J4 Limit Switch are used for this depending on design constraints. Custom mountings can be fully specified for the basic switch assembly which is small, tough, and extremely reliable. About Control Products, Inc. Control Products, Inc. (http://www.cpi-nj.com) has been manufacturing a broad line of high quality waterproof and thermal switches since 1946. The company acts as an extension of its customers’ engineering departments providing full compliance testing and certification as required. CPI waterproof switches are designed to operate reliably when exposed to water, oil, humidity, sand, dirt, vibration, and shock. A building block system of basic switches, mounting brackets, and actuators provides a broad array of application solutions, perfect for marine switch applications. This content was originally published at https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/waterproof-switches-made-for-the-commercial-marine-industry/. |
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