Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall) continually seeks to find innovative
ways to increase productivity and better provide the reliable service customers need. One way the company does this is by employing different tactics in each branch to better serve the unique needs of each, regional customer-base. At the Springdale, Ark., branch, the company recently implemented an Xtender Battery Regenerator which is extending the lifespan of many batteries and machines.
The Xtender Battery Regenerator restores and prolongs the lifespan of all sizes and types of lead-acid batteries including flooded, gel, AGM and valve regulated (VRLA) types, according to their website.
“It regenerates batteries that are assumedly bad,” said Brad Sebastian, Fleet Maintenance Coordinator at the Springdale branch, referring to how the Xtender Battery Regenerator is supporting organizational operations. “Now that we have it, instead of waiting five years for a battery to go bad, we can start testing them more frequently and you’re not going to have that continuous drop in battery life. A lot of these are normally 10+ hour batteries and we’ll see some that are getting five to six hours before regeneration. In some cases, the Xtender has more than doubled the life of batteries.”
Batteries lose capacity and efficiency due to sulfation, which is the accumulation of extremely hard lead sulfate crystals. Sulfation is increased due to lack of proper maintenance, incorrect charging and inactivity, according to their website. The Xtender successfully de-sulfates and restores batteries by softening and dissolving the extremely hard crystals during a six-stage process. These stages include discharging and electrical high-frequency pulsation phases.
“Some of these older batteries, we’re hoping to get another two to three hours so that the battery is capable of completing a continuous, eight-hour shift,” said Sebastian. “It’s proven itself, already, to extend the life of each battery we’ve regenerated. We’re saving money by not having to buy batteries as frequently.”
Another benefit of the Xtender Battery Regenerator is waste reduction. Extending the life of current batteries ultimately reduces waste created by old batteries. As sustainable practices are in greater demand, this added benefit is especially important.
“It’s just like anything,” said Sebastian. “If you don’t maintain your car, it’s going to break down. If you don’t maintain your battery, it’s going to break down. In the end, instead of replacing batteries every four to five years, we can now extend the life which reduces waste and, in turn, reduces the cost and frequency of disposal.”
Hugg & Hall continually seeks to identify ways to better serve customers, reduce waste and streamline operations. The company looks forward to incorporating innovative methods in support of these objectives.