Flexible Control for Light Towers

Company

Terex is a global manufacturer of lifting and material handling equipment for a wide range of commercial applications. It offers safe, heavy-duty, easy-to-use models of trailer-mounted light towers with a variety of features and options to maximize the productivity of each unit for job site needs.

Challenge

Whether at a construction site, a mining operation or other outdoor location, keeping light towers operational at all hours is imperative for providing safe working conditions and ensuring productivity is maintained. For best results, Terex required an engine control module with an automated start/stop feature to manage its Terex AL4000, AL5000 and AL8000HT light towers.

Solution

DynaGen’s ES52 autostart engine controller is designed for harsh environmental conditions delivering resistance to shock, temperature extremes, moisture and electrical interference; the types of conditions into which these light towers are often placed. Providing light towers with an automatic lighting management system provides automatic on/off light control by photocell, timer or both and is a cost-effective way to increase productivity. Allowing light towers to be shut down automatically results in fewer personnel hours spent manually controlling the units. In addition, fuel costs can potentially be reduced by not running the lights during daylight hours.

The ES52 control unit offers several features engineered to allow for easy installation and service. The production-line-friendly design includes plug-in terminals, high-capacity removable relays, built-in kickback diodes, a pre-installed and removable fuse and the capacity for direct generator connection. It also offers full, field-adjustable settings.

Another useful feature of the light management system is the ability to preset a light tower’s start-up or shut-down with a programmable timer. The tower might start up automatically with diminished ambient light, but an operator may wish for the lights to shut down before daybreak. DyanGen also supplies the timer to Terex.

“According to David Spears, product manager for Terex light towers, the potential for increased job site productivity is fairly obvious. Especially in applications where there is a large fleet of light towers or where they are located in remote locations, turning lights on and off every day can occupy a lot of time and manpower.”