B

BATTERY
A collection of electrical cells grouped together to provide higher voltage and/or higher current than a single cell. The battery is the usual DC power source for vehicles, or equipment that is used remote from the domestic power supply.

The commoner type of starter battery is being supplemented by the Deep Cycle Battery, to power ancillary equipment found in the sleeper compartments of many big rigs.
Dual battery systems: see Battery Isolator

Emergency vehicles and utility vehicles often have dual battery systems because of added power demand. Such systems necessitate the use of a Battery Selector Switch. More info: CF-103
See Cold Cranking Amps

BATTERY DISCONNECT SWITCH
Master switch that disconnects a battery from the load. This provides a good measure of safety and security. Installation of such a switch is often mandatory to allow safe servicing operations. See the Cole Hersee catalog for a broad range of switches with ratings up to 2000A. more info: CF-103

BATTERY ISOLATOR
If your vehicle has two batteries, a Battery Isolatory should be installed.

In boats and vehicles with ancillary equipment, a second battery is necessary:

Ambulances have special lighting and medical equipment.
Trucks with sleeper cabs are increasingly adding microwaves and refrigerators.
Boats need to power domestic appliances as well as winches, blowers, thrusters.
Tailgate lift trucks.
Snow plow lower and raise.
Trucks with hoists, cherrypickers.
TV News trucks have added equipment.
Fire trucks have pumps, lighting, motors.
Electric utility trucks have additional motors.
Telephone company trucks have augers, and other power tools
...and many more.

Two batteries connected to each other will initiate a draining of power from the higher to the lower, until they are equal. This could easily result in the Starter Battery not having enough power to start the vehicle.

A Battery Isolator addresses the problem of having one alternator charge two batteries. An Isolator will charge both batteries simultaneously.

Cole Hersee manufactures a range of Battery Isolators for different applications.

BIODIESEL
A new clean-burning alternative fuel that can be made from any fat or oil. Soybean oil is the commonest source. It is non-toxic and biodegradable, with a pleasnt smell! It can be used in any diesel vehicle, usually with no modifications.

It can be burned in its pure form, B100, or in a blend of 20% biodiesel/80% diesel (B20).

with a flas point of 150deg C it is safer to handle than petrochemicals.

Over 40 fleets are using this fuel, ranging from USPS, USDA and Florida Power & Light.

More on biodiesel

BLIND SPOT
Areas around a commercial vehicle that are not visible to the driver either through the windshield, side windows or mirrors. Stickers on the rear of trucks remind other drivers "If you can't see me in my mirrors, I can't see you!" An unfortunate part of rig operation, which is increasingly being assisted by the use of rear-view cameras.

BOBTAIL
Tractor operating without a trailer. Bobtailing is truckers' poetry for driving a tractor without a trailer.

BRAKE HORSEPOWER bhp
Engine horsepower rating as determined by brake dynamometer testing.

BREAK/ MAKE AND BREAK
Make and break are terms which apply to any switching situation, but particularly to Intermittent Duty Solenoids, where the buildup of heat can cause failure of the component. Without an isolator, the battery with the higher charge would drain into the lower one, until they have equal charge. This would possibly result in the starting battery not having enough power to start the vehicle.

Make and break are RATINGS. A particular component, such as a solenoid, may be rated for duty at a given amperage and voltage that should not be exceeded.

Make is when the switch (or solenoid) is turned On (the circuit is 'made'), and break is when the switch is turned Off (the circuit is 'broken'). Such values would need to be checked with an instrument such as a meter.
Note also that Intermittent Duty Solenoids have a limitation on the time (duty cycle) they may be kept On and the time they need to recover (to allow heat dissipation.)

BTU
The British Thermal Unit is the power required to raise one pound of water through one degree Fahrenheit. One pound of water at 32 degrees F requires the transfer of 144 BTUs to freeze solid ice. The Watt (W) is the international standard of power, and since it is metric, is far easier to work with.

BUS
(Or busbar) A rigid conductor used as a node in a circuit: i.e. where several wires need to come together. Often they are used as a feeder where power or a signal needs to be sent to different destinations. feeders.
We make many kinds like brass or tinned (for marine applications)
Find Cole Hersee busbars in our Online Catalog under Circuit Protection.

When it comes to the other kind of BUS...We make many parts for buses: both school buses and transit buses.
One of our good customers is Thomas Built Buses

Cole Hersee switches.
Always lots of choices.