C

CABOVER (Cab-Over-Engine, COE)
Truck or tractor design in which the cab sits over the engine on the chassis. Important in situations where overall length of the rig is important, especially in urban delivery situations. Often a less comfortable situation in a long haul, due to heat build up and lack of space within the cab. Driver's seat and passenger seat often have to be accessed by separate doors in a COE. Due to liberalization of rig length laws, the number of COEs has fallen (34% of all Class 8 cabs in 1979. 7% of cabs in 1994).
See Conventional. See Tractor. See Weight Classes.

CAPACITOR
Two plates or conductors separated by an insulator, used to store charge or to resist change in voltage.

CARGO WEIGHT
Combined weight of all loads, gear and supplies on a vehicle.

CDL (Commercial Driver's License)
US License which authorizes an individual to operate commercial motor vehicles and buses over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW). For operators of freight-hauling trucks, the maximum size which may be driven without a CDL is Class 6 (maximum 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight).

CE
The European Union safety standards organization.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/electr_equipment/lv/index.htm

Compare UL and CSA, although these two are testing and certification bodies, whereas the CE is a set of standards.

CERAMIC
Refers to a pottery material that can withstand high temperatures without melting. Ceramic materials are used on the outer skin of space shuttles to minimize the thermal effect on reentry. More mundanely, Cole Hersee utilizes ceramics in certain variable switches that have a heat output, such as rheostatic switches.

CHASSIS WEIGHT (Curb Weight, Tare Weight)
Weight of the empty truck, without occupants or load.

CLASS 8 (and other Truck Classes)
see Weight Classes

COLD CRANKING AMPS (CCA)
A measurement of battery effectiveness. CCA is the number of amps a battery can deliver for 30 seconds at 0 degrees F without the battery voltage falling below 7.2V.
MCA (Marine Cranking Amps) is the same measure taken at 32 degrees F.
See Battery

COMBO
Combination of tractor and trailer (as opposed to 'tractor' or 'bobtail') The license plate of some states carries the designation 'Combination'.

COMMON CARRIER
Freight transportation company which serves the general public. May be regular route service (over designated highways on a regular basis) or irregular route (between various points on an unscheduled basis).

CONTAINER (Shipping Container) Standard-sized rectangular box used to transport freight by ship, rail and highway. International shipping containers are 20 or 40 feet long, conform to International Standards Organization (ISO) standards and are designed to fit in ships' holds. Containers are transported on public roads atop a container chassis towed by a tractor. Domestic containers, up to 53 feet long and of lighter construction, are designed for rail and highway use only.

CONTRACT CARRIER
Company that transports freight under contract with one or a limited number of shippers.
See For-Hire Carrier.

CONVENTIONAL
A truck having a nose which contains the engine, as opposed to a cabover (or COE, cab over engine).
See Tractor. See Cabover.

CONVERTER
A device which changes alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). An inverter provides the opposite service.

CORE
The iron (or ferrous material) center part of a transformer used to increase the strength of the magnetic field, or the moving part in a solenoid switch (in which case it is usually referred to as the plunger).

COULOMB
The unit of electrical charge equivalent to the total negative electrical charge of 6.24 x 10(18) electrons. One coulomb per second equals a current flow of 1A.
More on Charles Coulomb, the consummate engineer.

CSA
Canadian Standards Association. A Canadian safety-rating organization. Compare to UL in the USA and CE in Europe. Many Cole Hersee switches are CSA rated.
http://www.csa-international.org/english/product_services/index_cert.htm

CURRENT
The movement of electrons through a conductor. Measured in amperes (A).

CUBE (Cubic Capacity)
Interior volume of a truck body, semitrailer or trailer, measured in cubic feet.

CYCLE
The complete switching cycle through all switching positions, back to the original position. In an On-Off switch, this would simply be On to Off to On again.

The concept is important in testing of a switch. At Cole Hersee, our lab tests the switch to a certain number of cycles, measuring any deterioration in performance. A given switch may thus be rated to a certain number of cycles.
Cole Hersee electromechanical switches are ruggedly built to give reliable performance to a high number of cycles, assuring against premature failure.
Solid state switches, having no moving parts, are able to withstand a phenomenal number of cycles. Our Electronic Solenoid 48785 is able to withstand over FIVE MILLION On-Off cycles!