As part of its new APX control system, Carrier Transicold introduces Virtual Tech, a diagnostic application that continually monitors trailer refrigeration unit operation to help avert potential system problems.
“The Virtual Tech application is like having a ride-along service technician watching the unit's performance,” said Mark Fragnito, Carrier Transicold product manager, electronics. “It helps take the guesswork out of refrigeration unit service, making troubleshooting easier and faster, and improving equipment uptime in the process. It's a tool that will be well-received by fleet managers, owner-operators, and especially service technicians, who won't need extra troubleshooting hardware, testing kits, and complex troubleshooting trees to diagnose problems, because it's all automatic.”
Found exclusively on refrigeration units equipped with the APX control system, Virtual Tech continuously monitors the operation of all unit components — refrigeration, mechanical, and electrical — as well as the APX control system itself.
New technology used by the APX control system makes Virtual Tech's diagnostic capabilities possible. Unlike earlier controls, the APX control system uses no mechanical relays. This means Virtual Tech can monitor more system operations, and it can identify more than 250 different alarm conditions.
If Virtual Tech senses a problem, it activates the refrigeration unit's amber external warning light to alert the driver, and the alarm LED flashes on the control system display module. When the alarm button is pushed, a text message describing the problem will appear on the APX display module. If a specific control module needs repair or replacement, that module's red fault light glows. For units with telematics capability, Virtual Tech can relay system status and faults to a centralized dispatcher by way of Carrier's DataTrak option.
When the APX control system is operating in “technician mode,” Virtual Tech provides analytic and diagnostic information on the display module's dashboard. The APX control system dashboard generates more diagnostic information in fewer keystrokes than other control systems and can simultaneously show data from up to five sensors.
Virtual Tech also records system operation data so detailed performance reports can be downloaded with Carrier Transicold's new TRU-Tech and TRU-View PC programs.
For more information, visit www.trucktrailer.carrier.com.