Happy Independence Day
Frazer will be closed on Thursday, July 4th and Friday, July 5th. We’ll be back on Monday, July 8th, 2013. Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend.
The Many Uses of Generator Power
Generators are everywhere. They can power a job site, a residential building, or a recreational vehicle. A generator can serve as the main source of power or as a backup option. Generators come in a variety of wattages and prices, and their benefits are vast and varied. Here’s a quick rundown on the merits and applications of generator power. 1. Campers Portable power allows you to bring the comforts of home to the campground. 2. Tailgate Parties Compact generators have been providing tailgaters with hot plates and cold drinks for decades. 3. Food Trucks Mobile kitchens rely on generators to power essential appliances. 4. EMS Fire, rescue, 911 and various emergency services rely on generators to run critical devices, from life support to communication devices. These are typically heavy duty generators designed to run for long hours without interruption. 5. RVs Gasoline, diesel, and propane generators are viable options when it comes to powering your home away from home. 6. Marine Rugged marine generators power military and recreational boats. 7. Mobile Clinics Generators enable mobile health clinics to provide preventive care and education to those who need them. 8. Tactical Operations Tactical units find generator power useful. For example, the Allen Police Department houses a complex, tactical SWAT robot named HAL in an ultracool Frazer generator-powered EMS module. 9. Residential Emergency generators, with their large engines and efficient design, are capable of restoring power to critical appliances in the event of a blackout. 10. Geophysical Onboard generators help power geophysical equipment used in mining and seismic exploration. 11. Repair trucks Your neighborhood cable trucks employ generator power to keep repair equipment running. 12. News trucks Ever wonder what’s in the back of a news truck? The contents of your average news truck — tape decks, editing bay, vectorscopes, assorted light and camera equipment — require reliable electricity. Onboard generators power the various equipment necessary for live broadcast. Can you think of any other industry that uses generator power? Join the conversation on Facebook.
Maintenance Tip of the Week: Tire Pressure
Proper air pressure is one of the most important things you can do to promote tire health. Avoid overinflating or underinflating your tires. You can find the chassis manufacturer’s “recommended” tire pressure on your vehicle’s side door jamb. The pressure stamped on your tire is actually the “maximum” pressure. Proper pressure is essential to tire durability. The key word here is “proper” — do not overinflate your tires. If you overinflate substantially, you’re simply asking for trouble. Underinflation can be just as bad as overinflation. Keeping your tire at the proper pressure level ensures a comfortable ride and optimum performance. Use a proper tire gauge to check your tire pressure regularly — at least once a week. Oh, and make sure you’re using a gauge that can read over 100 PSI. When in doubt, go with the manufacturer recommendation on your tire pressure placard.
The Lowdown on DEF
What is DEF? Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is a chemical compound that combines high purity urea with deionized water. DEF is basically an industry term for aqueous urea. Some prefer the term “DEF” because urea sounds like a different type of fluid — the stinky kind. Diesel exhaust fluid, however, is odorless and colorless. It’s used in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to help lower diesel exhaust emissions. How DEF Works Diesel engines create soot during the combustion process. Soot is a harmful air pollutant, so modern diesels are designed to run lean. This gives them a high air-to-fuel ratio. The excess oxygen creates more heat, which burns the soot. But it also combines with nitrogen in the exhaust stream to create nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides are harmful air pollutants. This is where the aforementioned selective catalytic reduction comes into play. SCR is a process that uses DEF to reduce emissions by cutting down on the amount of nitrogen oxides released into the air. Got all that? Good. This is where it gets interesting. In January 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a DEF requirement for most diesel vehicles. Consequently, several engine manufacturers adopted selective catalytic reduction technology, which uses DEF to convert toxic nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen gas. What Happens if the DEF Runs Out? Diesel exhaust fluid is stored in a special tank on board the chassis. Having an appropriate supply reduces emissions and extends refill intervals. It should be extremely difficult to run out of DEF, given the ample warning strategies utilized in a modern fleet. Most vehicles will show several warnings to signal a low DEF tank. If the messages are ignored, a speed restriction protocol kicks in. This speed limit can vary from chassis to chassis. In a Chrysler product, such as a Dodge Ram, the speed drops to 5 MPH. A Chevrolet vehicle will be limited to 55 MPH at first and ultimately to 4 MPH. Ford will be reduced to 50 MPH, but tampering with or disabling the exhaust system will cause the speed to dip to 5 MPH. Chassis Warning Signal / Range Speed Limit Ford A message is displayed in the message center when DEF level is low. 50 MPH and, ultimately, 5 MPH Chevrolet Warnings at 1000 and 300 mile range 55 MPH and, ultimately, 4 MPH Dodge Ram Warning at 200 mile range 5 MPH on restart, long idle, or refuel Freightliner DEF warning bar illuminates amber when DEF tank is very low 5 MPH on restart Regardless of the chassis, an empty DEF tank can activate the service mode and slow you down. So you should always maintain a proper DEF level in your vehicle. If you do happen to run out of DEF while driving a Frazer, the good news is that you’ll still have access to independent, unrestrained generator power. With a Frazer, you’ll still be able to run your emergency systems, radios, and ultra-cool air conditioner, while you wait for backup. Plus, you can always carry two or three gallons of DEF in one of our numerous exterior storage compartments. There’s no guessing game when it comes to maintaining a proper DEF level. Check your fluids regularly, pay attention to the warning messages, and always maintain a full tank of DEF. Any questions? Give us a call or send us a message on Facebook.
A Frazer Fit for a Robot
Here’s a sneak peek of our interview with Allen Police Department, home of HAL the robot. Stay tuned for the full episode on June 24, 2013.
Frazer Completes Stage I of OSHA Challenge
Good news. We’ve completed Stage I of the OSHA VPP Challenge. On May 31st, 2013, Mark Briggs, Area Director of the Houston South Area Office, presented us with a congratulatory letter on behalf of OSHA. He also spoke about the unique nature of our company. “This is a very unique product,” said Briggs. “I never thought that a product like this was made here.” He added: “I’m very proud of you all. I’m proud that you guys have made it through Stage I. I look forward to coming back here in the future.” Cindy Lewis of Gulf Coast Safety Institute and Challenge Administrator also praised our efforts. “I’ve been very impressed with the progress we’ve made,” she said. “I think it’s been interesting, too. It’s fun to see how you guys do this.” She echoed Mr. Briggs’ sentiment that Frazer is a unique company with a unique product. “Now as I’m driving down the road and I see an ambulance go by, what’s the first thing I look for? It’s that little logo on the back of the ambulance,” said Lewis. “Now awareness has gone up — and it’s the same thing with safety.” There are three stages in OSHA Challenge, each bringing us a step closer to the ultimate honor in workplace safety. One down, two more to go. Bring on Stage II.
Frazer Unit Available
We have a 14 ft. (168 in.), Type III AD Frazer available. Mounted on a Chevrolet, 6.6L Duramax diesel, G4500 chassis (14,500 lb GVWR), this Frazer has the following features: Whelen® M6 series LED emergency lights LED interior lighting Captain’s chair with a built-in child safety seat Netting at the head of the squad bench Three oxygen outlets (one in the ceiling) Dual overhead grab rails 64 supply bins in the interior cabinets A backup camera Digital clock on the rear wall Stainless steel countertops CPR seat 3M diamond grade chevrons on the rear 5.5 kw, catalytic converted, Onan generator 120V, 15,000 BTU air conditioner / 2.5 kw electric heater 30 Amp battery charger through dual 20 Amp shore power connectors Seamless cushions attached with powerful magnets Painted white (Your striping and lettering available) Approximately 5,000 highway miles Four pre-pulled coax Cabinet above squad bench Padding on all cabinet corners Give us a call at 888-372-9371 and ask for Sales.
Maintenance Tip: Adjusting the Valve Lash
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So goes the conventional thinking. If you follow it blindly you may be taking a bigger risk than you realize. We prefer the saying, “If it ain’t broke, let’s keep it that way.” So that’s what we’re going to do with this week’s maintenance tip – show you how to keep your valve lash in tip-top shape. When should you adjust the valve lash in your Onan® 5.5 kw generator? This procedure should be performed every 450 hours or when a noticeable ticking noise is coming from the V-twin engine. This is a nine-step procedure in your Cummins® Onan® service manual, and it can be performed in 30 minutes. You don’t have to remove your generator to perform this task. Not performing a valve lash adjustment at the required intervals can lead to poor engine performance and/or engine damage. You can learn more about this procedure by watching the video below. For more maintenance tips, check out our service and maintenance videos.
Happy EMS Week: Breakfast is on Us
It’s national EMS Week. We at Frazer would like to honor our medics, managers, mechanics, and all the EMS practitioners delivering care to communities across the nation. We salute you. As a very small token of our gratitude, breakfast is on us this Friday (May 24, 2013). We invite you and your crew to come down to our office at 7227 Rampart St. We’ll have hot donuts waiting. While we don’t expect our friends in places like New Jersey and Alabama to hop on a plane just for donuts, we’ll have some ready if you just happen to be in the area. We thank you for your service, and hope to see you on Friday. (888) 372-9371 7227 A Rampart Street Houston, TX 77081
6S at Frazer
At Frazer, we’re always looking for the most efficient ways to do things safely. So, when we saw an opportunity to adopt a company-wide organizational system, we embraced it. You may know the original 5S methodology. It presents five main organizational procedures: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. We added a sixth “S” — safety — to the system. While safety is implied in 5S, it doesn’t hurt to explicitly proclaim it as part of the process. So we did. The pillars of an effective 6S system are as follows: Sort: Determine what is needed for each operation. Set in Order: Return tools not in use to their proper location. Shine: Clean equipment and work area. Dispose of trash properly. Standardize: Make space for every tool. Use color codes to designate items. Sustain: Maintain and sustain the new order. Safety: Promote an attitude of safety. After identifying some improvement opportunities, we began implementing 6S throughout the company. We’re now in the process of installing it in every department, from production to striping & lettering. One key component of 6S is the color coding system. We use general purpose vinyl tape and/or labels to designate different work stations, aisle ways, tag areas, and more. Blue denotes work in progress. Green signifies finished goods. Red is for scraps. You get the idea. The goal is to organize the worksite in a manner that reduces time lost looking for items. Building some of the best vehicles in the EMS industry requires a large amount of attention to detail. It helps to have a system that promotes the safe, smooth, and efficient flow of daily work. Worksite efficiency ensures a finished a product, which makes everyone happy. 6S is a win-win. To learn more about Frazer’s commitment to safety, visit our Safety Page.
Aluminum vs. Wood
Let’s talk aluminum vs. wood. Our EMS modules are completely wood-free. Why? Because wood can have issues. Aluminum… Wood… cannot rot. It has a natural oxide coating that protects it from degradation. can rot and get mold from constant hosing down of floors. lasts a long time. It is truly green — both from an environmental standpoint and in the economic sense. Nothing says green more than reusing aluminum. We remount units 2, 3, even 4 times. can last, but is more prone to cracks, breaks, and high maintenance. is lighter than wood. So it provides more payload (sometimes 600 – 800 pounds), uses less fuel, and is easier on brakes. is heavier than aluminum. Thus… is structurally strong. Cabinets and compartments made of aluminum can take major abuse — as in wrecks. can be tough, but has little structural benefit. In wrecks, well… So, there you have it. The winner by unanimous decision is: aluminum. We hope you bookmark this page and refresh it next time you find yourself in the middle of the aluminum vs. wood debate.
Maintenance Tip of the Week: HVAC AIr Filter
It’s impossible to overstate the merits of preventive maintenance. It boosts efficiency, minimizes downtime, saves money, conserves the life of your emergency vehicle. The list goes on. It’s important to know when to service your equipment and why. So here’s the deal: each week we’ll share some valuable maintenance tips on our blog. Use them freely. This week’s discussion is on changing the HVAC air filter. Changing your air filter is crucial to the air quality and performance of your HVAC system. This routine can vary based on your environment. The dirtier your environment the more often you should replace your filter. Inspect your filter once a week. When to replace? You should change the filter at least every 30 days. You can change it sooner if it gets dirty quicker. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you cannot see through the air filter, it’s past time to replace. Air gets pulled into the system through the evaporator coils (behind the air filter). If air cannot be pulled in, it will not come out. Basically, the air conditioner will not be able to breathe. It’s like placing a rag over your mouth and trying to breathe in. Signs of a filter in need of replacement? Poor performance or icing of the evaporator coils (due to the restriction). Go forth and replace an air filter. PS: Remember to close the side and rear doors at the scene. Open doors equal dirt, dust, and pollution. For more maintenance tips, check out our service and maintenance videos.