Thermo King Celebrates National Battery Day

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin first used the term "battery" in 1747?

He used it to identify a group of Leyden jars, which build and store electricity. He’s considered to be the originator of a method of increasing the electrical charge that could be produced by one of these jars.

Think about how much you depend on batteries.

No car or truck can run without some sort of battery, so take a minute to thank the true workhorse of the vehicle by celebrating National Battery Day on February 18.

At Thermo King, we provide our customers with genuine Thermo King batteries that have been extensively lab tested and field verified to meet refrigeration and auxiliary power unit operational life and performance requirements. They offer long life and reliable power to get your vehicles and assets wherever they are needed. We offer the traditional wet cell batteries under the Reliamax label as well as the longer-life AGM batteries under the EON label.

While Thermo King is in the battery business for refrigerated transport purposes, here are some general fun facts about batteries:

• A whole lot of power
  The number of batteries bought per year in the U.S. is about three billion

• A day in the life
  You can extend battery life by storing them in low humidity and low temperatures to slow down the internal chemical reaction. Keeping them in their original container is best. Pairing a battery up with a solar panel such as Thermo King Thermolite® solar panels can double the life of batteries in their operating environment, ultimately reducing fleet downtime and maintenance expenses.

• Food for thought
  You can make batteries out of simple things like potatoes, apples, or vegetables—basically, anything in your pantry with high levels of potassium or sodium. You can even make your own light using the energy from a potato.

• Expiration
  The expiration date does not mean the end of the battery life—it’s simply the beginning of a reduction in its power.

How can you celebrate National Battery Day?

Battery recycling is a simple way to make a big difference and a step toward a more sustainable planet. It can:

• Prevent potentially hazardous materials from entering the waste stream
• Protect against fires that can be caused by trashed batteries
• Conserve natural resources

Keep hazardous waste out of landfills and celebrate National Battery Day by collecting your old household batteries and take them to a recycling location such as Call2Recycle.