Thermo King Adds Solar to Heating Unit
Thermo King is now offering solar panels on heating units to help fleets save money and increase battery life and uptime, as well as provide improved freeze protection.

Image: Thermo King
Thermo King is now offering solar panels on heating units to help fleets save money and increase battery life and uptime, as well as provide improved freeze protection.
“If you pair the Heat King unit, which has 50,000 BTUs and is the highest capacity heater on the market, with solar panels, you get the added benefits of extending the battery life and saving money on fuel. It’s a win-win,” said Tom Kampf, trailer product manager for Thermo King Americas.
Since heaters are normally not used during the summer months, they are likely not fully charged. According to Solar Product Manager Chad Koll, adding a ThermoLite 40w solar panel to a heating unit can ensure batteries are charged regardless of the time of year.
Other benefits include:
Increased battery life
Fuel savings
Extended component life
Improved employee efficiency
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