Hardware - Power Take Off (PTO)

Power Take Off (PTO) is a mechanism that allows the truck engine to power ancillary equipment when the vehicle is stationary. This article will explain what PTO is, why it is used, how it is set up in BigChange, and how to interpret the PTO report.

What is Power Take Off (PTO)?

PTO Utilisation

• PTO utilises the truck engine to power ancillary equipment when the vehicle is not moving.
• A feed is taken from the gearbox to drive a hydraulic pump.
• This hydraulic system can power various types of equipment, such as:
  • Waste compaction
  • Cranes
  • Tipper bodies
  • Walking floor trailers
  • Powder blowers
  • Liquid pumps

Why Use PTO?

Fuel Efficiency and Idling Calculations

• The driver is usually penalised for allowing the truck engine to idle for extended periods, thereby wasting fuel.
• When the PTO is engaged, it is considered useful work and is excluded from any idling calculations.
• The Driver Behaviour Report only shows true idling, not PTO use.

Viewing PTO Events On The Map

When viewing a vehicle on the map, PTO information is displayed highlighting whether the equipment is in use e.g. cameras, pumps, motors etc. 

Map Icons

PTO Reporting

Navigate to: [Top menu] Analytics & Reporting → [Heading] Tracking → PTO Report

• The report pulls through the settings entered at commissioning into the body of the report.
• In this example, the ‘Event’ uses ‘Tipper’ and ‘Status’ uses ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’.
• The report totals PTO active time for each vehicle.
• This allows for accurate tracking and reporting of PTO usage, ensuring that only true idling is penalised.

Conclusion

Understanding and setting up PTO in BigChange is essential for accurate fuel efficiency and idling calculations. By defining the correct parameters and utilising the PTO report, you can ensure that useful work is not penalised and that your operations are optimised