Southlake, TX — JULY, 2014

While most of the nation's 480,000 yellow school buses sit stockpiled in outdoor parking lots this summer awaiting the start of the new school year, tens of thousands of idle batteries are losing charges and silently build lead sulfate crystals creating a physical barrier across the surface of the battery plates. The result can lead to dead or under-performing batteries.

With more than 52 million student trips daily (to and from school) and an added estimated 5 million extracurricular roundtrips, school bus performance is crucial. Many school systems employ a year-round maintenance schedule and battery performance is a key checklist item.

PulseTech Products, a company that has maximized battery performance while minimizing battery-related expenses for public and commercial fleets, military and the general public since 1994, has developed a highly-effective solar powered solution to continually charge, maintain and significantly extend the normal lifecycles of 12V and 24V batteries.

Multiple school systems and commercial fleet operators have partnered with PulseTech to install solar products designed for any 12V or 24V battery — available in several versions.

A popular choice is the SP-5, which provides a full 5-Watts of power in a compact, durable solar panel. It offers clean, renewable energy for vehicles that are stored outside and unable to hookup to outlets. Half the size of comparable solar chargers with multiple installation options, the SP-5 replaces the power loss from electrical accessories that occurs even when the ignition is turned off and its patented Pulse Technology removes damaging sulfate crystals from the battery plates.

"Anytime the sun is out these durable solar-based products apply PulseTech's patented one - two punch; a charge combined with its patented high frequency Pulse Technology, to maintain and condition your vehicle or equipment battery while in use or while sitting idle," said Rick Miller, sales manager at PulseTech Products.

As a battery ages through use or sits unused for periods of time, lead sulfate crystals can enlarge and build-up excessively to the point where they create a physical barrier across the surface of the battery plates. Before long, this build-up can become so dense that a battery is no longer able to accept or release energy.

Miller said PulseTech's exclusive, patented Pulse Technology cleans (desulfates) the plates and brings the battery to a like-new state capable of holding a full charge. The combination has proven to extend 12V and 24V lead acid battery life up to 5 times what is typical.

Not only does poorly or inefficiently managed battery maintenance lead to early failure and unnecessary replacement costs but can also lead to "emergency" and expensive jump starts and take away from the vehicle's daily schedule and ability to perform. Downtime is money lost and premature battery replacements — especially for public transportation and commercial fleets — is a budget breaker.

All of PulseTech's solar systems, according to Miller, feature high efficiency, high-quality crystalline silicone cells that pack more power per square inch than standard amorphous "thin film" solar cells and have a longer life. Typically, "crystalline" solar cells have a footprint that is 50% smaller than the common amorphous cells that are commonly used.

This results in providing the power needed in a sturdier, smaller sized solar panel. Instead of a breakable glass coating, PulseTech's solar panels are protected with a clear, polyurethane plastic coating mounted on a laminated aluminum substrate to make them virtually indestructible and impervious to weather, aging and damage from bumps and knocks.

The SP-5 has been proven to keep school bus batteries in optimum condition during both the long summer months when seldom used and during the school season when high parasitic drain occurs as the bus idles. Preventive maintenance is the key to a safe and economically efficient fleet with the SP-5 keeping lead-acid batteries in peak condition while extending battery life up to 5 times.

For additional information on PulseTech's solar products please call 800-580-7554 or go to www.pulsetech.com.