LOUISVILLE, KY. Webasto Thermo & Comfort North America has introduced a new bunk thermostat this week at the Mid-America Trucking Show.
The digital SmarTemp thermostat is designed to work exclusively with Webasto’s Air Top 2000 ST bunk heater to deliver ultra-precise temperature control while saving fuel, lowering emissions, ensuring compliance and reducing maintenance costs, the company said.
“We were looking for an intelligent, effective and ergonomically pleasing user interface, and the dial control method just stood out from the other options,” said Mark Hickey, vice president of business development. “The first thing you notice about the device is the dial, and how intuitive and easy it makes the overall unit operation.”
The Webasto SmarTemp Control is a compact, all-in-one temperature management system. Drivers can dial-in the temperature they want and the device ensures the temperature remains at the correct level. Standard comfort adjustments are as easy as turning the dial right for higher temperatures and left for lower temperatures, Webasto said.
The control has a large, backlit, LCD screen for easy reading and prominent display of the ambient bunk space temperature as well as the corresponding set temperature. The screen brightens while in use and automatically dims itself a few moments after interaction. The dial has tactile feedback with a one-click-to-one-degree ratio that makes adjusting it easy to do in the dark, even without looking at the screen.
Main menu preferences allow a user to quickly select the heat or ventilation mode, one of three languages and Fahrenheit or Celsius temperature scales. Main menu options allow users to select continuous or timed run times, low voltage disconnect thresholds, password protection and preventive maintenance reminders. Integrated panels softly glow red when in heating mode, blue when in ventilation mode and blink to indicate a diagnostic alert.
“Designing a controller that is both easy and precise is just part of the ROI equation,” Hickey said. “Operator satisfaction, comfort and safety are paramount in today’s environment, as are the more traditional metrics of fuel consumption, emission compliance, battery life and maintenance costs – Webasto’s SmarTemp Control, used in conjunction with an Air Top 2000 ST bunk heater, will positively impact the whole equation.”
