Battery Hog

I was recently asked why our G2 system can drain a battery in less than 90 days, while there are GPS devices on the market that can run for years on a tiny battery.

It’s a fair question.

The answer is that they’re designed to do two completely different jobs.

Devices like the TTU are built for ultra-low power consumption. They wake up, send a location report, and go back to sleep. In many cases, they may only check in once a day and are designed around a limited number of messages over their entire life.

Our G2 system isn’t sleeping.

It’s actively monitoring door sensors, motion, and system status while also controlling the alarm functions. It provides instant notifications and allows remote control of the system. In other words, it’s doing far more than simply reporting where a trailer was yesterday.

Comparing the two is a little like comparing a smoke detector with a home security system.

Both have a purpose.

One is designed to conserve every bit of battery power and send a limited amount of information.

The other is designed to actively protect your trailer and alert you when something is happening right now.

There is always a tradeoff.

Long battery life and very limited activity.

Or active monitoring and immediate alerts.

We chose protection.

Because finding out where your trailer was 24 hours ago is useful.

Finding out someone is trying to steal it right now is a whole lot more useful.

There is always a tradeoff.

You can have a device that wakes up occasionally, sends a location report, and goes back to sleep.

Or you can have a system that is actively monitoring your trailer, watching doors and motion, controlling the alarm system, and providing immediate alerts.

We chose active protection.

Because knowing where your trailer was yesterday is helpful.

Knowing someone is trying to steal it right now is even better.