Four Great Ways Anyone Can Replace a Battery Clamp

Battery clamps can corrode, get loose or crack--and some customers will come looking for a way to put a new clamp on their existing cable. There's the old inexpensive saddle-type clamp, but that isn't a very good solution. There are actually four very good ways anyone can replace a battery clamp without special tools.

Easiest and best: Quick Cable Compression Connectors. These are high quality cast copper heavy duty connectors you install with a wrench and a screwdriver. These are tried and true and actually the first product Quick Cable brought to market as a Quick Connector.

Not quite as easy, but a super connector: Quick Cable Fusion Connectors. These connectors are cast copper, heavy duty, and have solder and flux built in. You need a pair of Vise Grips or something to hold the connector and a torch, but you can make a superior, permanent connection easily. There are safety considerations if you're working under the hood with an open flame--you have to be well away from the battery, fuel lines etc.

Almost as good as the first two: Quick Cable Tie Bolt connectors. These work on cable from 6 to 1 gauge; the patented tie bolt design clamps down around the wire for complete contact so there is a secure electrical connection.



All three of these ideas are great as long as you have enough battery cable available. Sometimes, though, if you cut a bad clamp off, then the cable is too short and if you put a new clamp on, it won't reach. That leads to the last idea: Quick Replacement Ends.

Quick replacement ends put together a replacement battery connector, a length of cable, and either a tie bolt or a compression cable connector. Now, you can replace a connector without special tools and without worrying about whether you can reach the battery.

You don't have to have all the specialty tools that a cable making shop has to fix a battery cable. You just have to have the right connectors. With the right solutions you can help your customers out of a bind and help them do a DIY repair that works.

Is That a Jump Pack in Your Trunk?

If it is, it's the start of a good idea. No matter what the calendar says, winter is here and it's starting out with some serious cold and bad weather.



So a lot of people keep a jump starter--like one of our Rescue Portable Power Packs in their trunk for emergencies. That's great but you have to remember one thing: Keep it charged!

The same cold weather that is challenging the battery under your hood is working on the battery in your jump starter, and over time it loses its charge. You don't want to be counting on your back-up system, only to find it is unable to do the job.

Quick Cable recommends charging your Rescue Portable Pack every 30 days or after every use. If you live in a really cold climate, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try to remember to bring it in the house and charge it up once a week overnight--say every Friday, or whatever makes sense.

It's a great idea to carry that jump starter. Make sure it's ready to do its job when you need it.

Get a Clean Start

It’s that time of year again. The first major cold wave has hit, driving temperatures down even in the south. Atlanta had the coldest Thanksgiving in 100 years. Ice and snow are crippling Tennessee and Kentucky; it’s cold even in Texas.

If you’re in the battery industry like many of our customers are, business should be picking up. And if you’re in the mobile vehicle service business, demand might be outstripping supply.

It’s a good time to remind your customers: Good clean battery connections can make a big difference when it gets cold and you want to start your car.

You can help your customers to help themselves by selling the 120145 Battery Terminal Protection kit. In one convenient package you have battery terminal washers, spray cleaner, spray protectant and a terminal brush.

The package is perfect for setting up near your checkout area, and it only takes a couple of minutes to show people how to use the products. And they can make a big difference.

Helping your customers to help themselves avoid trouble is good business. Who wants to be out cleaning battery terminals when it’s 17 degrees and the wind is howling? 

Getting That OEM Look On Replacement Cables

Original equipment cable look like original equipment, and sometimes replacements don’t quite measure up. Depending on how they are made, they could look like replacements.

So how do you get that OEM (original equipment manufacturer) look—without buying the OEM part? You get the right tool, that’s how. Nowadays, there are tools being created which make it easy to get a connection that looks just like, if not identical to, the OEM style.

Take Quick Cable’s new B-Crimping Tool, for example. The tool offers a fresh, sturdy crimp connection for widely used lead free terminals. You get the OEM look, without having to have actual OEM cables. Your replacement cables look new, they have a strong connection, and it is easy to make them like that.

Using the B-Crimping Tool is simple. You just have to choose the correct gauge sized anvil for your cable (the wrong size could break the tool or not produce a full crimp), insert it, center the crimp area of the terminal, insert the cable, and press down on the handle. When you take it out, you have a beautiful, OEM looking B-crimp.

Who says you can’t get that OEM look on your replacement cables? Give the B-Crimping tool a try…imagine proving those naysayers wrong!

August's End

It is hot.

Out west, it’s hot and on fire. Across the Midwest it’s a sauna.

Yet, the big retailers already have the Halloween stuff out. The back-to-school sales started in July. And you can be sure that somewhere, someone is getting ready to roll out the Christmas trees.

What does that mean to you? Wherever your customers go, they are seeing signs of fall and winter. Are you thinking about merchandising for the upcoming seasons?

It’s not too early to think about booster cables and power packs.

We’re here to help you with your fall merchandising ideas. Our new retail rack for our Rescue Power Packs is a great merchandising tool and doesn’t take a lot of floor space.

If you’re looking for ideas, give your Account Manager a call. Let’s see what we can put together to make your fall season a success.

It may still be hot. But the kids are going back to school, and it’s already getting dark noticeably earlier. We can help with your seasonal specials. So, don’t wait too long.

Batteries Need Lots of Care

Taking care of your battery is important. So how can you do that? Keeping it clean and preventing corrosion are good places to start. You have to begin somewhere. Here are a few convenient, easy to use products that can be stored in your garage for when you need them.

First off we have our battery corrosion preventatives. These products seal out acid fumes, road salt, moisture and dirt. Pretty nifty, right? You don't want any of those things getting in and wrecking your battery. Our Original Red Aerosol formula sprays on red, making it easy for you to see where the protective coating is. Our Clear Silicone Sealant sprays on white, so you can also see where it is being sprayed, and seals out acid and water. There is also the QuickCote+, a brush on compound which also neutralizes acid. If you need something tiny to fit in a tool box or for on the go, our Protective Spray -- which also comes in a kit with our small Cleaner Spray -- does the job well.

If you are looking for a quick cleanup of your battery, we've got the product you need. Battery Cleaner offers foaming action, making it easy to clean. We also had a Battery Cleaner with an acid detector, so you know when acid is present. Do you want to neutralize any acid while you clean your battery? Our Battery Cleaner with acid neutralizer will do the trick, and comes in a convenient 1 oz. size, so it is easily storable for on the go.

If you don't have time, and need to quickly clean your battery terminals, we have our new Battery Terminal Wipes. These handy wipes are disposable, and offer our color changing formula, so you can see when acid is present and know when it has been neutralized.

If you are looking for an easy way to clean your battery, and want a product that is convenient to have around, these nifty products are the ones that work. After all, keeping your battery clean and protected makes for a better battery.

It's Hot Out There!

If you're reading this, chances are you're inside in a nicely air conditioned office or vehicle. I just got back from lunch and walking from the car to the entrance of Quick Cable actually made my sweat glands work...A LOT! Checking the current high temps for today, you'll see pretty much most of the country is under some sort of heat advisory and that means batteries are working harder and are under more stress than they are on your average mild day. That means if you run a roadside service crew, your guys are out in this heat, changing batteries, working harder as well.

Map provided by www.weather.com

Are You Taking the Heat Seriously?

I decided to check the statistics on weather related fatalities to see how heat factored into all of this. I have to say, I was surprised to see HEAT was the number one cause for weather related fatalities in 2012. Even higher than hurricanes. Even higher than tornadoes. Heat is a serious issue, especially for those that work outside.

Statistics provide by http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats.shtml

Resource to Beat the Heat

OSHA is a great resource for employers looking to prevent heat related injuries. Remember when an employee falls ill to the heat, it not only is unnecessary but it actually will cost you $$$ in workman's compensation, hospital expenses and even lost customers. Summer is a great opportunity to increase your revenue through the selling of batteries and battery accessories but remember, take the heat seriously.  

Richard Sosa

Video Producer/Blogger

Quick Cable Corporation

Summer Preparedness

Summer is the time to be outdoors. The sun is shining, the air is warm, and you want to get out there and enjoy it while you can. What are your favorite things to do during summer? Swimming or hiking? What about camping, fishing, and four-wheeling? Do you have an RV, a boat, or a four-wheeler of your own? If so, do you have what you need to take care of it? What would you do if your battery dies? Do you have the proper trailer wiring? Whatever your needs, we have a wide array of products that can help you out. Need a battery box to protect your battery? We have what you need, from standard to high performance. We even have a Sportsman battery box, which is ideal for hunting, fishing, boating, and RVs. The new, tougher material is impact resistant to -30˚ F and heat resistant to +200˚ F. It is also impervious to acid, gasoline, oil, and solvents. Find it at www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=192. Whatever your cable needs, we’ve got it. Need a trailer cable? It’s here. Need a golf cart cable? Yep, we’ve got that too. It’s always smart to keep some extra cable on hand too. Of course, if you can’t find the exact cable you want, we can make it for you. Check out www.QuickFigurator.com to design a custom cable. So, what do you do if you are out and the RV, boat, etc. battery dies? That’s easy! Make sure you have one of our Rescue jump packs with you! Our Automotive/Power Sport line is perfect for those four-wheelers. Our Heavy-Duty line is great for RVs and fishing boats. If you own a small plane, we even have the jump pack you need for that. An extra bonus of our Rescue Packs? Most of them come with a built 12V outlet, so you can plug in your electronics on the go. Find out more at www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=165. With electronic devices playing such a huge part in our everyday lives, many people prefer not to be cut off from them. Going camping and want to charge your phone or hair dryer? Our Rescue packs aren’t the only way to charge your devices; we also offer a selection of inverters, so you can convert your battery into an outlet. Pretty neat, huh? See what we have at www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=232. Don’t be afraid to get out there and have fun this summer, but make sure you have what you need to keep your things running and in good condition! Check out everything we can offer you at www.quickcable.com!

Safety is Job #1!

This week I spent most of my time shooting and editing an in-house safety training video for our manufacturing facility in Franksville, Wisconsin. I admit, it's not Iron Man 3, but I still get pretty excited about doing a big production like this.  I'm about half-a-day away from completing this video which will be shown to all new employees working at Quick Cable.  From personal protective equipment to safe lifting practices to working around forklifts to working in our die cast area, We cover a lot of areas of safety in only 10 minutes. Quick Cable is very safety conscious and is always looking to improve safety awareness in the workplace. 

Safety Not Just for Quick Cable

Though this video is a safety video for our plant, some of the points made (see below) actually can be applied to almost any manufacturing facility or battery related work place:

1. "Before entering the manufacturing facility, always wear proper clothing and protect yourself with the proper protective equipment.  Proper eye protection and steel toe shoes are required in the entire manufacturing area." This is common sense and could be applicable for anyone working around heavy batteries. Know your environment and use common sense.

2. "Certain areas within manufacturing such as the die cast area require additional Personal Protective Equipment such as hearing protection, long sleeve shirts , face shields and gloves." Face shields and gloves are definitely smart to have on whenever you are working in a high exposure battery environment. Quick Cable offers a variety of personal protective equipment from face shields to gloves to aprons. 

 
3. Safe Lifting Practices. One Group 24 size battery can easily weigh over 50 lbs and a Group 27 size battery can exceed 70 lbs. If working with batteries is your full-time job then you know that practicing safe lifting practices is critical to your safety and continued health.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "More than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses. Further, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars on top of the pain and suffering borne by employees." 

If you have to lift a battery  Quick Cable offers a variety of battery carriers to help safely transport them. So here are some quick pointers on safe lifting at work:

1. ·      Tuck in your chin to keep your back as straight as possible while lifting
2. ·      Lift with your legs
3. ·      Ask for help with heavy, awkward items.
4. ·      Don’t use your back muscles to do the lifting
5. ·      Don’t try to lift an item that is too heavy or awkward
6. ·      Don’t twist your body while carrying an object
7. ·      Don’t attempt team lifting without proper coordination

Battery Safety

We created a general battery safety video a few years back. Check it out. It may be something you can show to your battery crew as a refresher.



Job Opening at Quick Cable

Just an FYI: If you know anyone interested in working for a progressive, growing company, Quick Cable is looking for a Director of Global Suppy Chain. Click here to get the full job description. 

Well that's all I have today. Next week is a short week here at Quick Cable so this will be the last blog post before the holiday. Have a great 4th of July and be safe.

Richard Sosa
Video Producer/Blogger
Quick Cable Corporation

Who knew?

Finishing my first week as a marketing intern for the summer here at Quick Cable! I have to say, this place is even better than I expected! I don’t know what I was imagining when I took the job, but I was surprised to learn about all that Quick Cable offers. I knew we had a lot of products, but 6500? Wow! And we make them in-house! I have to admit, I was really impressed when I found that out. I got to tour the manufacturing facility, and actually got to see people making the products and putting everything together.




One thing I love about Quick Cable, which I did not realize when I took the job, is the care about meeting the needs of customers. Not only do they we have standard cataloged products, but we can custom design an order to meet the customer’s needs. How cool is that? Need more of one thing, but less of another? You can get it your way! I don’t know of too many companies who are willing to do that. We also have video training and fliers about the products. Pretty neat, I would say! We are even working on improving the experience for our customers in French-speaking Canada. One of my projects is working on translating material into French, and I am very excited about being able to contribute in that way.



It has been so much fun learning about all the types of products Quick Cable offers. We have everything you need to take care of your batteries! From cables to connectors to cases, we have you covered! It’s a one stop shop! We even have a line for connecting batteries to solar panels!



I am so excited to be working at Quick Cable this summer! The company is amazing, and I can’t wait to discover everything it offers! You should too!



Nicole Savage

Become an Engineer in 5 Minutes

Well not really but you can make engineer quality CAD drawings of cable assemblies with no training in less than five minutes with our QuickFigurator online application. That's big if custom cable is an important part of your business. Being able to provide an accurate, detailed drawing of a cable to your customers benefits you by removing any ambiguity in cable expectations and providing your cable techs the right information to assemble custom cable. Watch this tutorial to see how easy it is to make engineer quality drawings. Remember QuickFigurator is FREE to Quick Cable registered users.


Since QuickFigurator first was launched in 2010, we've seen our distributors and dealers using QuickFigurator to build and grow their custom cable business by regularly incorporating the web application into their processes. "It's just part of our process now. We get a call or email to build an order of custom cables and the first thing we do now is get it drawn up on the Quickfigurator."says one of our local distributors in the Milwaukee area.

One of the natural benefits of using QuickFigurator is its ability to make an impression. Gone are the days of sending your customer a hand drawn cable assembly by fax. QuickFigurator can give you email ready PDF's to send to your customers for verification. Our specs are are listed on the drawing so you and your customer can make sure you're both on the same page.

We know not every custom cable shop can afford to have an engineer on staff along with expensive CAD software. That's why we developed the QuickFigurator, to help you increase your business by providing your customers the quality they expect.

Go to www.quickcable.com today to learn more about QuickFigurator or call your account manager to find out how QuickFigurator can help you.

Richard Sosa
Video Producer/Blogger
Quick Cable Corporation

Schools Out!

School's out! School's out! Today is my daughters' last day of school. No more 3 hour long nights of homework. No more night after night of after-school activities and no more waking the kids up at 6 a.m. I don't know who is actually more happy, me or my kids? Summer is finally here! So as a celebration of summer beginning, I've included the anthem to end of the school year.


Time for summer fun!

Summer  is the season for road trips in my family. Every summer we hit the road for a 6 hour drive to the Wisconsin north woods. On other weekends, we'll take short 2 1/2 hour rides to my parents' mobile home or one of the many beautiful state parks Wisconsin has to offer. One thing I've never really paid attention to until I started working for Quick Cable is the battery. I don't mean just the battery but the battery and everything around it: cables, connectors and corrosion.

Family posing in Park Falls, Wisconsin and beautiful field just south of Park Falls

Once I started working for Quick Cable I learned all about connectors, conductivity, crimping, cable, heat shrink, corrosion, vibration, moisture, replacement ends.. you name it, I became educated on the science of battery connectors. So now every time I open the hood, it's just natural to first look at and around the battery to see what kind of condition it is in. Is there corrosion? Are the connectors tight around the posts? Are the cables securely attached to the connectors? You don't want to be in the middle of nowhere when your battery fails due to a poor connection. Believe me, I know. Even working here, it took our Landcrusier failing to start, with wife, kids and 2 very large, hairy dogs in the car on a hot 90° degree day to realize that a poor battery connector can ruin a picture perfect family vacation. 

So enjoy the summer! Go somewhere, do something new but don't forget to check your vehicle, especially the battery.

Richard Sosa

Video Producer/Blogger

Quick Cable Corporation

rsosa@quickcable.com

Batteries 101

What's the best battery for your application? When was the battery invented? What are the different types of batteries on the market? How do you prolong battery life? What is the proper way to recycle batteries? There are so many questions that come up when working with batteries and with battery technology continually advancing it is becoming harder to keep up with the latest information and best practices.

In 2008, Quick Cable launched QuickHowTo.com to help you stay up-to-date on the battery industry's best practices as well as establish a site to properly train distributors, dealers, battery associates and consumers on Quick Cable products. We've created over 120 videos on QuickHowTo.com and Youtube with over 200,000 views on our Youtube channel alone. We continue to add new videos on new products each month.

Recently we discovered another one-stop resource for you that provides valuable knowledge and information on all sorts of battery topics: Battery University.

As the site states on their homepage:

"Battery University™ is a free educational website that offers hands-on battery information to engineers, educators, media, students and battery users alike. The tutorials evaluate the advantages and limitations of battery chemistries, advise on best battery choice and suggest ways to extend battery life."

Whether you're a battery distributor, a battery service technician or just a consumer, the more you know about batteries the better off you'll be. Battery University is not affiliated with Quick Cable but we felt the information on the site is valuable enough to share with you.

So the next time you're wondering how to rate battery runtime or you want to calculate the cost of battery power, check out Battery University.

Richard Sosa
Video Producer/Blogger
Quick Cable Corporation

Memorial Day and Battery Boxes

This weekend marks a time to remember our fallen heroes. Let us not forget the sacrifice they made defending our freedom.

It also has become the unofficial start of summer.

Blogger, Rick Pastor and his catch of the day.

I’ve been using battery boxes all my life. Mostly for boats and campers. To me, they were always the same—the lid kind of fit on okay and everything was held together with the hold-down strap. And I never questioned whether this was the best they got or if you could get a better box somewhere else.


I didn’t know that you could actually buy a really good battery box until I started working for Quick Cable.

First of all, the top locks on. That’s actually a big deal. It doesn’t slip out of place when you put the strap over it, or get cockeyed.

Second, you have the option to use J-hooks to secure the box down, and you can still get the lid off. Perfect.

It’s the attention to detail that makes the difference. Even in something as simple as a battery box. Amazing. Something else amazing: Our battery boxes are made right here at our Franksville, Wisconsin  Manufacturing plant.




Have a great weekend!

Rick Pastor
Marketing Manager/Guest Blogger
Quick Cable Corporation

Basic Cable Making Kits = Profits

Basic Cable Making Kits have consistently been a stellar performer for Quick Cable dealers and distributors. Better known as "starter kits" or "assortments" or "field repair kits", these basic cable making kits add value to any battery service shop and come with everything you need to get started including the cable, connectors, heat-shrink tubing, terminal protectors and the tools you need to make cable. Instantly turn your retail front into a custom cable operation.

Here are a few reasons why you should be in the custom cable business.

1. Custom Cable is profitable. With a high margin, custom cable is an easy way to augment your existing revenue streams. And you'll be providing a value added service. Custom cable allows you to give your customers exactly what they need, when they need it. 
2. Low cost and Portable. Getting started with one of our Basic Cable Making Kits is a small investment but if you think about what it would cost to stock various pre-made cables, then the cost savings is even greater. Our kits can go where your customers are so you'll be able to expand your reach and service to even more customers. 
3. Batteries sell Accessories. Accessories sell Batteries. Being the go-to cable maker in your market gives you the edge the next time someone needs a replacement battery. If you're the one that built their custom battery cable, chances are, they'll come back when they need to buy a battery. It makes no sense to sell your customers a battery and then have them go down the street for their battery cable and other battery accessories.
4. Customization. Our QuickFigurator online application allows you to design custom cable from your shop computer and print a quality drawing for your customer and your cable maker leaving no room for ambiguity. With our Kitfigurator online application you can design a custom kit with the exact components you need to make cable. 
5. Free Training. Quick Cable has a library of over 100 videos which include "How-to-Crimp" and Quickfigurator tutorials. Go to www.quickhowto.com for our complete video library.

Quick Cable has three specially-designed kits to get you started building custom battery cables with everything you need:

·       Popular terminal sizes and styles

·       Terminal protectors and heat shrink

·       Battery cable

·       Terminal crimper, cable cutter, cable stripper, heat gun

·       Organizing drawer

All Vehicles Starter Kits

Includes cable and components to build 4 ga., 1 ga., and 2/0 cables for lawn and garden, automotive, marine, agricultural and commercial applications.

Heavy-Duty Starter Kits

2/0 cable and components to build heavy-duty cables for truck, agricultural and commercial applications.

Medium and Light Duty Starter Kits

Includes 4 and 2 gauge cable and connectors for automotive, marine, lawn and garden applications.

Each of these kits comes with your choice of bench mount or hand held crimpers.

You can get started today. Its that easy! Call us today.
800.558.8667 (U.S.)
800.728.1742 (Canada)
sales@quickcable.com
cdnsales@quickcable.com (Canada)

Richard Sosa

Video Producer/Blogger

Quick Cable Corporation

Quick Cable Sponsors Go Carts Guardsmen Carting Across the States

On April 29th, 2013, off-duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard began a cross country trip from Petaluma, CA to Yorktown, VA to solicit the public's support and raise awareness of Wounded Warrior Project, which helps injured service members. Their 3,900 mile trip will be completed entirely in an electrically powered cart. We're proud to sponsor such an admirable cause and wish them the best.  The cart itself is equipped with essential Quick Cable products such as battery boxes, cables and terminals. And they'll be tested for sure in some of the harsh environments this country has to offer; rain, snow, wind and extreme desert heat. As of this blog post, they're already made it past the Continental Divide and are heading towards Colorado's flatland.

Quick Cable sponsored cart equipped with 4 QuickBox® Battery Boxes

You can learn more about this noble cause by visiting cartingforacause.org or by checking them out on facebook. You find daily videos uploaded on their trip, GPS tracking to follow them throughout the trip and instructions how to support their cause. All of us at Quick Cable would like to say thank you to our Armed Forces for the sacrifice they make on a daily basis.


Richard Sosa
Video Producer/Bloggerr
Quick Cable Corporation

Don't You (Forget About Me)

What a winter! Its May 3rd and still there are many places that should be feeling spring like that are still buried in snow.

Map shows current snow cover or snow in forecast throughout the Continental U.S.

But here in Quick Cable land we experienced our first 70° day and our first 80° day this week! Its all pretty exciting to think that soon, the beaches will be full, grills will be grilling, outdoor festivals will be plentiful and all visible signs of a long, cold winter will be gone.

TIME TO CLEAN UP

Around this time is when my family gives the car and truck a thorough cleaning, inside and out, putting away some of the winter emergency gear we left in the trunk like blankets, shovels and ice scrapers.  Along with the blankets, shovels and scrapers, the Rescue Power Packs we have in each trunk get placed in the basement for "storage" as well. Though occasionally I'll bring out a jump pack to take camping or air up a mattress or bike tire. But I don't think of my Jump Pack during the summer months for actual jump starts. For some reason, I've been convinced that winter is the real culprit when it comes to battery failure but according to Rich White, executive director of Car Care Council, I've got it all wrong. White  says, "When most motorists think of dead batteries that cause starting failure, they think of severe winter weather, but summer heat is the real culprit." Read the entire article "Extreme Summer Heat Can Burn Up Car Batteries" here. I don't think I'm the only one with this false sense of security. I think in general, most folks equate harsh winter weather with battery failure, not summer.

WHAT'S THE POINT

There's that mid-eighties hit by the band Simple Minds "Don't You (Forget about ME)" that I think sums up the point best. Summer is not the time to forget about your jump pack or your car battery.Give your battery a check-up and keep you jump pack charged and ready to go. You never know when you're going to need your next rescue.



 Sources:
http://www.intellicast.com/Travel/Weather/Snow/Cover.aspx
http://www.carcare.org/2012/07/extreme-summer-heat-can-burn-up-car-batteries-2/
EMI Simple Minds

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Connectors

When I was 14, I received my first camera as a gift from my parents for my 8th grade graduation. My mom was always in touch with her children's interests and she always encouraged them. I would always ask to take pictures with her camera so I guess she realized it might be worthwhile to invest in my interests.  Other than a photography class I took my sophomore year in high school, I pretty much kept it to a casual hobby. I remember taking "portraits" of my dogs Prince and Daisy. Setting up backdrops and moving all the living room lamps and my dad's work lights and using them to create my "studio."  Years would go by before I'd take another photograph.  I remember the early 90's when I dusted off the camera to take our "cool" band pics.

My band "Down Down Mary". Photo was found years later with water damage from being stored in a wet basement

Nico, our Malamute hanging out on the pier in Park Falls, Wisconsin at sunrise 2011

Fast forward to today and I'm still doing the same thing, taking photos of my pets and improvising to get the best possible photos, not just for my own enjoyment now but for Quick Cable. 

6,000 SKU's

When your company has over 6,000 SKU's and you're the head of photography for your company you're bound to have some thoughts on product photography.

• Rescue products are beautiful! These are probably my favorite products to shoot because their engineering and aesthetic qualities are so intertwined. You can see their durability, ruggedness and functionality in plain sight and at any angle. 

Rescue® 1060 Power Pack.

• 360° Degree Photography is the future. Recently we started shooting our Rescue packs on revolving turntables to give a 360° view (Watch this!) We'll be expanding this to other product categories soon.

Katie Markson,  Quick Cable Photographer taking photos of Rescue 6000 for 360°

• Shooting our connectors and seeing them in print, you realize that they're not just a commodity but something special. Its important that customers are able to see what they are buying. To see the quality and details of a product like our Quick® Connectors is worth a 1000 connectors. Our goal is to accurately represent our product selection and help you sell more! They have to be good.
  
  

  

  Quick® Flag Connector
  
  

  As a Quick Cable dealer or distributor, you probably don't have your own dedicated photo and video personnel but you don't have to. We've made all our photography available for download for your next catalog or web overhaul. Just contact your Quick Cable account manager and we'll set you up the same day for bulk download of our product photo library. Like the old phrase "Mi Casa es Su Casa.",  consider our photo library your photo library and leave the fussing with the lights and background to us! Happy Sales!

  
  

  Richard Sosa

  Video Producer/Photographer

  Quick Cable Corporation

Lead Acid Battery Safety

With no moving parts, your car battery just sits there looking harmless, but we know better.
According to the University of Wisconsin article on battery safety, 2,300 people are injured nationally each year using lead acid batteries, most of these are acid burns to the eyes and face. Honestly, when I read this statistic, my first reaction was actually "Wow, that's seems low." I mean with the inherent dangers of lead acid batteries and the amount of vehicles and machinery that require regular battery maintenance I just figured it was going to be higher. So I looked up things that seem inherently more dangerous like power saws, ladders and nail guns. Here's the stats:

1. Table Saws - 60,000 injuries annually
2. Nail Guns - 42,000 injuries annually
3. Chain Saws - 32,000 injuries annually
4. Ladders - 140,000 injuries annually

After seeing how many injuries result from the use of those common household tools I came to a conclusion. Maybe its not that those tools are more dangerous but that those of us in the battery industry are more aware of the dangers of lead acid batteries and are passing down this tribal knowledge to our co-workers, service personnel, even our family members. I still hear my dad's voice saying "Make sure the clamps are connected right!" last time we gave a car a jumpstart. There's a reason for all the caution around lead acid batteries: The type of injury a person can sustain while working with a lead acid battery can be life changing, from blindness to disfigurement, even death so I try to take as many precautions as possible around a battery.  I always make it point to keep a pair of nitrile gloves and goggles in the glove compartment, just in case the battery decides to die while parked at Pick 'N Save.  Those are the basics though. UW-Wisconsin put out a great article on general battery safety that is much more comprehensive. Quick Cable takes this pretty serious as well so we produced a very comprehensive video outlining many of the best practices when working with lead acid batteries. As the old cliche goes, one injury is one too many. Stay safe friends!

Richard Sosa
Video Producer/Web Contributor
Quick Cable Corporation

Sources:
http://www.uwsa.edu/oslp/em/compliance/battery_leadacid.htm
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/power-tools/4286772
http://quickhowto.com

Can Video Help You Sell More?

Lets be clear. We're not here to tell you how to run your business. At Quick Cable we understand that every business is unique and if you've been around a while, you probably have a proven method of doing business. That being said, there are things we can all do to improve our bottom line. Video is one tool that CAN help you increase sales and give your business more visibility. If you haven't implemented a business strategy that includes using video you could be missing out on increased sales.

Video is king and here to stay!

According to a recent article on 3PlayMedia.com, video accounted for 56% of consumer web traffic in 2012. More proof is in the way major online retailers are publishing videos on their product pages. At last count (2010), Overstock.com led all online retailers with an estimated 166,499 videos published on its product pages with Amazon (67,021). These retailers' prime purpose is to sell products.

Does it really help?

Product videos sell products. Period. A recent case study by Treepodia revealed that shoppers who view a product video are purchasing products at a higher rate than those who decide not to watch the video. But here is the real interesting part: Even those that chose NOT to watch the video are converting at a higher rate than shoppers viewing the same product pages without the option to watch a video. That means just having product videos available to your customer base is an advantage without them even hitting the play button. Whether its trust or some other factor, the mere presence of video could help you sell more products.

How do I get started?

According to Kissmetrics.com, you shouldn't go into this haphazardly. Hire a professional, preferably a local company. Someone who knows the ins and outs of lighting, sound and setup. Just as easy as it is to grab someone's attention with a quality video, its that easy to lose them with a poorly shot video.  But if you don't have the budget or the time to get started now you can still implement a video program by latching on to the vast library of Quick Cable videos.

How do I get video on my site?

If you're a Quick Cable distributor, you can easily embed our videos from our Youtube Channel or Quickhowto.com websites.  Many of our distributors already are taking advantage of this resource and are finding it to be a valuable sales tool. We at Quick Cable will continue to be a partner you can rely on for quality products, programs and customer service and support.

Happy Sales!

Rich
Video Producer
Quick Cable Corporation


Sources:
http://www.3playmedia.com/2013/02/28/video-seo-series-on-page-seo-basics-your-video-keyword-strategy/
http://www.reelseo.com/videos-sell-products-watch/
http://blog.kissmetrics.com/product-videos-conversion/

The Life Expectancy of a Battery: Maintenance Helps

So today as I began to write this blog on the life expectancy of a battery I decided to take a look at the life expectancy of humans just for fun. What I found was amazing and a little disturbing.  Per the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). Population Division:

1. Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country at 82.73 years overall.
2. United States was a surprising 40th right under Taiwan at 77.97 years overall.
3. There are 15 countries that have a life expectancy under 50 years!

So what did I take from all this information? Well, I was surprised to find the United States so far down on the list. A country that has all the resources, technology and education at its fingertips still managed to place 40th! I also was surprised at the huge gap between the longest and shortest life expectancies; almost 33 years!

According to howstuffworks.com, there are many factors that have an effect on life expectancy; disease, access to health care, wealth or lack of, clean drinking water, sanitation, education. So many factors that it can effect a country's average life expectancy by 33 years!

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BATTERIES?

Similarly you can find many factors that contribute to the life expectancy of the lead acid battery in your car.  A recent article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discusses the many factors that can shorten or extend the life of a battery such as extreme cold or heat, routine monitoring and proper maintenance. Even installation of a replacement battery with the proper cold cranking amps can contribute to the battery's life expectancy. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you're one of those drivers that live in Fairbanks, Alaska or you're living near Death Valley, you can't do much about avoiding the extreme environment and the toll it takes on the battery but we can all be pro-active in proper battery maintenance. Batteries should be checked and cleaned regularly. 

1. Check the terminal connections. Make sure they are clean and tight. They should be tight to the cable and tight to the battery. Dirty and loose terminal connections can cause early electrical failure and drastically shorten the lifespan of a battery.
2. Check the electrolyte level. Not all batteries permit this but if yours does, make sure the cells have the proper level. If you're not comfortable doing this. Take it to a professional or ask your mechanic next time you get your oil changed.
3. Clean the battery regularly.  Many online posts will tell you to use a mixture of baking soda and water but there are some shortcomings to using baking soda. First, baking soda has no color change properties therefore it cannot locate acid leaks. It also creates a messy paste that is difficult to remove.  Quick Cable has plenty or battery maintenance chemicals that are specifically formulated to work on a battery - Quick® Battery Cleaner w/Foaming Action, Quick® Battery Cleaner w/Leak Detection and our 1 oz. Battery Cleaning Pump Spray.
4. Protect your battery connections by applying protective washers to the battery terminals. Add some Red Corrosion Preventative, QuickCote + Corrosion Preventive or Silicone Preventative to keep the corrosion away even longer. 

"MAINTENANCE FREE" DOESN'T MEAN "FORGETABOUTIT"

We recently asked one of our battery distributors what percentage do "Maintenance Free" batteries make up in their overall sales of batteries. Not surprisingly they came back with a 65% figure. Maintenance Free sounds like a hands off solution but really all is means is that you don't have to check or change the fluid inside the battery. You still need to check the outside of the battery and do the maintenance mentioned above.

So I know the basics to make my car battery live longer. Now I need to go get me some kale at the farmer's market and work on improving my own chances!


Richard Sosa
Video Producer/Web Contributor
Quick Cable Corporation

Sources

• http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/life-expectancy2.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,  Extending Battery Life Starts with Maintenance by David Thome, Special to ADAMM
• http://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/battery-articles/battery-basics.html

Crimping is Power (Or at the very least, profitable)

Crimping. Seems like such an easy thing to do. Take a piece of battery cable, a connector and crimping tool, apply pressure and voilà! A perfectly-crimped battery cable. Well, not so fast. I'm not here to say it's rocket science but there are some things you should know that will help you get the best crimp every time.  Having a little background knowledge on the best ways to crimp not only will ensure a proper crimp but could give you the upper hand in custom cable assemblies in your market. Remember this: every battery you will ever sell is attached to at least two cables. How many of those cables could be assembled by you and your shop team?

Quick Cable knows that the foundation of a quality cable assembly is using quality parts. But those parts are only as good as the crimping technician. A poor crimp can lead to electrical failure, corrosion and even reduce the life of the battery. A proper crimp is as important to us as the quality of our products. That's why we continue to provide the battery industry with resources to properly train your personnel on the proper way to cut, strip, crimp and apply heat shrink. We've even made a How-to-Crimp poster for your shop.

How-to-Crimp Poster (24" x 36") is available to Quick Cable Distributors and Dealers free of charge. Contact sales@quickcable.com to become an Authorized Quick Cable Distributor/Dealer

QUICKHOWTO

QuickHowTo began in 2008 to give the battery industry a place to learn the industry's best practices and become more knowledgeable about Quick Cable products.  Quick Cable continues to produce video including one recently that goes into more depth on the "science" of crimping. Watch the video and let us know what you think. Maybe you'll learn something that you didn't know before or maybe you'll find it as a valuable teaching tool for your cable assembly team. 



The bottom line is making the best quality cables is going to be good for your business. It may seem old fashioned but at the end of the day, your customers will always choose quality over inferior performance.

Richard 
Video Producer/Blog Contributor
Quick Cable 

How Are You Using Your Jump Pack?

Rescue Portable Power Packs' primary purpose is to jump start vehicles with a dead battery.  Generally, the typical Rescue® scenario is a vehicle's lights were left on or the battery is just run down due to the extreme cold temperature.  Either you have a jump pack in your trunk or you call a friend or roadside assistance professional to jump start your vehicle. Maybe you ARE the roadside assistance guy.  But over the years, people have gotten creative. 

Not Just to Get Back on the Road

A recent Tools in Action article mentioned that a Marina is the perfect place to put a jump pack to good use.  Because of the wet conditions and frequent use, lesser jump packs don't last through a season but Rescue 1800 has proven it can handle the extreme conditions day in and day out. 


One of our facebook followers sent us a note describing his latest venture with his Rescue pack. According to "Doug" he was at the "garbage dump to give a double axle dump trailer a little more power to the battery pack that controls the hydraulic pump assembly. The trailer battery wasn't very happy with the -20° weather and it needed a little bit of love...".

Margaritaville

So what do IT gurus do after they're done with a hard week of programming servers and keeping the viruses off your PC? Well if you're my next door neighbor Mike, you take your Rescue 1060 (with inverter) and power up the blender at a Jimmy Buffet concert, which goes to show you, Rescue Portable Power Packs can save the day, even if your just thirsty for an adult beverage!





Power out in a storm...uh oh!

A couple of years back, I remember my brother's power went out during a pretty bad thunderstorm. He hadn't yet installed his permanent NG generator that he has now but he did have a Rescue Jump Pack. he probably had only used it once or twice in all the time he owned and hadn't charged it in a while. The jump pack saved him and his family a lot of headaches and substantial property damage by keeping the sump pump running until the power went back on. 

Let us know how you're using your jump pack. Send us a photo and a short description of your jump pack and interesting ways how it came to the "Rescue" and we'll post it on facebook or our next blog!

Until next time, stay safe!

Rich
Quick Cable Video Producer/Blog Writer

Designing an Acid Containment System in 4 Easy Steps

Battery acid containment systems used in conjunction with battery backup systems for Uninterruptible Power Supply, switchgear, telecommunications, and utility battery applications are modular in design and therefore require careful planning when ordering components for a particular system.  Not being gifted mathematically gives me a greater appreciation of Quick Cable's Battery Acid Containment System Configurator.

Length and Width

The online application is available to all Quick Cable registered users and simplifies the process of specifying and quoting acid containment systems. Basically, all you need to know is the length and width of the rack system involved and the Configurator will figure out the rest, meaning number of components and an overall price for the system you need.  Not only will you receive a price for the system but also a detailed bill of materials that will list the number of pieces for each component.

The video below shows exactly how the Acid Containment System Configurator works. We feel pretty confident that this convenient online tool will help make ordering RESCUE® Containment Systems even easier.



More about RESCUE® Containment Systems

Learn more about RESCUE® Containment Systems by visiting www.quickcable.com. Rescue Containment Systems are available in PVC and Stainless steel and come with rails, premade corners, liner and clips, adhesive, silicone caulk and fasteners.