Column: July 2007

BUYER’S GUIDE
Green products and services for the store.

By Christine A. DeJoy and Patrick Fulton

ENERGY-FRIENDLY LIGHTING

Ruud Lighting, Racine, Wis., offers the H Series Linear Fluorescent High Bay as an energy-saving alternative to HID high bay lighting systems. The fixtures can be mounted at heights from 16 to 40 feet, and are available with either 54-watt T5HO or 32-watt T8 fluorescent lamps. Call 800.236.7000 or visit www.ruudlighting.com.

NONABRASIVE MACHINERY CLEANER

Kärcher Industrial Products, a division of C-Tech Industries in Camas, Wash., has high-pressure equipment that uses dry ice to clean stationary machinery. The IB 15/80 Dry Ice Blaster employs compressed air to propel tiny dry-ice pellets at supersonic speeds so that they flash-freeze and then lift grime, paint, and other contaminants from a range of surfaces, leaving no residue. Call 800.347.6116 or visit www.c-techindustries.com.

DODGE RAM EXHAUST

Corsa Performance Exhausts, Berea, Ohio, has the Dodge Cummins diesel exhaust system for the 2003–2006 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel. The product, which also comes in black, is designed to boost the vehicle’s horsepower and torque. Call 800.486.0999 or visit www.corsaperformance.com.

PRESSURE-WASHER DETERGENT

Camas, Wash.–based Hotsy intros a line of concentrated Powder Pack Detergents suitable for use with the company’s high-pressure washers. The biodegradable detergents come in five varieties, including a general-purpose cleaner, a driveway and concrete cleaner, and a truck and car wash. Call 800.525.1976 or visit www.hotsy.com.

MECHANIC’S LIGHT

New from Maxxeon Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, the portable WorkStar task light offers techs a cordless, rechargeable light source made to run for more than five hours on a single charge. Its LED provides bright white illumination, and its unbreakable bulb never needs replacing. The light can be suspended by its hook or accompanying rare-earth magnets, which allow the device to adhere to uneven metal surfaces. Call 877.621.0005 or visit www.maxxeon.com.

LONG-LASTING HEADLAMPS

Philips Automotive Lighting, Farmington Hills, Mich., introduces LongerLife headlamp bulbs, which have an improved filament and gas filling that makes them last 1,000 hours each, or twice as long as standard bulbs. Call 800.257.6054 or visit www.nam.lighting.philips.com/us/automotive.

ELECTRICAL PURIFIER

Ritz Solution International, Los Angeles, has the Power Shift, a device that plugs into the cigarette lighter of any car to improve engine performance, emissions, and fuel economy. It removes suspended residual static electricity and electrification caused by vehicles’ electronic parts and circuitry. It works in vehicles using various fuels, including gasoline, diesel, LPG, and LNG. Call 213.626.7779 or visit www.ritzpowershift.info.

ELECTRIC CAR

ZENN Motor Co., Toronto, offers the ZENN (Zero Emissions, No Noise), a fully electric automobile, as a franchise to automobile dealers. The lightweight vehicle is available in a two-seater, three-door hatchback configuration. It has a top speed of 25 mph and requires a plug-in charge every 35 miles. Features include climate controls, remote keyless entry, and aluminum alloy wheels. Call 877.817.7034 or visit www.zenncars.com.

HYDRAULIC LIFTS

Rotary Lift, Madison, Ind., intros SmartLift environmentally responsible in-ground lifts. They are entirely self-contained in a polymer composite housing. SmartLift’s containment unit is made from 100 percent recycled materials, with 60 percent plus of its steel recycled. A SmartLift uses less than 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid, and commercial-grade vegetable oil can be substituted for petroleum-based hydraulic fluid. Call 800.640.5438 or visit www.rotarylift.com.

SOLAR ELECTRIC PANELS

Solar Depot, Petaluma, Calif., offers Sol-Gen solar panel systems. Solar electric systems can be designed to meet any commercial power application. The panels have no moving parts and come with a 25-year warranty, and have a 40-year design life. A battery bank may be added to create an uninterruptible power system to handle critical loads, such as computers, during a power failure. Call 800.822.4041 or visit www.solardepot.com.

RUBBER PAVING

Eco-Smart, Inc., Sarasota, Fla., intros Flexi-Pave rubber paving, made from recycled tires. This nonflammable, nontoxic product is ideal for parking lots, paths, and driveways. The paving material is completely porous, providing effective drainage and eliminating standing water. Flexi-Pave will not crack under any weather conditions and can withstand a 30-ton vehicle load. Call 888.329.2705 or visit www.ecosmartinc.com/flexipave.

DIESEL BLEND MOTOR OIL

ConocoPhillips Lubricants, Houston, has upgraded 76 Super Diesel synthetic blend motor oil to API CJ-4 quality. 76 Super Diesel is specially developed for use in the diesel engines of light trucks and sport-utilities. API CJ-4 meets the lubrication requirements of diesel engines compliant with the EPA’s 2007 emissions regulations for urban transportation vehicles and on-highway trucks. 76 Super Diesel synthetic blend is formulated to reduce discharge of volatile material into the environment and reduce engine wear. Call 800.435.7761 or visit http://lubricants.conocophillips.com.

WATER HEATING

ECR Technologies., Lakeland, Fla., has EarthLinked Commercial Water Heating. EarthLinked cuts the cost of heating large quantities of water by up to 75 percent. The system uses a heat pump to draw renewable energy directly from the earth, and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases. It is the only system verified by EPA to achieve 400 percent electrical efficiency, and it does so every hour of the year by delivering renewable energy. Call 863.701.0096 or visit www.earthlinked.com.

MOTOR CONTROLLERS

VXI Solutions, Marysville, Mich., has introduced Motorboss intelligent motor controllers, which reduce the energy consumption of air conditioners, fans, pumps, machine tools, and hydraulic systems. With Motorboss, you can take intelligent control of your induction motors and save up to 40 percent on energy costs. Motorboss can provide energy-efficient benefits to your business by consistently monitoring and matching the load for your motor. Call 810.320.7124 or visit www.vxisolutions.com.

RAINWATER IRRIGATION

BRAE, Oakboro, N.C., offers BRAE Complete commercial water management systems for a wide range of businesses’ landscaping needs. This unique solution combines individual components into complete water-supply solutions. BRAE Complete provides for total water management, including rainwater storage and distribution for landscape irrigation. Call 800.772.1958 or visit www.braewater.com.

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