A pump or compressor can run all day while the tools sit on the truck. Monitoring the tool circuit records when tools are actually being used. We install tool circuit pressure switches and wire them into GPS trackers for utility, service and municipal fleets across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.
On many service and utility trucks, a hydraulic or air system feeds a set of quick couplers at the side or rear of the body. Crews plug in breakers, impact wrenches, saws, drills and pumps as the job needs them. The pump or compressor may run continuously while the truck is on site, but the tool circuit only sees real flow and pressure changes when a tool is working.
A pressure switch is plumbed into the tool circuit with fittings that match the system. When a tool is running, circuit pressure or flow changes in a way the switch can detect, and the switch changes state. Wired into an input on the GPS tracker, that becomes tool-use time on the platform. Choosing the switch point takes care: it has to tell tool use apart from the pump simply circulating oil or holding pressure.
Truck side wire colors are in our Vehicle Wiring Database.
Pump or compressor hours tell you about wear on the pump. Tool time tells you about the work. A utility that wants to know how long crews spent breaking concrete at a repair, or a fleet comparing how equipment is used across trucks, needs the tool signal. It also shows trucks running pumps with no tools in use, which is wasted fuel and wear.
Tool circuit monitoring works best alongside the pump or compressor signal. Together they show pump time, tool time and the gap between them. See our hydraulic power unit and air compressor truck pages.
Water and gas utilities, railroads, municipal crews and contractors with hydraulic or air tool trucks. The full truck is covered on our service truck tracking page.
This is one of the work truck and equipment applications we wire into GPS trackers. See all of them on our PTO and equipment monitoring page, and find wire colors for your truck in our Vehicle Wiring Database.
We wire PTO monitoring into trackers from all of these brands. Need heavy duty trackers for trucks or heavy equipment? Every brand below makes them, so pick yours and we install it.
Common questions
Yes, with a pressure switch on the tool circuit wired into the tracker.
Yes. Pump hours show the pump running. Tool time shows tools actually working.
We install across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.
We install across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, at your yard, on your schedule. Call or text 803-513-1009.
Constant. Ignition. Ground.
API Signal