Clore Automotive introduced the PRO-LOGIX PL6100, from SOLAR, 12V 100A flashing power supply and 60/40/10A battery charger. The PL6100 is designed to provide stable power on demand, up to 100A, to a vehicle electrical system to support module reprogramming. It also provides a full-service battery charging capability from 10 to 60A to service everything from small vehicle batteries to Group 31 batteries.
The Review:
Programming operations require clean signals and a robust power supply. When these two boxes are checked, additional features and a solid build are icing on the cake, explains Matt Fanslow of Riverside Automotive in Red Wing, Minnesota.
At Riverside Automotive, Fanslow is tasked with diagnosing several drivability and electrical issues that come through the door. “This means I possess many different pieces of equipment to accomplish the goal of accurately troubleshooting, then repairing, those concerns,” says Fanslow. Whenever a module is replaced or a firmware update is available for a symptom, the vehicle requires programming. This veteran technician says he enjoys fixing problems with firmware updates, and to do this with little headache he needs the proper tools, including scan tools, hardware, and software. Another “too-often overlooked” piece of equipment in his bays, he says, is the battery maintainer.
Fanslow says clean voltage is important when working with battery maintainers, but it’s also extremely important to be able to maintain the voltage level throughout the process. “During programming some vehicles can pull some major current. A good maintainer will not only meet that demand but will maintain it (no pun intended) over the entire required period of time,” he says.
Upon receiving the Pro-Logix PL6100, Fanslow was impressed with the look and feel of the tool. “This thing is heavy. Not ‘strain-your-back' heavy, but it feels up to the task of surviving years of professional use. It’s a fair bit larger than my other maintainers, but this is also a full-blown battery charger as well.”
Other standout features and capabilities for Fanslow were the unit’s cables: “heavy cables with twist-lock connections to the charger/maintainer and spring tension in the clamps,” he says. In addition, the power output did not disappoint. “This thing puts out a legit 100 amps and stays there … no dropping off,” says Fanslow.
The busy technician appreciated that the unit is a true battery charger as well, saying “The PL6100 has algorithms to potentially save sulfated batteries and actually puts batteries through a charging process, rather than just hitting the battery with the steady voltage I select.”
Lastly, Fanslow was impressed with Clore’s “fast and friendly” support. Though the equipment was intuitive and the instruction informative, Fanslow said he called the company “for fun” and was pleasantly surprised.
“They answered all my questions and offered tips and tricks. They seemed like they cared – that goes a long way in my book.”
To watch a video review of the Clore PRO-LOGIX PL6100 from SOLAR, visit: VehicleServicePros.com/21091659.
