One of the many benefits of SolarTech equipment over our competitor’s is that ours gets better with age. Okay, maybe not like a fine wine, but better nonetheless. The fact is, the computer controller that runs your SolarTech sign is a computer, nearly identical in functionality to your desktop or laptop PC.  Of course your desktop or laptop PC must contend with diverse tasks such as browsing the internet, managing your finances, storing all of your family photos and staying functional long enough for someone to sell you another expensive Operating System.

With the advent of the Mega-Tech Touch-Screen Controller, a huge new field of possibility opened up not only for our engineers and developers but for our customers as well. Gone are the days when a rubber-coated multi-function keyboard had to provide access to every single function. With a touch-screen controller there are no actual physical buttons. In their place are images and icons, menus and motion graphics, all driven by software instead of hardware and all accessible at the touch of a finger.

But as with any advanced technology, there are always bugs and known issues which need to be fixed. Our engineering team strives to address these problems as quickly as possible and release the software updates to correct them.

Our engineers are constantly finding new ways to improve the functionality, speed and flexibility of our touch-screen interface through advancements in software development. Sometimes it’s customer feedback that leads to the improvement and sometimes it’s the result of forward-thinking by our engineers.

But in the end it’s up to you to perform the updates. The process is very strait-forward, takes only a few minutes, and can be done from the Customer Service section of our website: http://www.solartechnology.com/service/software_updates.html.

So remember, before you make the phone call to SolarTech to tell us about a problem you may be having, please check which version of the controller software you are running and make sure that you have the latest update. Chances are the problem has already been addressed.

Updates are how we keep ahead of the bugs and improve the functionality of the equipment without changing the equipment itself, which saves you money and keeps your equipment up-to-date.  Also keep in mind that unlike others, we will never charge you to update your software. It’s simply another aspect of the “SolarTech Advantage”.

With construction season just around the corner, it is important to follow a few simple maintenance steps to ensure that your SolarTech message boards and arrow boards are ready for use:

• Check the battery fluid level at least every other month. Add distilled water, if necessary, to bring the fluid level up to the fill ring.  Caution: do not use tap water!   (Note:  Use of Gel-Cell batteries eliminates this step!)
• Check to ensure the photocell is clear of excess dirt and debris.  Check the functionality of the photocell by covering the lens and observing the change in intensity of the LEDs.
• Check the solar panels to insure that they are clean and free of excess dirt and debris.  Clean with clear water as required.  SolarTech recommends using a spray bottle and a window washer squeegee mounted on a pole.  Caution: do not use ammonia or chlorine based cleaning solutions!
• Make sure that the unit is aimed properly.  Use the sight tube, attached to every unit, to properly aim the unit directly at approaching traffic.  This will ensure that the sign panel will be fully visible to oncoming motorists under all lighting conditions.
• Finally, when you bring the unit off the job it is always a good idea to place a heavy-duty charger on the batteries to clean up the sulfate on the plates.  Do this at least once a year – it will extend the life of your batteries.

As with any machine, regular maintenance of your SolarTech arrow boards and message boards will prolong the life of the equipment.