Aftermarket July/August 2022 Issue

JULY/AUGUST 2022 AFTERMARKET 59 www.aftermarketonline.net this is going to do,” explained Craig, “is measure the total amount of light emitted by a light source, whether that be an inspection lamp, a work lamp or a bulb.” Next he took us to see how battery care products are tested, including battery chargers and jump starters, and then dash cam products. The last part of this portion of the day saw us file into an entirely black room; black walls and floor, and a black ceiling, illuminated only by a giant white screen, and the light from a headlamp bulb. It was here, in what resembled a unnaturally clean basement nightclub, where the headlamp bulbs were tested. The impact of xenon gas on the effectiveness of Ring’s headlamp bulb output was explained here at length. Charging Ring is probably best-known for its lighting products, and rightly so. However, the world never stands still, and the company was keen to show off its other products. These are the ones that take the company into what might seem to be new areas for those who have not been paying attention. It was with this in mind that we were ushered back outside to the Charging Zone. Here, we were able to find out about the range of EV charging cables from Ring, as well as learn more about the battery care products we saw being tested earlier. This included battery chargers as well as jump starters. The company had recently widened its SmartCharge offering via two new products. According to the company, its SmartCharge RSCP5024 and RSCP60T products deliver 50 and 60A continuous charging respectively, to deal with the demand of 12-volt and 24-volt battery recharging during diagnostic or data upload work. On the jump start front, Ring had also recently unveiled the RPPL260 and RPPL360 jump starter products, which facilitate fast charging of vehicle batteries and power delivery-enabled devices. The RPPL260 has a 200-amp output, while the RPPL360 boasts a 300-amp output. Both also offer PD30W, a 30- watt power delivery route that enables devices to take on large amounts of power in a shorter time period. Workshop Solutions Next up was The Workshop Solutions Van. This is used by Ring to put its products together with the garage customers of its own factor clients. Ring’s direct customers make the introduction, then the mini roadshow will be sent to the relevant workshop premises. On board, techs will find a wide selection of directly relevant kit, such as multi-meters and other diagnostic measurement devices. There are also retail items that they can sell to their own motorist customers. Many of the factor staff in our group were very familiar with our host for this section, Alan Povey, who provided a highly informed and very entertaining tour of the van, even if it was a very tight space. Product Our last stop was the Product Zone, where the attendees were able to learn more about two strands of Ring’s output. We started with dash cams and other similar products suited for sale to consumers. With the advantages of having a dash cam in the event of being involved in a collision and needing to prove the culpability of the other party fairly obvious, these items could prove a profitable income stream for some businesses. We were then able to find out more about tyre inflation equipment, as well as seeing the workshop lights away from the testing area. The day was a useful way to find out more about how Ring makes sure its products are ready for the market, and how they try to keep their factor customers and the garage clients of those customers properly stocked with the best in tools, retail items and of course bulbs. It was, as you might imagine, enlightening. We want to give you a glimpse of what we are doing, who we are and the kind of products we are developing ”