Optronics Unveils First-of-Its-Kind Co27 DC-DC Battery Charger to Eliminate Chronic Trailer Battery Failure

First intelligent, OEM-integrated charging system engineered for commercial trailers maintains optimal battery capacity, reducing fleet downtime and maximizing battery lifespans.

TULSA, Okla., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Optronics International, a leading manufacturer of vehicle harnesses, electronic control systems and LED lighting for the global transportation industry, introduced the revolutionary Co27 DC-DC Battery Charger, a patent-pending intelligent charging system that solves chronic trailer battery failure caused by inadequate charging through standard trailer wiring. Optronics will showcase the Co27 at NTEA Work Truck Week 2026, March 10–13, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, in booth 300.

Batteries on commercial trailers with electric-over-hydraulic power packs, powered landing legs, liftgates and similar equipment routinely fail well before their expected service life. The standard diode-and-fuse connection through the 7-pin connector causes voltage drop that prevents the trailer battery from charging beyond 50 to 60 percent capacity. In cold weather, a lead-acid battery at that state of charge is effectively dead. Until now, the industry has accepted premature battery replacement as an unavoidable cost of doing business.

The Co27 eliminates that cycle. Installed in the trailer and connected through the existing 7-pin plug, it activates when it detects 13.2 volts or higher from the towing vehicle's alternator. Its software-driven algorithm delivers a three-stage charging cycle: bulk charging to rapidly restore a deeply depleted battery, absorption charging that monitors recovery as the battery approaches capacity and float charging that maintains 100 percent state of charge. For lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, the Co27 delivers an optimized two-stage cycle. Chemistry selection is managed through a simple wiring configuration at installation, allowing trailer manufacturers and fleets to support both lead-acid and lithium systems with the same Co27 units.

"The cost of not having this product is significantly higher than the cost of having it," said Mathew Jenkins, president and CEO of Optronics International. "One bad experience, a failed dump cycle, a stalled liftgate or a battery replacement that pulls an operator off the road, can easily exceed $1,000 when you factor in the battery, the service call and lost productivity. The Co27 is equivalent to the cost of just one battery."

Jenkins also explained that keeping a battery fully charged and in peak condition not only means longer-lasting batteries and consistent dump cycles but also reduces the opportunity for the battery to freeze. A dead flat battery will freeze at higher temperatures than a fully charged one, he noted.

What distinguishes the Co27 is its adaptive intelligence. When activated, it measures circuit resistance between itself and the towing vehicle's battery. If it detects high resistance from corroded connectors, aging wiring or undersized conductors, it reduces current draw to as low as 3.5 amps to protect upstream wiring and fuses. When conditions allow, it charges at its full 10-amp rate. The Co27 also draws zero standby current when the towing vehicle is not running, so trailer batteries parked between jobs remain fully charged rather than being gradually depleted by parasitic draw.

The consequences of chronically undercharged batteries extend beyond replacement costs. Lower voltage causes slower dump cycles, which can more than double operation time while straining hydraulic pump motors and shortening the lifespan of components far more expensive than the battery. Operators unable to complete dump cycles lose the ability to deliver tendered loads and collect payment.

Optronics is launching the Co27 alongside a new Dump Trailer Wiring Harness Kit from its USA Harness division, engineered with the charger in mind to minimize voltage drop and maximize charging performance. By combining the charger, modular wiring harness and lighting into a single package, Optronics offers trailer manufacturers a complete, factory-ready electrical system from one source, a level of vertical integration unavailable from any other supplier.

"The Co27 is the first of many focused product launches bringing more intelligence to trailer electrical systems," Jenkins said. "Our vision is to help fleet managers and trailer builders create a steady, reliable stream of income that keeps them profitable and in business."

The technology behind the Co27 has been proven over more than 15 years in the Australian commercial vehicle market under harsh conditions, including extreme heat exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit, river crossings and heavy dust, with fleet deployments demonstrating significant reductions in battery maintenance costs and downtime. The Co27 is housed in a sealed, anodized aluminum enclosure with stainless steel fasteners and carries an IP67 ingress protection rating. It supports 12-volt towing vehicles charging 12-volt and 24-volt lead-acid and 12-volt lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, with specified wiring configurations for each. It carries a two-year limited warranty.

The Co27 DC-DC Battery Charger is in limited stock and currently available for shipping.

Optronics products are available in the U.S. and Canada through the company's extensive distribution network of more than 30,000 convenient distribution locations. Users can access individual Optronics distributor websites by simply clicking on their logo icons. For information on international sales and distribution of Optronics products, please contact Dorian Drake at +1 (914) 697-9800, or visit http://doriandrake.com.

To view high-resolution images of the Co27 DC-DC Battery Charger, please visit https://www.optronicsinc.com/RESOURCES/ImageGalleries/Co27.aspx.

About Optronics
As the fastest-growing vehicle lighting and harness manufacturer in the U.S., Optronics International attributes its success to delivering better value, better options and better systems to its customers. Founded in 1972, Optronics International is a premier worldwide manufacturer and supplier of branded industrial and commercial vehicular safety lighting products and premium, custom electrical wiring harnesses for commercial vehicle applications. The company specializes in electrical system and harness design and interior and exterior LED and incandescent lighting for heavy-duty on- and off-highway vehicles, armored couriers, light- to medium-duty trailers, specialized vocational equipment, transit vehicles, RVs and marine equipment. The company's patented USA-PLUS system provides the most-advanced molded harness connections available on the market. The Optronics product catalog is among the most extensive in the industry. Optronics is headquartered in a 200,000-square-foot, ISO 9001-certified manufacturing, distribution, research and development facility on a 17-acre campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a 1,000,000-square-foot, IATF 16949-certified manufacturing facility in Annan District, Tainan, Taiwan. The company also has a manufacturing and distribution facility in Goshen, Indiana, and a wire harness manufacturing plant in Winnsboro, Texas. Learn more at http://www.optronicsinc.com/.

Co27 is patent-pending and is a trademark of Optronics International, LLC.

SOURCE Optronics International