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When diesel trucks and tractors are mentioned, the first things that come to mind are the raw torque these engines command and the thick, black smoke that accompanies their operation.
Unfortunately, only the power part is true and accurately describes a modern diesel engine. The thick black soot bellowing part is mostly false, especially for diesel engines designed post 2007 and 2009 for the US and European markets, respectively.
This was made possible, in general, by progressive and enforceable regulations both in Europe and the US, making it mandatory for diesel-powered vehicles to have a particulate filter to trap the soot produced (from polluting the environment).
However, brilliant as these regulations and accompanying technology were, they created a new problem for owners and drivers of these vehicles; a problem that wasn’t there before the mandated introduction of Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) on these vehicles: soot regeneration.
DPFs, Regens & Blocks
At its heart, the concept of a DPF is simple: instead of blowing black soot that results from the unique combustion of diesel into the atmosphere, the soot is instead trapped in a particulate filter designed to hold it, and at sustained RPMs, burned off into ash during normal highway speeds.
This process is called ‘regeneration’, and as described above, passive regeneration. Alternatively, the vehicle’s computer indicates a sign on the cluster when the accumulated soot has neared the threshold set by the manufacturer, and somehow, the conditions necessary for a passive regeneration have not been met. In such an instance, the vehicle, while parked, can be initiated into an active regeneration process, usually using a button in the cabin.
Unfortunately, sometimes, both the passive and active regeneration processes fail - or won’t initiate, leaving only one option: forced regeneration, which is the process of giving the diesel truck or vehicle an external regeneration command via a heavy-duty scan tool like the ANCEL HD3600.
Related Reading: What is Forced DPF Regeneration? | ANCEL
Why Heavy-Duty Construction & Farm Yards Need a Dedicated Pro Scanner for DPF Regeneration
On a diesel semi that hauls goods interstate (for instance), the DPF regeneration is passive and silently happens in the background when the truck hits high RPMs for a sustained time, generating enough heat for the trapped soot (in the Diesel Particulate Filter) to burn into ash.
This isn’t the case with construction and farm tractors and machinery, since they work at slower speeds and hardly get into sustained high RPMs, necessary to initiate regeneration. Continuously used without a passive regen happening, the tractors and machinery gather soot in their particulate filters, and eventually, this reaches a critical stage.
When this stage is reached, both a passive and an active regen are no longer possible (sustained high RPMs or the use of a button). The only option left at this point is a forced regen without which the vehicle won’t start (limp mode) or will operate at consistently lower power than its rated power.
With the tractor or articulated vehicle ‘constricted’ and ‘choked’ (with a corresponding P2002 - or similar fault code), a dealer or an independent mechanic will need to be contacted. With their professional OE-level scan tools and hefty yearly subscriptions, they’ll run a forced regen, and charges usually start around the $500 mark (for models such as John Deere).
This is where this revolutionary ANCEL HD360 heavy equipment scan tool comes to the fore for makes such as John Deere, Volvo, Bobcat, Yanmar, Komatsu, Caterpillar, etc.
The Challenge of Heavy-Duty Professional Scanners (And External Help)
Relying on professional help (with an OE-level dedicated scanner) for your farm or construction equipment is a smart thing to do, except that in the case of a DPF reset, it isn’t financially savvy. With charges for the service starting from about $500 per vehicle, per event, the overhead for the service can pile up, running to several thousands of dollars yearly (especially if you’re responsible for a sizeable fleet).
The other option is to buy an OE-level dedicated scanner yourself and initiate the DPF resets in-house. In theory, this sounds great, except that it isn’t. A typical OE-level heavy-duty tool costs several thousand dollars for purchase, and the license to keep them running is equally prohibitively expensive.
This is where the ANCEL HD3600 enters: a sub $500 solidly made heavy equipment diagnostic tool that caters to a variety of makes from Caterpillar to John Deere (and almost everything else in-between) and importantly, has free lifetime updates!
The ANCEL HD3600 is a revolutionary heavy equipment scan tool in the world of heavy-duty scanners, not only because it retails for a price that pays for itself on the first use, but because it is completely free of (expensive and very annoying) subscriptions.
It gets better, however.
Why the ANCEL HD3600 Beats Other Heavy-Duty Scanners (And Options)
If you ever need to perform a forced DPF Regeneration for either your farm or construction machinery, you have three options:
i. Call an independent mechanic or your dealer (minimum $500 every time, per vehicle).
ii. Buy an OE-level professional scanner and carry out the DPF regen/reset yourself (several thousands of dollars, initially, and hefty subscription fees, annually).
iii. Buy the ANCEL HD3600 heavy equipment scanner for less than $500 and enjoy lifetime free updates and unlimited use across all makes/models you own.
The most logical option is buying the HD3600 construction scanner. However, there’s more to that logical and ultra-sensible decision.
1. Wide Application
Most OE-level heavy-duty scanners used by dealers are specific to the makes (and sometimes, models) that the dealers market, sell, and service. Usually, such tools are useless with other manufacturers and in some cases, even within the same manufacturer (with some models)! As an end user, investing in such OBD2 scanner isn’t the smartest way to expend your budget.
2. Unbeatably Fair Pricing
At under $500, the ANCEL HD3600 pays for itself right after the first use with a heavy-duty truck, tractor, or construction machinery. This is rare in the world of auto diagnostic scanners. However, what makes the HD3600 truly revolutionary is that, given its sturdy construction and impressive build quality, it will serve your yard for years to come, performing other tasks (like engine and transmission scans) over the years, thousands of times across several makes and models.
3. Easy DPF Resets (And General Use)
Most professional OE-level heavy equipment scan tools aren’t only expensive with recurrent subscriptions necessary to run them; they’re also complex and challenging to use, especially for non-mechanics and hobbyists.
This is understandable, though: the tools, after all, are designed with dealers and independent mechanics in mind and not the average farmer or construction yard owner.
The ANCEL HD3600, on the other hand, takes a completely different approach: it’s designed for the average farmer, construction yard owner, or beginner DIYer. Accordingly, the revolutionary heavy duty diagnostic tool is simple to setup and use (requires just a few simple clicks); menus are intuitive to read and follow, DPF regeneration (and other functions such as basic engine and transmission scans) are easy to perform and intuitive, even without recourse to the user manual. Overall, the scanner gives the average user the confidence of a professional, and where anything is in doubt, the owner's manual and ANCEL support are clear/helpful, and fast/willing to clarify, respectively.
4. Lifetime Free Updates
The above reasons make a strong case for the HD3600, especially in heavy-duty setups. However, what seals the deal remains the freedom from hefty recurrent annual subscriptions needed to keep the scanner running if you consider any other option.
With the ANCEL HD3600 heavy-duty scanner, the initial purchase cost of less than $500 is all the investment you need to make to keep your tractors and diesel machinery in tip-top shape for years to come, sweat-free.
5. Sturdy Construction & Cable Options
Finally, a potent and compelling reason for choosing the ANCEL HD3600 over and above other options is the wide support for diesel OBD protocols, including standard and manufacturer-specific protocols.
The exciting part of this reality is that a 6/9 diesel OBD cable and a CAT-9 connector are part of the cables included with the scanner (in addition to the standard OBD II cable for diesel vehicles that may be using it).
This thoughtful arrangement makes sure that not only is the largest possible collection of heavy-duty vehicles supported, but there’s a dedicated OBD cable for each supported heavy-duty vehicle.
This, ultimately, saves you time and energy in looking for a cable that will fit or financial resources in having to consider purchasing the needed cable(s) separately.
How to Use the ANCEL HD3600 for DPF Regeneration
Using the ANCEL HD3600 for DPF regeneration for your diesel-powered heavy-duty construction (or farm) machinery is simple and easy to achieve:
- First, connect the OBD II cable to the scanner and the other end to the DLC of the vehicle. If the vehicle uses a cable other than the standard OBD II cable, locate the right cable from the cable options provided and fit them together in a male-female fashion to get a functional connection and power the system up.
- If using for the first time, follow the prompts to connect to WiFi and activate the tool. If activated already, navigate through the main menu and locate the ‘DPF’ option.
- Choose the manufacturer of your diesel machine from the options provided.
- Confirm that you’re running the latest version of the software by clicking ‘confirm’. If you’re not sure, click on ‘back’ and navigate to the ‘update’ menu on the main interface to (freely) update the scanner. Make sure you’re connected to the internet by means of WiFi while you do this, and don’t forget to be patient enough for the update to conclude before you proceed.
- Select your cable type and click on ‘next’.
- Follow the initialization prompt and on-screen guidance to complete the DPF reset process.
Tying Everything Up
Modern diesel trucks, tractors, and construction machinery, to run well, need to burn the soot their combustion produces using something called a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). With regular diesel vehicles, trucks, and semis, this usually happens passively, during sustained highway speeds.
However, since heavy-duty farm and construction machinery hardly attain the desired RPMs for a DPF regeneration to happen passively, a DPF reset needs to be initiated manually, with the use of a heavy-duty diagnostic tool.
Options for this include an independent mechanic/dealer (starting at about $500/vehicle), buying the OE-level dealer tool and doing it yourself (thousands of dollars upfront/several hundreds-thousands of dollars annually in subscriptions plus restriction to a particular make or models) or purchasing the ANCEL HD3600 and doing it yourself (for less than $500 and getting lifetime updates and the ability to carry out unlimited DPF resets - and other scanning/resets across several makes and models).
A decision has never been easier to make before now. Click here to check out the ANCEL HD3600 directly.
