Powering Your Fleet: 5 Things You Need to Know About Forklifts

Lift trucks are true supply chain champions. Lift trucks move raw materials, work in process, finish goods, and load/unload a staggering number of goods. Almost every product in our country is touched by a lift truck at some point in its lifecycle. In turn, these lift trucks need the power to move materials, by either internal combustion (propane, gasoline, diesel, natural gas), or electric (batteries). Forklifts have more power source options today than ever. With so many choices available, it’s a perfect time to reconsider if you’re using the right ones. A well-matched power source can have a significant impact on many aspects of operations, including higher productivity and lower operating costs. It’s worth your time to re-evaluate today’s power options to ensure you’re getting the most from your forklifts.

1. What are the technologies?

In the electric battery market, the most predominant technology is lead, followed by lithium (specifically lithium-iron-phosphate). While lead has been around for over a century, lithium-iron-phosphate technology is finding success in multi-shift, high energy demand applications. Both lead and lithium are important technologies in powering today’s forklift trucks.

2. Forklift Battery Sizing

Selecting the right battery size is critical to ensure that your forklift can perform at its peak and lift the load it is rated to lift. There are three parts of battery sizing that you need to look at-

1. Battery Voltage & Ampere Hour

Forklift batteries are typically available in four voltage options and selecting the right one is the most important part of battery sizing. An oversized battery may cause severe, and irreversible damage to the truck so be sure to know what kind of voltages your truck can handle. Generally, the voltage is marked on the spec plate of most forklifts.

It is advised to choose a battery with the highest ampere-hour for the approved voltage rating to get maximum power for your forklift.

While the table below gives you an overview of which battery voltage is suited for which equipment type, be sure to speak with your local battery specialist to understand what battery size is appropriate for your forklift.

2. Battery Dimensions

Next, you need to measure the forklift’s battery compartment size and make sure that the battery fits in well. The battery needs to fit the compartment properly. A battery that is too big, or too small could pose a safety hazard.

3. Battery Weight

Check the spec sheet or spec plate to find out the Minimum and Maximum battery weight requirements for the truck. If you pick a battery that is heavier than the maximum weight then you run a risk of putting unnecessary strain on various equipment parts, even voiding the manufacturer's warranty. In many cases, the battery also acts as a counterbalance for your truck. A battery lighter than the minimum required weight may reduce your truck's lifting capacity and cause safety issues. When changing the battery on any forklift, a new spec plate may be required to outline the altered capacity of the machine based on any weight change. The battery of an electric forklift acts as a counterweight to the machine and is critical to its lift capacity.

3. What power is right for me?

That all depends on your needs. Performance is critical to the success of your operation. Each facility should have its battery/charger partner analyze the power needs and duty cycle of the trucks. A key way to quantify the power requirement is by determining the Equivalent Battery Unit (EBU) needed.

An EBU is defined as one discharge to 80% depth of discharge. For example, take a 1000 AH battery. Discharge it to 80% of its rated capacity using 800 AH. That is one EBU.

There are applications that require 1 EBU, and there are applications that require more. A recommended guideline is the following:

1 EBU Best suited for Conventional-charged lead batteries and when changing batteries

1 – 1.25 EBU Best suited for Opportunity-charged lead battery 1.25 – 1.6 EBU Best suited for Fast-charged lead battery

≥ 1.6 EBU Ideal for Lithium-Iron battery

4. What are the other critical factors besides power?

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Charging & Battery Rooms – While common in conventional lead charging applications, this is growing less common in larger warehouses and 3PL facilities as they look to maximize their space for profitability. Eliminating the battery changing and charging room can be accomplished either with lithium-ion technology, through Fast- or Opportunity-charging, or maintenance-free options like the BSLBATT® Lithium modular technology. Using the correct lithium battery will allow you to charge at higher rates on-demand throughout the facility with no special room required.

Let’s compare TCO for these two types of batteries for a typical two-shift operation.

Speak to our forklift and battery specialists to understand TCO for your business.

Purchasing batteries for your fleet is a major investment decision, one which you should make considering various parameters that we have documented in this guide. Having compared the two popular battery technologies on the critical parameters, it is safe to conclude that even-though lead-acid battery technology is the oldest one, it may not be the best option for your material handling needs.

Cost/Life/Maintenance

Lithium batteries have a higher acquisition cost than lead batteries. In addition to the cost of the battery, a customer must also weigh the cost of maintenance. Lead batteries offer technologies that require minimal maintenance and also offer maintenance-free options. Lithium technology doesn’t require watering, extended equalize charges, or neutralizing washes. Life is critical to determining your daily cost. Regardless of the technology, product life is historically dependent upon the duty cycle of the product. NOTE: This is where the ROI becomes critical.

The following table summarizes the comparison between lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries for your quick reference.

Support after the sale

Purchasing a product is just the first step of a partnership. At BSLBATT Battery, we value our customers and our goal is a long-term relationship. In addition to the highest quality products in the marketplace, we also have an exclusive support network across China and North America that is unparalleled in the industry. With over 36 Distributors in different countries, we have you covered from routine maintenance, battery accessories, and technical advice for both batteries and chargers.

5. How do I find the right partner?

Find a partner that has multiple technologies and product experience in addition to the capacity to handle your power needs. The right partner will help you evaluate each facility's operation to determine if lead, lithium, or a mix of both could be the best answer. This is a tough environment and you need a battery and technology with proven results built specifically for the application. Currently, we are working with over 36 battery distributors in the global. We continue to witness growth in the forklift lithium battery replacement market. Welcome you to be a part of our inherited innovative Industrial lithium battery products, smart-powered solutions, and cutting-edge modular technologies, and to be one of 118 dealers on our global market map member! Choose a company you can trust.

E-mail: inquiry@bsl-battery.com

Phone: +86-752-2819-469