Month: October 2020
There are no doubt many advantages to the “corporate purchasing contract” for large companies, but on a local level it is clear that having a distant corporate headquarters dictate the purchase of certain specifications of material handling equipment is often an uneconomical approach. When a policy tells a manager he can’t work with a local […]
Whether you are a lift truck dealer or a material handling fleet operator, you have a vested interest in turning your battery and charger matters over to a specialist. Batteries are silent, long-running power packages, but they are subject to wear, require specialized maintenance, and, improperly specified, can be the limiting factor in successful use […]
In this column, I have often emphasized the advantages to automating the battery charging process by retrofitting older timer-controlled chargers with the latest microprocessor (computer) controls. Such an upgrade maximizes usable battery capacity and cycle life while minimizing electrical utility costs. Many new chargers on the market today incorporate sophisticated auto controls, and some go […]
Throughout much of this century, the lead-acid motive power battery has remained largely unchanged. Paradoxically, this consistency has regularly inspired aftermarket products that promise performance improvements in the “plain vanilla” forklift battery. Although it has yet to be shown that battery electrolyte additives, charger gimmicks and many other novel accessories so much as provide a […]
The electrolyte in a forklift battery is made up of sulfuric acid and water. It conducts electricity by providing for the transport of ions between positive and negative plates within the cells. In a lead acid battery, the electrolyte also participates in the chemical reaction that occurs during charging and discharging of the cells. This […]
A used electric lift truck with an unknown background may require some attention to ensure that it will operate reliably in normal use. Luckily, because an electric lift truck is a very low maintenance vehicle, this attention to detail is less than would be required by an engine-powered truck. For the purposes of this column, […]
Communications between lift truck dealers and buyers is part sales pitch and part customer service. But be sure that your first-time electric lift truck owner is brought up to speed on the operational details of living with a battery-powered vehicle. That buyer may not realize that the battery in his new truck is not just […]
Last month I introduced the Horizon advanced lead-acid battery, and as you may recall, one of its strong points (especially for consumer highway vehicles) was its phenomenally rapid recharge cycle: less than 30 minutes. This is fast turn-around for an electric vehicle power pack, but there may soon be a faster way: Use a fuel […]
An old battery in an electric forklift is often an unknown quantity. It is potentially the weakest link in the material handling chain. If the truck is up for resale, and the battery is undocumented, the unknown can come back to haunt you. Worst of all, the true value of the battery in the transaction […]
Lift truck batteries are heavy. If one drops from any height, it will hit the ground hard. Is it possible that a battery that has tipped over, or fallen a foot or two, can be returned to service? Often the answer is yes. There have been examples of electric forklifts that have gone over the […]