Over the years, lift trucks’ electrical performance has improved. With today’s technologies and sophisticated controls, we are getting much greater performance out of the trucks and the battery must provide the power for these additional demands.
Years ago, the philosophy was that lift truck batteries and chargers should be dedicated to the respective lift trucks for tracking performance, maintenance, and to provide assurance that routine maintenance is performed. Numbering schemes with the truck ID of #1, batteries 1A & 1B charged on charger #1, etc. were the preferred management system. With today’s new vision of how materials should be handled, we have a lift truck fleet that is equipped with wireless communications and computers. Lift trucks are moving in and out of storage and production areas with valuable loads in both directions. Not one trip should be wasted.
Batteries power the trucks, and the chargers recharge the batteries to optimize performance. To achieve even battery lift and productivity, a rotation process must be implemented. This may be from a basic manual system to an electronic management system; both have the same goal; provide an ample supply of charged and cooled batteries ready to power the trucks thereby lowering the cost of powering the lift trucks. Software systems aid in communicating between batteries, chargers, and a host computer to illustrate the optimal battery for each unique type of truck in use at your operations. Should fault conditions arise, they may be presented via a computer for easy identifications and resolutions.
To properly size the battery fleet, we need to qualify the power the truck consumes, down-times that may be used for changing, and the existing fleet sizes. Power consumption can be measured by devices that mount inside the lift trucks, to measure and record ampere-hours and down times that may be suitable for charging the batteries in the lift trucks. Each type of truck should be monitored, and data recorded such as the truck ID, model number, hour meter reading, the time of day the test period started, and measure and record the battery state of charge. Many of today’s monitors will measure and record much of this information automatically.
Using the above data, the correct battery technology, charger specifics, and fleet sizes can be determined. The optimal battery may be a conventional type where the battery is used and at the end of the shift or when the truck’s battery discharge indicator (BDI) indicated a change is needed the battery can be charged. Another consideration is for Partial State of Charge (PSOC) that is often mentioned as opportunity/fast charging where the batteries are charged in the lift trucks to extend and/or eliminate battery changes.
By implementing these tools, power requirements can be measured, and optimal fleet sizing determined to minimize the overall fleet size while providing ample quantities of batteries and chargers. An electronic monitoring/management system aids the operator in selecting the optimal battery for their truck at the time to optimize fleet rotation and productivity. This analytical service is available through your local Deka dealer.
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Contact: Chad Christ – cchrist@dekabatteries.com
