Lift truck tips: Fast charging update

Fast charging has been around for quite a few years now, but its technology has advanced enough to merit a second look. Here's an update on things you might not have known.

Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 2/1/2009

A fast-charging battery system fits well into the lean, green distribution center environment. Instead of stocking two to three batteries to power a lift truck through a multi-shift operation, a fast-charging system uses just one battery that can be quickly charged during breaks and downtime. That can also reduce the amount of battery acid handled under roof.

Beside its leaner, greener potential, fast charging has a number of attributes worthy of the attention of energy conscious, productivity hungry lift truck fleet managers and operators:

Power requirements to handle a full fast charging application are a little higher, so make sure you have the infrastructure to handle it. Most companies do.
Do an application survey to determine suitability for fast charging. Equipment ranges from 18 amps to 40 amps. Depending on the lift truck and the application, you may be able to use three different models in one application. Overspecifying can mean paying $8,000 more per charger than you have to.
Fast charging can eliminate the need to change batteries on electric trucks, translating into higher labor productivity, energy savings and increased availability of manufacturing floor space for a quick ROI.
ROI can be achieved in 12 to 14 months if it's a brand new application.
AC trucks can offer up to 20% more run time. That can mean you might not need as big a fast charger as a non-AC truck. It can also mean less charge time.
Fast charging offers more of an opportunity to charge off-peak and lessen electricity demand during peak periods.
Relatively light duty vehicles in multi-shift operations may not require the high start rates provided by fast-charge systems. However, simply over-sizing conventional chargers for opportunity charge applications may result in shorter battery life and run time. There are opportunity chargers that measure temperature and feature a real-time clock for weekly equalization scheduling. Temperature readings facilitate gassing control, and EQ management prevents stratification, sulfation and cell imbalance.
Intelligent fleet management software can monitor what a battery is doing, how the chargers are operating, and how the vehicles are performing in terms of energy consumption.
Wireless controls allow a technician to walk into a fast-charge operation and automatically download information onto a PDA. Chargers can also communicate wirelessly to a network.
A fast-charging system can wirelessly monitor and report on the condition of the fleet. Alerts and reports indicate when a battery hasn't been charged on schedule, or when a particular vehicle is drawing too much energy.

Information for this month's Lift Truck Tips was contributed by ETEC Minit Charger, (602-716-9576,www.minit-charger.com); Aker Wade Power Technologies, (434-975-6001,www.akerwade.com); and AeroVironment, Inc., (626-357-9983,www.avinc.com).

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