When running a fleet of forklifts or other small electric vehicles, you need an array of industrial battery systems to keep the system running smoothly. Not all operations need all types of equipment, but it's important to understand the purpose of the different equipment so you can decide which ones best fit your organization.

Removal And Transport

Unless the forklifts are used only occasionally, it's not efficient to recharge the batteries while in the vehicle. It's also not easy or safe for workers to replace the batteries and then carry the discharged units across a warehouse to a charging station. A battery lifter makes it easier to raise the heavy cells out of the vehicle safely. Some lifters are designed to be stationary, while others can carry one or more batteries so they can replace units in the field and then transport them to the charging area.

Storage And Charging

Batteries need a place to be stored during the charging cycle. Typical shelving systems are not suited for the purpose. These power cells are very heavy and can leak acid. Dedicated battery storage systems allow placement of the cells while minimizing the chance of accident or injury, but also giving easy access for recharging. These industrial battery systems keep their cargo protected and out of the way until they are fully charged and ready to be placed in a vehicle.

Washing

No matter how carefully sealed a unit is, some acid will leak out over time. This corrodes the terminals and can interfere with power flow. It's not efficient to clean each unit by hand, so companies used industrial battery systems that have the ability to wash the cells. The cabinets are automated, programmable and easy to operate. The units are loaded into the feeder, and rollers carry them through the wash and dry cycle much like a car wash. The result is clean, acid-free batteries without exposing workers to toxic or corrosive chemicals.

Filtration

Although water treatment may not seem like a role for industrial battery systems, many companies choose to filter wash water themselves rather than paying high fees for third-party treatment. Wash water not only has acid but also has heavy metals like lead and mercury, so it can't simply be dumped down the drain. Treatment can be done in house to meet federal, state and local regulations on water quality. Many filtration units are closed loop systems, which automatically feed the treated water back to the washing unit so are independent of the facility's water and sewer systems for an extra layer of environmental protection.

Investment in a full array of equipment gives a company the capability to handle every aspect of fleet power management, improves fleet efficiency, and reduces overall costs of operation.