compatibility problems

You missed an important detail regarding fastcharge technology in your article on battery charging ("power up!" August 2006, page 77). The article states: "When an electric lift truck's battery begins to lose its juice, DCs deal with it in one of two ways: They either remove the drained battery ... or they send the lift truck over to a high-voltage charger for a quick recharge ...."

That statement overlooks the basic fact that the standard industrial batteries aren't compatible with the fast-charging processes without expensive upgrades and the purchase of high-amp chargers. Fast charging demands higher-grade inter-cell connectors and terminals on batteries (to withstand heat without melting or burning), and beefed-up chargers capable of producing high-amp current to allow faster charging. For some, the initial expense of upgrading batteries and chargers combined with necessary upgrades of the electrical supply network makes fast charging infeasible.

In effect, that leaves the warehousing or manufacturing world with just two solutions right now: the traditional and universally known three times eight hours battery charging cycle or the more expensive fast-charging technology, which may be feasible in only a few, very specific applications.

Tom Ksiazek, OfficeMax