We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Global Logistics and Risk
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • MODEX 2022
    • Upload Your Video
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Global Logistics and Risk
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • MODEX 2022
    • Upload Your Video
Home » Are your forklift batteries heavy enough?
inbound

Are your forklift batteries heavy enough?

July 30, 2013
Toby Gooley
No Comments

As noted in our recent article on lift truck batteries ("Battery room confidential"), batteries that appear to be interchangeable can have subtle differences that make them unsuitable for certain applications. What works in dry, moderate temperatures, for example, may be ineffective in a cold storage warehouse. A battery that performs well with a DC (direct current) motor may not last a full shift in an AC (alternating current) truck.

Those examples aren't exactly surprising. But here's one you might not have thought of: A battery can be the wrong weight for a particular truck.

Electric lift trucks rely to varying degrees on the weight of the battery to safely counterbalance loads. But operators who are swapping out batteries sometimes focus solely on the replacement's physical dimensions and output capacity while giving little thought to its weight. That oversight can lead to unsafe lifting conditions that could cause a truck to tip over. "Just because a battery physically fits into a [compartment] doesn't mean it will be heavy enough," Tony Amato, executive vice president of battery distributor Industrial Battery Products Inc., told us. And just because it's heavy enough for one truck doesn't mean it will meet the standard for another model, even if that truck is from the same manufacturer.

Some batteries weigh more than others of the same physical size. To ensure the battery you plan to use is heavy enough, Amato recommends checking the lift truck manufacturer's "minimum battery weight" specification, which is often listed on the truck's data plate. (If not, you can get it from your local dealer.) Be sure, too, to verify the battery's weight, which is usually stamped on the outside of its case.

Material Handling Internal Movement Batteries/Chargers/Motors/Fuel Lift Trucks, Personnel & Burden Carriers
KEYWORDS Industrial Battery Products (IBP)
  • Related Articles

    Three ways to extend the life of your forklift batteries

    How Lithium Batteries Are Helping Companies Overcome Long Lead Times for New Forklift Orders in 2022

    New lithium-ion batteries adaptable to all forklift types, manufacturer says

Contributing Editor Toby Gooley is a writer and editor specializing in supply chain, logistics, and material handling, and a lecturer at MIT's Center for Transportation & Logistics. She previously was Senior Editor at DC VELOCITY and Editor of DCV's sister publication, CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly. Prior to joining AGiLE Business Media in 2007, she spent 20 years at Logistics Management magazine as Managing Editor and Senior Editor covering international trade and transportation. Prior to that she was an export traffic manager for 10 years. She holds a B.A. in Asian Studies from Cornell University.

Recent Articles by Toby Gooley

National Forklift Safety Day 2022 connects safety with labor challenges

7 ways to help new operators be safe from the start

Facing challenges head-on: interview with 2022 NFSD chair Jonathan Dawley

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • FedEx agrees to buy 10% stake in Berkshire Grey

  • The robots are here. Now what?

  • XPO says planned spin-off will be called RXO

  • No vacancy at the warehouse

  • Shippers, battling escalating packaging costs, look for answers

Now Playing on DCV-TV

B733ed1b 0136 43ce af0c 290a6166b91b

With a freight recession likely, should your freight costs be going down?

DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
With recent reports that the freight market appears to be softening, I’ve received some interesting emails and calls from logistics executives. They've shared some questions they've fielded from other C-Level executives who have seen reports from consultants or news articles and now are asking: “Why haven’t our...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Choose the Best Auto ID Technology for Tracking RTIs

  • 8 ways your facility can benefit from Hyster Reaction

  • Why Use RFID to Track RTIs

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to DC Velocity Magazine

GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2022. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing