Warehouse and transportation：the importance of Lithium forklift batteries

Batteries are an essential component in your forklift and your business. They need to be powerful enough to provide your equipment with enough energy to complete the demands of the workday. If your batteries are not working properly, then neither is your equipment. Proper maintenance of your forklift batteries is an important part of keeping your operation running smoothly.

If you use forklifts in your business, you know the importance of finding the right type of battery. 

Perhaps the most important fact to know when determining return on investment is how long will the battery last. There are three important things to consider when determining forklift battery life: Battery type, usage, and maintenance.

Speed and punctuality are important goals in the horticultural transport industry. Efficient warehouse management may make a difference, and that starts with forklift maintenance. For this reason, One of our customers, abbreviated “HST”, with almost 30 years’ experience in horticulture both nationally and internationally, have decided to equip its new forklift fleet with BSLBATT batteries manufactured by BSLBATT. The BSLBATT battery is the most advanced lithium iron phosphate battery solution and offers high performance without the need to refill water or change batteries. Together with energy management tools, this technology can help companies reduce costs for fleet management and maintenance significantly.

HST have always prided itself on its punctuality. With headquarters based in Jiangsu, China, the company manages a 7000 m², temperature-controlled warehouse, including 700 m² of cold storage. HST recently acquired a new fleet of 18 Heli forklifts, equipped with BSLBATT lithium iron phosphate （LiFePO4） batteries, in order to boost efficiency and productivity in its chilled department.

The challenge: keeping batteries charged and efficient, even in cold environments

The batteries in HST is previous fleet deteriorated early due to a lack of proper management and poor maintenance. For this reason, the company was looking for forklifts with durable batteries that are able to offer maximum efficiency for at least five consecutive years without the need for ongoing maintenance.

The first challenge was the long shifts and intense working rhythms that are often part of working in horticultural warehouses. “We work in two 12-hour shifts and with two peaks: one at night, when goods arrive and have to be unloaded, and one in the afternoon when shipments are sent out,” explains Mr. Sun, Chairman of the company. “If the forklift batteries run out easily and can’t be changed quickly, particularly at peak periods, there is a risk that deliveries may be slower and carried out with less efficiency.”

Furthermore, working rhythms did not allow sufficient time for crews to maintain batteries, which ended up being neglected. The batteries’ gradual deterioration and loss of autonomy, combined with long charging times, negatively impacted not only warehouse productivity but electricity costs.

The working environment itself posed a further challenge. This is because cold storage areas are kept at a constant temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, while the storage warehouses are kept at 12 degrees; factors that should not be underestimated when it comes to batteries. Exposure to the cold can cause the battery to deteriorate, both in terms of day-to-day autonomy and its overall lifespan. Famous Chinese enterprises, therefore, turned to the experienced opinion of BSLBATT to overcome these issues.

BSLBATT offers a solution: combine the BSLBATT LiFePO4 battery, made in China’s only all-water system, with a modular charger. One of the main limitations of traditional or gel batteries (such as those previously used by HST is that they cannot be partially recharged (” opportunity charging “). That means they have to be fully charged and take more time. When DOD (discharge depth) reaches 80%, it also needs to be replaced or recharged.

By comparison, BSLBATT batteries, based on innovative “all-water system” LiFePO4 technology, can be charged 50 per cent in 1 hour. Furthermore, the option of fast partial charges keeps the electrolyte at a constant temperature, protecting it from low temperatures.

Disposal of the battery charging and the changing room was another advantage. As BSLBATT batteries have hardly any gasification, they may be recharged in the working environment, while onboard a vehicle, thus simplifying functionality over several shifts. In addition, BSLBATT batteries are sealed, meaning they do not have to be refilled with water. Energy consumption is greatly reduced thanks to the “all-water system”  LiFePO4 technology and the use of modular chargers.

The future is now: predictive maintenance through the Iot

Famous HST are using a power management solution along with BSLBATT batteries to further reduce maintenance costs and boost energy efficiency. Through cloud system on the batteries, GPRS, GPS function, users are able to see key parameters such as battery location, status, BMS information, discharge current, charge current, and charge status in real-time.

BSLBATT is able to monitor and analyze this data and provide online reports regarding battery use and advise on how to improve efficiency.

BSLBATT estimates that switching to BSLBATT LiFePO4 batteries and using modular chargers together with the power management solution will allow Famous Chinese enterprises to save over 30 per cent on energy over the next five years while also reducing operational and management costs (battery replacement, filling, water charges) by over a third.

BSLBATT LiFePO4 batteries, on the other hand, don’t require as much maintenance. In fact, most LiFePO4 batteries like BSLBATT, have an internal battery management system which helps ensure the battery cells remain balanced. Also, there is no need to change batteries, eliminating the time and cost of additional equipment, space, and labor. Lithium batteries are transforming the material handling industry because they offer increased efficiency and lower maintenance over their lead-acid counterpart.

When it comes to your battery’s lifespan, many factors come into play, from the type of battery to whether proper maintenance is performed. Be sure to consider all prior to your battery purchase decision.

If you’d like to experience the benefits of lithium forklift batteries, contact BSLBATT Industrial Batteries to get a full look into how they can impact your operation.