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In the logistics warehousing, factory workshop and other scenes, forklift as an important handling equipment, its power source lead-acid battery selection is very important. The correct selection of lead-acid batteries can not only ensure the efficient and stable operation of forklifts, but also reduce the cost of use and extend the life of equipment. The model of the battery actually hides a lot of key information that determines its performance and applicability. Below we will delve into the selection points of lead-acid batteries for forklifts.

Basic knowledge of lead-acid batteries

A lead-acid battery is a battery whose electrode is mainly made of lead and its oxide and whose electrolyte is a sulfuric acid solution. In the discharge state, the main component of the positive electrode is lead dioxide, and the main component of the negative electrode is lead. In the charging state, the main components of the positive and negative electrodes are lead sulfate. It has the advantages of stable voltage, relatively cheap price and good performance of high current discharge, so it is widely used in the field of forklift trucks. However, it also has disadvantages such as low specific energy (less electric energy stored per kilogram of battery), limited service life, and regular maintenance of some types.

The common types of lead-acid batteries are ordinary batteries, dry-charged batteries and maintenance-free batteries. The common battery plate is composed of lead and lead oxide, the electrolyte is sulfuric acid aqueous solution, the voltage is stable, the price is low, but the specific energy is low, the life is short and the maintenance is frequent. Dry charged battery full name dry charged lead-acid battery, negative plate storage capacity is high, fully dry state can be stored in two years, when the use of electrolyte, wait for 20-30 minutes to use. Maintenance-free battery due to its own structural advantages, the electrolyte consumption is small, the service life basically does not need to supplement distilled water, but also has the characteristics of shock resistance, high temperature resistance, small size, small self-discharge, etc., the service life is usually twice that of ordinary batteries.

Forklift operating conditions and battery selection

Operating environment

   ■Temperature: If the forklift works in a cold environment, such as a cold storage, select a lead-acid battery with good low-temperature performance. Some models add "d" batteries, which have better low-temperature starting performance. Because low temperature will increase the internal resistance of the battery and increase the viscosity of the electrolyte, resulting in a decrease in battery capacity and poor charge and discharge performance. By optimizing plate materials and electrolyte formula, such batteries can maintain good performance at low temperatures to ensure normal start-up and operation of forklifts.

  ■Humidity: In environments with high humidity, such as ports and aquatic processing plants, consider the sealing performance of batteries. Maintenance-free lead-acid batteries due to their structural advantages, good sealing, can effectively prevent electrolyte leakage, reduce the risk of corrosion, compared with ordinary open batteries more suitable for such environments. At the same time, pay attention to the corrosion resistance of the battery shell material to ensure that in a humid and possibly corrosive gas environment, the battery shell will not be quickly corroded and damaged, affecting the service life.

  ■Dust and vibration: In places where there is a lot of dust and large vibration during operation, such as mines and cement plants, high vibration resistance batteries should be selected, such as products with "hd" after the model. Good anti-vibration design can prevent the plate from loosening and the active substance from falling off, ensure the internal structure of the battery is stable, and avoid the battery performance decline or even damage due to vibration. In addition, a well-sealed battery can prevent dust from entering the battery and affecting its normal operation.

Work intensity and duration

  ■Frequent short-distance operation: For forklifts that frequently load and unload goods and carry them in short distances in the warehouse, their work is characterized by frequent start and stop. In this case, the battery needs to have a good large current discharge performance, which can quickly provide enough power to meet the frequent start-up needs of forklifts. For example, some lead-acid batteries using special plate structures and materials can release large currents in a short time, adapt to frequent short-distance working conditions of forklifts, and ensure efficient operation of forklifts.

  ■Long-term continuous operation: If the forklift needs to work continuously for a long time, such as the cargo transfer forklift in the logistics park, the working hours are long every day, the battery capacity requirements are high. A large-capacity lead-acid battery, such as a 48V battery pack with a capacity of more than 400Ah, should be selected to ensure that the forklift can continue to work for a long time without frequent charging. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the battery's endurance and charging time, try to choose a battery with a relatively fast charging speed, reduce the waiting time for the forklift to charge, and improve the working efficiency.

The forklift type adapts to batteries

  ■Counterweight forklift: This type of forklift is widely used and has a large load capacity. It usually requires a high-power lead-acid battery to provide power to meet the needs of heavy cargo handling, frequent lifting and driving. Generally, the voltage is 48V, 60V or 80V, and the capacity is 300-800Ah battery packs. For example, for a counterweight forklift with a load capacity of 3-5 tons, a lead-acid battery set of about 48V and 500Ah is more suitable, which can be adjusted according to the actual operation intensity and duration.

  ■Electric pallet truck: mainly used for horizontal handling of goods, the operation speed is relatively slow, the load capacity is generally less than 2 tons. Its battery power requirements are relatively low, can choose the voltage of 24V or 36V, the capacity of 100-300Ah lead-acid battery. Such as the common 1 ton electric pallet truck, 24V, 200Ah battery can meet the needs of daily operations, and such batteries are small, light weight, easy to install and maintain.

  ■Forklift: Combining the features of a counterweight forklift and an electric pallet truck, it works in places with limited space such as indoor warehouses. The battery selection needs to consider space limitations and operational needs, generally using a voltage of 48V, the capacity of 200-500Ah lead-acid batteries. Because the forward forklift requires high flexibility in turning, the layout of the battery pack should be reasonably designed to ensure the stability of the center of gravity of the forklift without affecting its operating performance.

Other selection considerations

  ■Brand and quality: Choose a well-known brand of lead-acid battery, its product quality and performance are more guaranteed. Well-known brands usually invest more in research and development, production process, quality control and other aspects, and the batteries produced have better consistency, stability and longer service life. For example, some internationally renowned brands of forklift lead-acid batteries, using advanced production technology and high-quality raw materials, can effectively reduce the internal resistance of the battery, improve charge and discharge efficiency, and extend cycle life.

  ■After-sales service: Good after-sales service is essential for forklift lead-acid batteries. During use, the battery may have various problems, such as reduced capacity and abnormal charging. Quality after-sales service includes timely fault diagnosis and repair, provision of backup batteries to reduce downtime, regular maintenance visits, etc. Choose a brand with wide after-sales service network coverage and fast response speed, which can solve users' worries and ensure the normal operation of forklifts.

  ■Cost-effectiveness: In addition to the purchase price, it is also necessary to consider the service life of the battery, maintenance costs, energy consumption and other factors. Although some high-performance, long-life lead-acid batteries have a higher purchase price, from a long-term perspective, their lower maintenance costs, longer replacement cycles and better energy saving effects can save the overall cost for users. For example, although the purchase price of maintenance-free batteries is higher than that of ordinary batteries, there is no need to add electrolyte frequently during use, the maintenance workload is small, and the long-term use cost is lower.

The selection of lead-acid battery for forklift requires comprehensive consideration of many factors such as battery type, model parameters, operating conditions, forklift type, brand quality, after-sales service and cost effectiveness. Through in-depth understanding of these factors and combined with actual use needs, the most suitable lead-acid battery can be selected to ensure the efficient and stable operation of forklift trucks, and provide strong support for the production and operation of enterprises.