How much does an electric forklift battery weight

How much does an electric forklift battery weight

Does the weight of your forklift battery affect its performance? Just because it is not a performance indicator, it does not mean that the weight of your battery cannot affect its performance and efficiency. With many heavy batteries having caused a lot of hazards and damage to operational efficiency, material handling companies are beginning to pay attention to how much their electric forklift batteries weigh.

The question on every forklift owner’s lips is how much does an electric forklift battery weigh? Experienced forklift owners and operators know that the weight of your forklift battery can greatly affect its performance. People whose business operations are driven by a fleet of forklift machines are aware that it is important to buy the right battery type.

Lithium-Ion Forklift Battery Manufacturers Companies

However, it seems that many people never actually consider the weight of their forklift batteries before buying them. The fact is that the battery weight significantly affects your operational costs. This post looks to investigate the way battery weight may affect various areas of the operation of the forklift machine.

What is the average weight of the battery of a forklift machine?

When it comes to how much the batteries of electric forklifts weigh, they could be heavy and in tons. The average weight of your lithium forklift batteries can be anything between 1,000 pounds and 4,000 pounds. This weight range depends on your forklift type. Since there are various types of forklifts in the market, they all come with various battery weights. Also, several factors will determine the final weight of a lithium forklift battery. Many batteries for the electric forklift are generally available in these common voltages: 36 volts, 48 volts, and 80 volts. These batteries are rated thus:

36 volts: Used for electric forklifts, narrow aisle electric forklifts, and centre riders/end riders

48 volts: Used for powering electric forklift machines

80 volts: Used to power electric forklift machines

With most forklift batteries, higher capacities and voltages usually mean that the battery is heavier. Also, based on several factors, like the actual height and width of the battery, the heaviest 24-volt lithium battery could be heavier than the lightest 36-volt battery.

How the composition of a battery affects the weight

The composition of a battery significantly affects its weight. Electric forklifts are typically powered by either lithium ion or lead acid batteries. This means that the technology that is used to drive each type of battery greatly differs.

This affects the weight of the battery as well as the general efficiency provided by the forklift. When it comes to considering forklift battery weights, it is always good to compare the two most popular types of batteries. These are lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

Lead-acid batteries: These are the traditional forklift batteries. This battery comes full of liquid and also has a removable top that helps in maintaining the level of the water. Lead-acid batteries are used to generate electricity by triggering a chemical reaction between the sulfuric acid and the lead plates.

Lithium-ion batteries: These types of batteries come with a more recent technology which usually features various chemical compositions. These batteries feature various chemicals, however, Lithium Iron Phosphate is the most preferred chemical for the material handling industry. The use of Lithium Iron Phosphate as the preferred battery chemistry means that the battery pack is more energy dense and compact in comparison to the lead-acid option.

Furthermore, the cells of this type of battery are sealed shut. This means that there wouldn’t be any water maintenance. Also, when it comes to weight, Lithium batteries seem to weigh a lot less when compared to a normal lead-acid batteries. According to general rating specifications, lithium batteries seem to weigh between 40% and 60% less than lead-acid batteries.

How come lithium-ion batteries weigh a lot less?

Lithium-ion batteries have been optimized to weigh a lot less to enhance the general efficiency of the battery. As a process improvement measure, manufacturers discovered that the weight of the lead acid battery inhibits the general performance of the forklift machine. Therefore, when the time came for the lithium batteries to be produced, the weight was considerably made to be smaller to be able to enhance the general efficiency of the machine.

This meant that a light metal was used to design the lithium forklift battery. Lithium batteries are also known to come with an increased energy density. This means that they can be manoeuvred to weight a lot less and have a smaller form factor.

Excess forklift battery weight may cause some injuries

Back to the heavy lead-acid batteries. Apart from their excess weight, they also require a stringent maintenance process. This usually means that you will need to remove the batteries to properly get them charged. This means that as a warehouse or industrial facility operator, you will need to spend some money to buy some type of lifting equipment. These can be used to raise out the batteries from the forklifts many times in a day.

However, on the other hand, lithium batteries usually save you the hardworking because they do not need routine maintenance processes like lead-acid batteries. With this specification, you do not need to handle this battery regularly. The only time you get to lift them is at the beginning of the battery service life and the end of the lifespan of the battery. This means that your equipment will avoid the daily wear and tear that comes with the regular routines of getting the battery removed and inserted back into the forklift machine.

You must consider the weight capacity of the battery before you purchase it. Even if your forklift requires a lithium battery, you have to be careful with the battery weight. Any excess battery weight that is far beyond what the forklift machine can take, there could be a risk of the machine tipping over. This may cause some serious injury to the operators and may also damage your battery. This is a nasty accident that can be avoided by understanding the various battery specifications as well as their fit for your forklift machine.