My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

Photowhit
Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
Today my Forklift Battery arrive an hour or so before I had to go to work. The General Battery is new I haven't check the SG, I'm just excited, of course it's still 10 feet or so from my battery box,.

I was going to have the company backhoe drop it into the box, but decided with a leaver and a fulcrum I can move the world... or at least an 1100 lb battery. We have a nice a nice day forecast for Wed so I'll take my time and move it slowly into the box. I already had the front off of the box.

General Battery was a bit of a nightmare, I didn't respond to the original quote until it had expired (20 days) but I wanted to talk with them since my request for and appliance side wire connector to match the forklift connection with 3' of wire 1/0 with a 3/8 lug on the negative, the positive needed no connector as it was going directly into a breaker. They responded 3' 4/0 $85, no specified connectors.

When I called in they person who had originally done the quote was on vacation, the guy handling the accounts said the quote was still good, I asked if I could just have flags terminals and do my own wires as there was some confusion on the wiring. He said that was fine so I Emailed him back the specs and price, he didn't respond, I actually had to OK the specs via phone with no confirming price or specs, I had them increase my debit card limits for 2 weeks but when the tried to bill the bank had no recall... so they called me I called the bank 30 minutes and they had their money.

The battery did arrive has flags I think the drill is only 1/4 inch maybe 5/16 but I doubt 3/8ths. Yesterday the company sent me a tax number form, where clearly the quote covered all applicable taxes, and it was clear I am the end user. That said the price was lower than their on line price by a little and another $180 savings on taxes. Only time will tell.
Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
- Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.

Comments

  • Seven
    Seven Solar Expert Posts: 292 ✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    I am excited for you. I know that feeling. Like Christmas as a kid, or getting something off of layaway. Oh boy, I remember layaway .I am old.[PHP][/PHP]
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    Make sure your lever does not rip the sheet metal, and tear the battery cases !

    Get a half dozen 3/4 " steel pipes and get it on top of them to roll...
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • mikeo
    mikeo Solar Expert Posts: 386 ✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...
    I was going to have the company backhoe drop it into the box, but decided with a leaver and a fulcrum I can move the world... or at least an 1100 lb battery. a nice a nice day forecast for Wed so I'll take my time and move it slowly into the box. I already had the front off of the box.
    Just a reminder, do be careful, no use saving that money just to spend it at the doctors office. When my two smaller 600+ pound batteries were delivered, we made a set of 2x4 slider boards on the ground and the guy that delivered them slid them about 15 feet into place. He did know what he was doing as he has sold and delivered large batteries for many years.
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    Congrats on the battery! Some people will wonder how it's possible to get excited about a lump of lead.... ;)

    Mine arrived in its metal case and the delivery truck had a small crane attached so getting it onto the floor wasn't a problem. But then getting it into place in the shed was a bit tricky, ended up using a manual pallet trolley. The delivery guy and I managed to wiggle all 2000lbs of it into place in a few minutes.... left it on the pallet in case it needs to be moved in the future.
  • Joe_B
    Joe_B Solar Expert Posts: 318 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    A better alternative to levers and pipe is a cherry picker engine hoist and some nylon slings.
  • Urbandialect
    Urbandialect Solar Expert Posts: 107 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    a Forklift battery, That's awesome!! i want one :( but they are so expensive and I can't find anyone selling a used one. A forklife battery isn't that 48 volts?
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    They come in different voltages--but 12/24/36/48 volt ones are common.

    I am sure there must be others too...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mikeo
    mikeo Solar Expert Posts: 386 ✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...
    but they are so expensive and I can't find anyone selling a used one.
    Make friends with your local industrial battery suppliers. They service and lease batteries and have some coming in off lease. Also they replace batteries with one bad cell and have the ability to dissemble a fork lift battery, load test each cell and reassemble a good battery with cells at or near 90% of new. These usually come with some sort of warrantee and are about 1/2 price of new.
  • SCharles
    SCharles Solar Expert Posts: 123 ✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    Congratulations, you did well. My forklift batteries have lasted almost 20 years and are still working ok, not like brand new but not badly. The co. that sold them to me was fearful that a PV system would not charge them adequately, but I have had zero problems. All I have to charge with is PV. Can't argue with 20 years' service.

    I moved mine by rolling on some 2" steel pipe I happened to have lying around. If you are rolling across a floor, put down some scrap plywood or something so the pipe does not scratch or mar the surface. If across the ground, I would put down a couple of 2 x 10 boards, then the pipe on top of them. I've done that with a 1000 lb. weight and it did just fine.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    Well all went well. I'm not a little guy and actually figured I could still pick up one side and walk it in, when I was a kid I could max out the big 1800-2200?lb nautalus(misspelt but I'm on my kindle and can't search) but I could only side this a bit and could not lift one side. but it was on a pallet so I made a slight incline ramp from a couple 4x4's very clear wood. took 45 minutes or so to get it built then just 15 or so to work the battery into the box with a PT 2x4 as a leaver.

    When I checked the SG most were right on the 12.85 speced, 2 or 3 were 13.00 and one was 12.65. Likely just need a bit of seasoning. They are Equalizing now.

    Well I'm good for a while. Time to finish my story/post about 'How I grew a system' a question that seems to come up from time to time.

    Whit via Kindle
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    Hello, Mikeo is correct, check out your local battery shop.
    Try to sneak around to the back door so you dont get stalled at the receptionist whom doesnt understand what you are talking about.
    Be friendly, sympatize with the heat and fumes they must endure to do thier work. Remember also, THEY ARE THE EXPERTS :).
    A dozen donuts at morning break time goes a long way.
    I was able to get a couple of very nice AGM motive batteries (36 volt @960 ah) 2 volt cells, at a very nice price. They were load tested with documentation. Almost like new. Finding a shop that services a auto plant improves your odds.
    Also check out local industrial auctions, Dovebid, etc.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    After the 2 hour equalizing and a regular days charging, the cell was up to 12.85, alas I broke my hydrometer in my rush to get the box closed up, we had rain moving in. I must have dropped it to quickly onto the plate I use to carry it around until I can get things rinsed off. The inner tube was broken, so I used a cheapy plastic auto one and only compared 2 cells one that had been 13.00 and the low one at 12.65, the 12.65 was up to 12.85 and the 13.00 was just shy of 13.00.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Thom
    Thom Solar Expert Posts: 196 ✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    So are they working ?
    Thom
    Off grid since 1984. 430w of panel, 300w suresine , 4 gc batteries 12v system, Rogue mpt3024 charge controller , air breeze windmill, Mikita 2400w generator . Added 2@ 100w panel with a midnight brat 
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...
    Thom wrote: »
    So are they working ?
    Thom
    Well... Of course.
    I live off grid w/o generator or other backup source. Down time about 10 minutes.

    ...alas the hydrometer is toast. It's the inner float I broke. a replacment will be here next week sometime.

    Even though I plan on baking bread at noon Tuesday, the real test won't be until next summer, when the airconditioning challenge begins.

    No real challenge when the nights fall into the 60's. I'll update in 10 months! LOL
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well I see the 7 year anniversary is here. I missed the 10 month review by about 6 years!  lol

    A few months after the battery arrived the community that the property is in changed the covenants and I could no longer live there. I found a much larger 'tin can' (mobile home) 16 x 60 at a real bargain setup on 3 acres, with pretty good location for solar. By the next summer I was connected to the grid for most of a year, taking down trees and building the new array. The battery had light duty that summer, I would stay once in a while and run the Air conditioner, just to keep the costs at the new place down until the new place was ready to go off grid.

    While I was working on my new place, I suspect someone poisoned one of the cells in the battery, The electrolyte turned dark, but the SG was good. It never cleared up a lot. After a few years, the SG has since gone down and been the lowest in the battery, but serviceable.  Moving an 1100lb battery was interesting but on 1 day when things were going all wrong, it was a great goal and I managed to load it on my 5x8 trailer by my self and move it to the new location. Getting it placed took a few days.

    I'm happy to say after upping the absorb time last fall by an hour, the battery seems to be in good stride. Ran the air conditioner with maybe 80% duty cycle last night (80+) and it managed 8pm - 10am with little meaningful charging very well. Along with the fridge running in the hot temps, figured I pulled near 7 Kwhs of it's 16Kwhs rated (by me) without a problem. Now I need a couple cool nights so I can run an equalizing charge as the battery temp is a bit high.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Bet you're wondering where all the time went, over 2000 cycles, temperature can be a killer but at least you get some relief during winter, the longest time my bank was below 25°C was about 2 weeks, usually between 30 & 36, hense the move to Lifepo4 which tolerate heat somewhat better as well as being smaller and lighter, could be installed in a small refrigerator, if needed. Let's hope you get another 7 years from the battery!
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • MGar
    MGar Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭✭
    Re: My Forklift Battery is so Close I can Touch it...

    a Forklift battery, That's awesome!! i want one :( but they are so expensive and I can't find anyone selling a used one. A forklife battery isn't that 48 volts?

    In 2012 when I priced battery's they where the lowset cost per kw hour and last the longest. Mine are BBI 1250 amp hour (17 plates) at 20 hours 4 units x 24 volts. And at 60 volts charge current is less than 1% ~20 amps! Much better than "Golf cart" by many miles.

    You could also look a LiFeYp04 they also have long life.. I got 10 kw hour of them as a "buffer" for cloudy days
    Lithium is the best way to go as no watering, but you will either have to charge at <=.3 C
    (This is next to impossible with solar most days)
    Or have a Battery Cell management system.. The will go off balance really fast at low charge rates, and be ruined.