# Forklift batteries



## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

Seems as golf cart batteries are no longer any good and looking to upgrade the system. Anyone run forklift batteries on their PV? Running (6) 405 watt bifacial panels for power which should be enough for getting them excited enough since the plates are thick. Someone has one or I should say a forklift that has one no one wants to buy it to fix it but the battery is 36V they got it up to 37V if that is they know what they are doing. Figure reconfigure it for 24V and have 6 cells for spare to replace any bad ones.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

We had a Clark electric forklift at our warehouse for years.
The battery was big enough it took another forklift to pick it up. When the battery finally died, a reconditioned one was $3,000. 
The fork was so old, we sent it to the scrap yard instead of spending the money.


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## 2020 Convert (Dec 24, 2020)

Been following some of these auctions lately. They use forklift batteries of the solar system trailers.









DC Solar Bankruptcy: Palmer, TX MSG Configuration A


BANKRUPTCY - 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM - 20+Mobile Solar Generator Trailers in Palmer, TX. Auction held in cooperation with BidIndustrial.com, LLC. DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, THIS AUCTION HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH FEB. 25TH.




www.cunninghamauctions.com


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

rice paddy daddy said:


> We had a Clark electric forklift at our warehouse for years.
> The battery was big enough it took another forklift to pick it up. When the battery finally died, a reconditioned one was $3,000.
> The fork was so old, we sent it to the scrap yard instead of spending the money.


Depends on the battery size of AH (Amps Hour) based on 6 hr rating is of what size that would of fixed that forklift is what the price would been for one.
I got a backhoe to move it around with which is fine, I seen the one I am wanting weights around 2000 lbs.
This guy bought it from someone and someone messed with controls on turning it on so I guess he isn't tech savy so he wants to sell the unit and no one wants to buy the unit cause not many are smart enough to fix it and I don't want to buy it for $950. So I offered $300 for the battery based on the numbers given and he is willing to sell it for said price which according to his math is twice the price of scrap lead battery.
"IF his numbers were correct of only getting it up 37 volts (70%) of the 985 AH at 20 hr rating would put it at 689.5 AH at 20 hr then times that by 1.5 for 24V system (correct me if I am wrong) but would equate to 1033.55 AH at 20 hr rating for 24V @ 70%


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

2020 Convert said:


> Been following some of these auctions lately. They use forklift batteries of the solar system trailers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah, bit too much for $9500. I could buy more forklift batteries and solar panels than these units go for. Already got more generators ready to be used than I can throw a stick at here diesel/propane and not enough panels on those to charge those forklift batteries, only thing saving those batteries is the 11KW genset. Plus the drive to get there, gee that would be cost prohibitive. Though thanks for the reply and looking out for me on this post.


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## 2020 Convert (Dec 24, 2020)

Weldman said:


> Yeah, bit too much for $9500. I could buy more forklift batteries and solar panels than these units go for. Already got more generators ready to be used than I can throw a stick at here diesel/propane and not enough panels on those to charge those forklift batteries, only thing saving those batteries is the 11KW genset. Plus the drive to get there, gee that would be cost prohibitive. Though thanks for the reply and looking out for me on this post.


No problem. I have been watching for the trailer. They have a Config I which is just the solar trailer without genset and tryin to figure out how to tie the batteries into my system. Config I has been going for price of a decent trailer. Dont know where you are, but they have had these all over, lately TX, Las Vegas, Sacramento.


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

2020 Convert said:


> No problem. I have been watching for the trailer. They have a Config I which is just the solar trailer without genset and tryin to figure out how to tie the batteries into my system. Config I has been going for price of a decent trailer. Dont know where you are, but they have had these all over, lately TX, Las Vegas, Sacramento.


If you are a grid tie in system I can't help you but if you are off grid I could assist on tying batteries into your system. Not an expert here but 2 years ago I left the grid with 2 golf cart batteries and a generator living in a truck camper, still in truck camper but now rocking (6) 405W bifacial panels (which you should read about) running (8) 6V batteries on 24V system. Freezer runs 24/7 here that also freezes water bottles for ice chest for past year or two a diesel heater, inverter 18 hrs a day and anything 120V, laptops/cell phone booster.
What killed my batteries early is a stint in a rain forest twice in two years that spanned over 6 months each time with peak sun hours of 1.5 versus average of 3 or more. Also with undersized system of 1200 watts to 440 AH 24V battery system, yeah I know not enough panels, but it is what I had and ran with it cause life also ran too.
I also have seen those on few websites they are in Baytown TX too, but they are too far away.


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## 2020 Convert (Dec 24, 2020)

Grid tied here.

Just to justify the cost, I was thinking about taking some of it off grid.

Putting barn on half the panels and battery. My deep well pump on the other half. Barn is on a non-code hookup anyway.

to clarify : if I could figure out how to use 2 separate solar systems/battery’s on this trailer, it will make it worthwhile for 4K


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

2020 Convert said:


> Grid tied here.
> 
> Just to justify the cost, I was thinking about taking some of it off grid.
> 
> ...


I don't think it is worth it since I can't even find a forklift battery that is that low of 468 AH @ 48V which isn't much power. First need to see how much all you are powering up and how long it runs, is it AC or DC pump which I surmise AC pump which you need to convert AC to DC in amps draw or get close with it, then you figure out your C rating on the battery you are buying though rule of thumb is no more than 1C (Coulomb’s Law) of how much you can pull before it depletes the battery to 50% DoD when you actually don't even want to go below 20% SoC. In layman's terms for 468 AH battery which probably rated at 6 hr rate would equal to what you normally see on batteries of 738 AH a 20 hr rate which means you can use up to 369 AH which you don't really want to if you can help it but, your max on that one would be .5C if you drew it out over 20 hr period which is only 18.45 amps per hour max in 20 hrs.
Then you got to calculate your average sunlight hours to replenish the draw, my head is spinning at this point


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

It's surprising not many others are here on this thread cause when they cut the power when SHTF your Honda generator isn't going to save your ass as long as off grid system would.
Anywho, I bought the forklift battery don't know when it will be here yet but will say it weighs 1100 lbs its a 24-85-9 the lowest they make in 48V configuration. Reason I did that is didn't want to buy more panels and these take at least 10 percent or more AH coming in that they are rated for.
With that said I am running 24V system will move up to 48V system so in mean time the battery has 504 AH at 20C at 48V which equates to 1008 AH at 20C at 24V configuration. 
The way one changes the voltage on these if no one messed with them before is there is 2V cells (24) cells and they can be pulled out one at a time if you want but, you reconfigure the bus bars that connect them all into series to series/parallel. 
Don't have enough to solar/battery charger to run monthly equalization keep all 1008 AH's happy so I will reconfigure it to take the negative bus that connects them in parallel and run it to a switch to switch between the 12 cells. That way once a week I will switch banks till I switch over to 48V.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I looked into forklift batteries a while back. But new they were crazy expensive and I couldn’t find anything used locally. You bought new?


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## KUSA (Apr 21, 2016)

Weldman said:


> It's surprising not many others are here on this thread cause when they cut the power when SHTF your Honda generator isn't going to save your ass as long as off grid system would.
> Anywho, I bought the forklift battery don't know when it will be here yet but will say it weighs 1100 lbs its a 24-85-9 the lowest they make in 48V configuration. Reason I did that is didn't want to buy more panels and these take at least 10 percent or more AH coming in that they are rated for.
> With that said I am running 24V system will move up to 48V system so in mean time the battery has 504 AH at 20C at 48V which equates to 1008 AH at 20C at 24V configuration.
> The way one changes the voltage on these if no one messed with them before is there is 2V cells (24) cells and they can be pulled out one at a time if you want but, you reconfigure the bus bars that connect them all into series to series/parallel.
> Don't have enough to solar/battery charger to run monthly equalization keep all 1008 AH's happy so I will reconfigure it to take the negative bus that connects them in parallel and run it to a switch to switch between the 12 cells. That way once a week I will switch banks till I switch over to 48V.


A 24-85-9 is rated at 340 amp hours. 

24 is the amount of cells
85 is the power rating of the cell
9 is the amount of plates in each cell. There is always an odd amount of plates as there must be an extra positive plate. 
To figure out the AH rating, 9-1=8. Divide that by 2 which is 4. Multiply 4 by 85 and you get 340. 
With that said, you should be able to pull 340 amps for one hour.


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

KUSA said:


> A 24-85-9 is rated at 340 amp hours.
> 
> 24 is the amount of cells
> 85 is the power rating of the cell
> ...


Close but that would be at 6C at 340 AH which to convert a 6hr rating to 20hr rating you can do that by multiplying: AH @ 6hrs x 1.5764705 = AH @ 20hrs. Which looking back at my math is little low on what I put, should be around 536 AH @ 20C and by dividing the voltage in two from series to series/parallel it would double the AH to 1072 give or take a few, not that one gets more out of it.
24-85-9 Forklift Battery, 48 Volt, 340 Ah (at 6 hr.)


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

Chiefster23 said:


> I looked into forklift batteries a while back. But new they were crazy expensive and I couldn’t find anything used locally. You bought new?


No I bought reconditioned on Ebay $1500 which won't give me the full AH as if it were new but it's enough when comparing it to Group 903 AKA L16 batteries on price per pound of Pb and being such thick lead plates last way longer than latter of the two batteries. More maintenance i.e. they love their water and water miser caps or watering system that connects all the cells help but you get more life out of them, especially if you got the panels to really keep them cooking hot enough.


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## Smit974 (Mar 15, 2020)

I have my own business selling and installing solar. I would recommend lithium batteries for battery back up but pay close attn to the cycle rate.


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

Smit974 said:


> I have my own business selling and installing solar. I would recommend lithium batteries for battery back up but pay close attn to the cycle rate.


I am living off grid with all this I am doing, there is no power lines here. Plus it gets below 32 Fahrenheit quiet a bit here I don't have place to keep them above temperature and won't for awhile. Lithium can't put out the AH I need for price I can afford unless I invested thousands of dollars worth unless I played with used Tesla packs and BMS's.


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## agmccall (Jan 26, 2017)

When I started I purchased 2 24volt forklift batteries connected them for 48v. Will never do it again. First you have to keep them out of your house due to the off gassing. That was OK as I have a detached garage. If you look at a forklift battery it is just 2 volt batteries connected. So, if you have a 24v battery it is just 12 2v batteries. You would be better off purchasing the 2 volt batteries if for no other reason, the ease of moving and or replacing a single battery. 

I had some of the individual batteries go bad and now I will need a block and tackle just to get the bad ones out as well as special tools to remove the connectors. Do yourself a favor, buy individual 2v batteries and build an insulated box to hold them. The price will be about the same

al


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## Weldman (Nov 7, 2020)

agmccall said:


> When I started I purchased 2 24volt forklift batteries connected them for 48v. Will never do it again. First you have to keep them out of your house due to the off gassing. That was OK as I have a detached garage. If you look at a forklift battery it is just 2 volt batteries connected. So, if you have a 24v battery it is just 12 2v batteries. You would be better off purchasing the 2 volt batteries if for no other reason, the ease of moving and or replacing a single battery.
> 
> I had some of the individual batteries go bad and now I will need a block and tackle just to get the bad ones out as well as special tools to remove the connectors. Do yourself a favor, buy individual 2v batteries and build an insulated box to hold them. The price will be about the same
> 
> al


I have a backhoe with few other overhead lifting apparatuses and have looked at 2V batteries just seem to come up short on price. If you know of where to look for such cheaper ones than $83 after shipping I'm open to learn and explore more, I don't know it all. Not opposed to $100 for each bank too. I do know of the off gassing and have separate building for them just as if I had Lithium batteries to prevent any run away fires, gases or explosions.


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