Frequently Asked QuestionsFast Charging
Battery Maintenance
Lift Truck Operations
Battery Efficiency and Battery Life
Minit-Charger A: "Fast Charging" makes use of high powered, specialized battery chargers to recharge lift trucks in lieu of traditional battery changing. Charging is done on an opportunity basis during operator breaks, lunches and shift changes. Minit-Charger delivers a charge current that is up to four times higher than conventional chargers during these periods to ensure battery state of charge remains high throughout the work day. | Back to Top | Q: What do you mean by "Opportunity" Charging? A: This refers to the ability to restore ampere-hours to the battery whenever the operator has an opportunity. Whenever the truck is idle as part of the operator's routine, he/she plugs in to charge and capacity is restored to the battery. Opportunities arise on the dock while waiting for a shipment to arrive, on the assembly line between rack deliveries, during lunch breaks, during mid-shift breaks, between shifts, etc. In this manner, the ampere-hours are restored to the battery at different times during the day and productive time is not lost changing batteries. Using Minit-Charger, operators are encouraged to charge as often as possible. | Back to Top | Q: What is an "I-V-I" temperature compensated fast charger? A: "I-V-I" (Constant current - constant voltage - constant current) is the expression used to describe the decades old charging profile found in various traditional and fast charger competitors of Minit-Charger. In addition, competitors frequently rely on "temperature compensation" as the primary method of controlling charge output. This inadequate approach results in significant charger output reduction as batteries warm up to their working temperatures. Reduced output frequently leads to detrimental lower state of charge and lower state of charge results in higher temperature. In heavy operations, vicious downward spiral begins resulting in overheated batteries and trucks running out of charge. To reduce the limitations of this fast charge approach competitors frequently recommend "air gapped" (cooled) batteries or lift truck farms - adding cost to the installation. Minit-Charger's unique patented charge approach is not I-V-I and strikes the balance necessary to keep trucks running. In head to head demonstrations, Minit-Charger routinely trounces the competition by holding a higher charge rate while maintaining lower battery temperatures. | Back to Top | A: Yes. A number of safety features are designed into the Minit-Charger starting with the charge control method. Additional features include fast shutdown on disconnect, battery health status monitoring before charge, cable management design, and full automatic charging (avoiding operator mistakes) provide a high level of operating safety. Additional safety comes onto Minit-Charger's account by elimination of handling heavy batteries and avoidance of lift truck aisle traffic due to battery changing trips. | Back to Top | Q: Is a battery module required in fast charging? A: Battery modules are devices that are placed on top of the battery to communicate certain battery characteristics. There are generally two kinds of battery modules: (a) battery module that merely communicates pre-programmed amp-hr capacity and voltage and battery identification number, and (b) an intelligent battery module that does all of the foregoing plus added battery status information used to control the charger output. Fast charging involves high amp charge rates which must be controlled to assure safety and long battery life. Therefore, if a battery module is not provided, there exists only minimal charger control which subsequently can provide safety risk to the operation such as thermal runaway. Every Minit-Charger uses battery modules to safely control the charger output for optimum charge rates. Minit-Charger further utilizes the battery module to log performance data for later download and analysis using Minit-Trak. | Back to Top | Q. Does fast charging take up a lot of space? A: No. Minit-Charger has several layout design strategies that minimize space use. Trucks take up the majority of space required and this is true whether they are fast charged or use battery changing - you still have to park the trucks somewhere. A side advantage of using Minit-Charger is that it organizes the trucks out of the aisles at break time and allows the following shift's operators to easily find their vehicle without having to waste time looking for their truck. | Back to Top | Q: What type of battery is used with Minit-Charger? A: Standard flooded lead acid batteries with standard tray sizes and amp-hour capacities are used. Batteries require minor modifications consisting of an additional set of charge cables and, in most cases, double cell interconnects to handle the fast charge currents. Single point watering systems are also added to allow convenient watering while the battery remains in the lift truck. Competitors typically require special order, extra cost air-gapped batteries to control heat from flawed charging for even moderate duty applications. | Back to Top | Q: Isn't partial charging harmful to batteries? A: Historically, conventional I-V-I chargers create detrimental overcharge conditions for a battery during each charge cycle, so battery suppliers warrant battery life by referencing a specific number of charge cycles on their batteries. With Minit-Charger, the charge is accurately controlled according to the battery's ability to restore the charge without unintended overcharge. Without detrimental overcharge, it is no longer relevant to count cycles. The term "charge cycle", used in conventional charging, means full charge cycles and is not applicable to fast charging / partial charge cycles. Fast charge warranties available from major battery manufacturers do not make reference to charge cycles. | Back to Top | Q: Do operators still need to wait until the truck reaches 80% depth of discharge before charging? A: No. In fact, operators are encouraged to charge as often as is practical in their work schedules. They will no longer have to cut into valuable production time to stop work and change batteries. In fact, many facility managers often place Minit-Charger stations exactly where the trucks are operating. In this way, the trucks are charged where they are used and when they have the opportunity. This can often increase worker productivity by eliminating transit time to and from the battery room. | Back to Top | Q: What about special ventilation needs when charging batteries? A: Minit-Charger's accuracy in delivering the optimal charge rate under all battery conditions means that even the end of charge is well controlled. Conventional or fast I-V-I chargers typically don't have this level of control. They continue to push more energy into the battery than it can store, leading to detrimental overcharge. This overcharge energy causes batteries to overheat, gas excessively, require more frequent maintenance (watering) and may frequently result in overflow conditions. Minit-Charger's controlled optimal charging results in lower battery temperature and dramatically reduced gassing levels far below OSHA/NEC accepted limits. | Back to Top | Q: Isn't gassing needed by the battery? A: Some gassing is intentionally induced to prevent acid stratification by stirring the electrolyte. Minit-Charger's patent pending anti-stratification method controls the very minimal level of gassing required by the battery. | Back to Top | Q: What about watering the batteries? | Back to Top | Q: Does Minit-Charger work with trucks operating in a freezer? A: Yes. Freezer operations experience shows a perfect fit with Minit-Charger. The inherent cold environment is used by Minit-Charger to assure high throughput with the battery. Many of the traditional low battery capacity problems in freezer work are eliminated. | Back to Top | Q. What is meant by "dedicated" or "single station" fast chargers? A: Chargers that are matched at a one-to-one ratio with lift trucks, i.e., one fast charger for each lift truck. Typically used in heavy manufacturing, this ratio provides the greatest amount of charge return for a given time period. However, this comes at the cost of a high peak power requirement on the facility. If you're an automotive manufacturer with other heavy equipment consuming large amounts of power this may not be important. If you're a distribution center, this can quickly increase utility bills by incurring excessive and costly peak power demand charges. That's why Minit-Charger offers a complete product line of fast chargers including advanced priority multi-station chargers. | Back to Top | Q: What are the advantages of Minit-Charger Multi-Station Priority Charging over "parallel" charging? A: Minit-Charger's patented Priority Charging offers several advantages over "parallel" charging:
Minit-Charger's superior charging methods combine to keep the fleet running and batteries healthy. And Minit-Charger protects you from demand power spikes that can raise your power bills. | Back to Top | Q. Will I have to increase my fork lift count in order to use fast charging? A: No. The objective of fast charging is to change the way your lift trucks are charged thereby delivering significant savings - not to change your fleet count. | Back to Top | Q. Are maintenance costs higher with fast charging? A: No. Maintenance cost will be reduced for operations that currently use battery changing as the means to re-power the forklift. | Back to Top | Q. Will I encounter higher wear and tear on my lift truck with fast charging? A: No. Maintenance cost for lift trucks will be the same or less when using Minit-Charger. Some customers have reported significant lift truck maintenance cost reduction with consistent use of Minit-Charger. | Back to Top | Q. Will operators adapt to using fast charge after changing batteries? A: Yes. As in any change, operators require a brief learning period as they switch over to Minit-Charger use. Minit-Charger provides start-up training to management and team leaders as well as operators for each installation. As operators see the convenience and ease of use with Minit-Charger and contrast that to changing batteries, operators quickly become fans of the system. As one operator said: "It's as easy as pumping gas!" | Back to Top | Q. Will I encounter lift truck downtime if the fast charger requires repair? A: No. Strategies are available in the event a charger is inoperative and requires repair. Temporarily staggering breaks easily circumvents any charge downtime event. Minit-Charger's nationwide service and support network is ready to get you back up and running in the event of a problem. | Back to Top | Q. Will my lift trucks require fans in order to manage battery heat? A: Not with Minit-Charger. Some competitors recommend addition of lift truck battery compartment fans to provide active air cooling for batteries. This extra cost (between $600 to $1000 per truck) is incurred only when flawed charge control is used. | Back to Top | Q. What can I do with my current battery change equipment if buy fast chargers? A: Typically, customers sell their change equipment or re-deploy to sister company facilities. A variety of solutions are available from your Minit-Charger Regional Manager or Authorized Sales Representative. | Back to Top | Q. Will I incur additional electricity costs using fast charging? A: Electricity costs are typically equal or less than conventional charging. Minit-Charger's efficient charging method, enhanced power section technology and multi-station advanced priority charging help to control electricity consumption and peak demand power. | Back to Top | Q. Will rapid cycling of batteries reduce efficiency? A: No. Five years of Minit-Charger commercial service experience as well as independent battery lab tests indicate that battery life is unaffected by Minit-Charger. | Back to Top | Q. What kind of battery life can I expect with fast charging? A: Minit-Charger experience has typically been 3 calendar years. Some operations exceed 3 years and even 4 years in multi-shift service. Remember that 3 years calendar life in a 2 shift operation is equivalent to approximately 6 years of conventional charging single shift service. Battery life is dependent on a number of factors including amp-hr throughput, care and watering and consistent use of all fast charge system components - truck, battery and fast charger. | Back to Top | Q. How do I know my fleet won't run out of charge with fast charging? A: Minit-Charger prides itself in a history of application success. Our staff's long time lift truck industry experience coupled with specific simulation tools and data gathering tools make up a part of a standard process that ensures success. Minit-Charger has been successfully applied to a large variety of operations. | Back to Top | Q.
Why should I consider Minit-Charger? A: Extensive Commercial Application Experience Complete Line of Proven Fast Charging Products Responsive Service and Technical Support | Back to Top | |
