How A Forklift Battery Weight Impacts Your Operation

How much does a forklift weigh? is one of our customers’ most frequent inquiries. When you want to ship a forklift or make sure the one you’re buying isn’t too heavy for the structure it will be used on, this is the right question to ask. A typical African elephant weighs about the same as a forklift. It won’t do much good if you don’t have an elephant ready to scale. Here are a few ways to find out how much a forklift you’re interested in weighs if you want specifics.

The average forklift weighs approximately 9,000 pounds, while the average car weighs approximately 3,000 pounds.

AVERAGE WEIGHT

Forklift Battery Weight Sometimes literally, electric forklift batteries weigh a ton. Depending on the kind of loader, they can range anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 pounds. Additionally, each battery’s final weight is determined by a number of factors.

ELECTRIC FORKLIFT BATTERIES ARE COMMONLY AVAILABLE IN THREE VOLTAGES:

Most of the time, batteries with more capacity and voltage weigh more. However, the heaviest 24V battery may weigh more than the lightest 36V battery, depending on other factors like the actual width and height of the battery.

• 36 Volt: utilized in the end/center riders, electric forklifts, and narrow aisle forklifts.
• 48 Volts:  utilized in electric pick-up trucks
• Utilized in 80-volt electric forklifts:

BATTERY COMPOSITION

The weight of the battery is largely determined by its composition. Although lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries are used to power electric forklifts, the technology behind each type differs greatly, affecting not only the battery’s weight but also the forklift’s overall efficiency.\

Forklift drives are typically powered by lead-acid batteries. A cover that can be removed keeps the water level in this kind of battery, which is filled with liquid. Lead plates and sulfuric acid undergo a chemical reaction to produce electricity in lead-acid batteries.

On the other hand, Li-ion batteries are a relatively new technology that can be made with a wide variety of chemistry. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) is one of the most widely used products in the material handling industry. Because the cells are hermetically sealed, water maintenance is not required, and this type of battery chemistry enables the battery pack to be both more compact and more energy efficient than lead acid.

Additionally, they are typically 40% to 60% lighter than standard lead acid batteries.

WHY DO LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES WEIGH LESS?

The metal lithium itself is light. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries have a significantly higher energy density, making them lighter and smaller.

Manufacturer Tag

The service weight is listed on a manufacturer’s tag that comes with most forklifts. Be careful not to focus on the carrying capacity but rather on the service weight. The amount of weight that the forklift can safely carry is known as its load capacity. The actual weight of the vehicle and all of its accessories is referred to as its service weight. Additionally, the loader’s service manual contains this information.

Estimated weight

When you don’t have official information, you may need to quickly estimate a forklift’s weight. In this instance, all you need to know is the forklift’s load capacity. Take this number, divide it by two, then divide it again by 1.5.The forklift’s weight will most likely fall somewhere in the middle. Let’s look at an illustration.

WHY DO FORKLIFTS WEIGH SO MUCH?

A forklift’s counterweight is the primary factor in its weight. During operation, the forklift will not tip over as a result of this. I hope you now have a better idea of how much a forklift weighs so you can work safely in the environment it was made for.

STORAGE ISSUES

Consider whether you have storage space that can support the weight of the forklift battery, particularly if you have a large number of forklifts, as another factor that affects your operation.

The average lifespan of lead-acid batteries is 5.4 hours, after which they must be charged for 8 hours and cooled for 8 hours. Typically, this is accomplished by disconnecting the batteries from the forklift’s battery charger, placing them on a shelf, and charging them until they are fully charged. They must then undergo an eight-hour cooling-off period.

Because of this, lead-acid batteries require one or more rooms with adequate ventilation. There will need to be room for multiple chargers and space to cool the batteries after they have been fully charged if you have multiple trucks.

The battery’s own weight can be significant. Heavy shelving that can support the weight of storing all those batteries is necessary if you have dozens of running forklifts.

Lithium-ion batteries have the advantage of not needing to be taken out of the truck in order to charge; instead, they can be plugged into a nearby charger while still in the truck. They don’t have to deal with the hassle of storage because they can be charged extra between shifts.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

In a similar vein, due to the fact that lead-acid batteries must be removed from the forklift in order to charge them, you will need to acquire suitable equipment that is capable of removing the batteries from the forklift multiple times per day.

On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries do not require removal from the truck for daily charging. This indicates that the equipment is only required to install the battery in the truck at the beginning of service and at the end of its lifespan. Because the equipment won’t be used as frequently, it won’t be subject to daily wear and tear, and you won’t need as many movers and transporters.

The equipment’s load capacity is especially important. The cart or transporter may tip over if the battery is too heavy for the equipment to handle, injuring your workers and damaging the battery.