Archive for March, 2023
FAQs About Watering a Forklift Battery
With your forklift battery representing a significant investment, taking the necessary steps to ensure optimal performance is essential. Regular maintenance is critical – but don’t worry; this doesn’t have to be overly time-consuming. Adopting simple forklift battery watering techniques gives you the best chance of preserving its lifecycle and enjoying maximum value from your purchase.
Watering a Forklift Battery FAQs
Here are answers to frequently asked questions to help make sure your lead-acid batteries are kept safe from any common mistakes associated with watering a forklift battery.
How often should we water a lead-acid forklift battery?
Typically, forklift batteries need watering once weekly or every five to ten charges.
Should we add water before or after we charge the battery? 
To keep your forklift battery healthy, water it after a charge. Adding water to a forklift battery before it’s charged could cause damage to the battery.
When is the best time to water a lead-acid forklift battery?
The best time to water your battery is right before each shift after it has time to cool.
If we water a lead-acid forklift battery properly, how long should it last?
A properly maintained battery should last five years.
COMMON MISTAKES WHEN WATERING A FORKLIFT BATTERY
What happens if we don’t water our forklift battery properly?
Improper water levels can lower battery life and reduce charge cycle time. Not properly watering a forklift battery can diminish the life expectancy of a forklift battery by up to 50%, or 2 ½ years.
Do older batteries need to be watered more frequently than newer batteries?
Yes, older batteries can dry out more quickly.
Do we need a specific type of water for our forklift battery?
Always use clean water (pure or distilled) to water your forklift battery. Dirty water or water filled with particulates will upset the electrolyte imbalance and damage the battery.
Why can’t we use tap water to water a forklift battery?
Most tap water contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, and other minerals your battery doesn’t need. High mineral count water is known as “hard” water. Hard water will upset the electrolyte balance, limiting the battery’s ability to store a charge.
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF YOUR FORKLIFT BATTERY
What can we do to extend our lead-acid forklift battery?
Avoid lengthy exposure to cold temperatures to extend the life of your battery. If water freezes, it will damage your battery.
Another tip to extend the life of your forklift battery is to charge it to 100 percent before each use. Batteries have limited charges, so each one counts, whether total or partial.
Can we schedule forklift battery maintenance?
Yes. TMHS offers planned maintenance for forklift batteries and chargers in Los Angeles County and the surrounding areas.
Forklift batteries are expensive, so proper maintenance should be part of any warehouse or distribution center’s routine. We hope this blog post gave you vital information on watering a forklift battery and how often it should be done.
If you need forklift battery maintenance or have more questions about watering a forklift battery, contact us to speak to an equipment specialist.
Learn About Electric Equipment Incentives
As part of California’s efforts to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases, several programs are available to incentivize California businesses to switch from Internal Combustion to electric equipment. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently proposed its plan to phase out all new gas-powered forklift sales by 2026. If you have not heard about it, click here to read answers to frequently asked questions about the proposed upcoming regulations. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about California’s electric equipment incentives.
CALIFORNIA’S INCENTIVES FOR ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS
What are the electric equipment incentive programs available in California?
There are several programs available, including:
- The Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program
- The Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE)
- The California Air Resource Board (CARB) Low Carbon Fuel Standard
What is the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program?
Since 1998, the Carl Moyer Program (CMP) has provided funding to encourage the owners of diesel engines to go beyond regulatory requirements by retrofitting, repowering, or replacing their machines with newer and cleaner ones.
The CMP has been a successful and popular air pollution reduction program. While air pollution regulations remain the primary means to reduce emissions, the CMP complements California’s regulatory program by providing incentives for early or extra NOx, PM, and ROG emission reductions.
Click here for more information on the CMP related to port equipment.
What is The Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE)?
The Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) is a $125 million project intended to encourage California off-road equipment users to purchase or lease currently commercialized zero-emission off-road equipment.
This streamlined voucher incentive project helps offset the higher cost of zero-emission technology with a point-of-sale discount. There is no scrappage requirement, and additional funding is available for charging and fueling infrastructure and equipment deployed in disadvantaged communities.
Lonestar electric terminal tractors are eligible for CORE vouchers.
CARB’S CASH INCENTIVES FOR ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS
What is the CARB Low Carbon Fuel Standard?
CARB’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard offers zero-emission electric equipment owners cash incentives.
Who is eligible for CARB’s cash incentives?
Zero-emission electric equipment owners in California.
What type of material handling equipment is eligible for CARB’s cash incentives?
The following material handling equipment is eligible for CARB’s cash incentives:
- Electric forklifts
- Electric pallet jacks
- Electric order pickers
- Electric walkie riders
- Electric reach stackers
- Yard Truck
Is there an uncomplicated way to sign up for CARB’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard?
Yes! Our partner, Smart Charging Technologies (SCT), can handle everything for you with their Smart Rebates Program.
CALIFORNIA’S SMART REBATE PROGRAM FOR ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS
What is the Smart Rebates Program? 
The Smart Rebates™ program is an energy rebate program managed by our partner, SCT that allows Toyota Material Handling Solutions (TMHS) client companies to receive rebates from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) through the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
Why should we work with SCT to receive rebates?
To alleviate the complexity of navigating the CARB and LCFS program, SCT will administer and manage these rebates on behalf of TMHS client companies while allowing its customers to receive steady revenue from the LCFS program. LCFS revenue streams fully cover SCT services with no out-of-pocket costs to TMHS customers.
How much can you earn in the Smart Rebates Program?
As a participant in the program, your company will receive quarterly payments based on the electricity used by forklifts and other material handling equipment (MHE). Typical earnings vary depending on the type of equipment and usage and can range from $150 to $300 (or even more) per forklift per quarter for as long as your company remains enrolled and qualifies for LCFS credits.
How often do you get paid? 
Companies in the program get paid quarterly for switching to electric forklifts. Payments are typically paid out within three months after the end of the reporting quarter. Note that electricity usage, and subsequent earnings, can vary due to several factors such as equipment mix (class 1, 2, or 3 trucks), load weights and lifting heights, duty cycle, battery charger efficiency, and business seasonality.
What type of information do we need to share with SCT?
An environmental attribute comes from each kWh of electricity used in your forklift trucks and other electric or alternative-fueled vehicles and equipment. TMHS customers must opt-in and permit Smart Charging Technologies to manage their environmental attributes. Smart Charging Technologies will then sell the environmental attributes every quarter to create revenue for the companies that enroll and opt-in to Smart Charging Technologies Smart Rebates Program.
What is the process for enrolling in Smart Rebates?
- Contact TMHS to get started
- Smart Charging Technologies (SCT) will contact you to perform a site audit
- SCT will estimate projected LCFS/CFP credits
- The customer enrolls in the SCT Smart Rebates™ program
- SCT calculates and files quarterly reports
- SCT aggregates credits and brokers/sells credits
- SCT distributes cash rebates to customers
If you’re ready to start, click here to request an Incentive Estimate for the Smart Rebates Program.
Where can we find information on other programs available to California business owners?
The Funding you’re Tool helps stakeholders search and filter for Medium-and-Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel Vehicle and infrastructure programs in California.
Start by filtering results by ZIP Code, then filter based on the other criteria you desire. Please note that for the most accurate and up-to-date information about each program, you should visit the website and speak with the agency directly.
Click here to visit the Funding Finder Tool.
Advantages of Lithium Batteries for Forklifts
In the material handling industry, high productivity and efficiency are kings. Whether you have one forklift or fifty, your equipment must have the power to deliver consistent results in order for you to win in your space and, ultimately, gain a competitive advantage. To do this, you’ll need a powerful tool to help you stand out.
One way to differentiate yourself from the competition is to incorporate advanced energy solutions or, more specifically, lithium-ion batteries (LiBs). Capable of rapid charging speeds and requiring minimal maintenance, lithium-ion batteries can take your operation to new heights.
What are the advantages of lithium-ion batteries for forklifts?
Still not convinced? Here are four reasons why you should consider adding lithium-ion batteries to your fleet.
- Increased Productivity
In material handling, we understand time is money, and with lithium-ion batteries, you won’t have to worry about getting the job done. Lithium-ion batteries require less time to charge than their lead-acid counterparts, which also have to rest before they can be used again. Thus, your fleet will benefit from increased productivity and throughput.
Since lithium-ion batteries maintain a higher, more stable voltage over the course of a shift, you will also experience higher forklift performance which can translate to increased throughput.
Helpful Tips:
- Avoid charging lithium-ion batteries when they have too low of battery life left. Instead, charge them more often. They do not need to be fully charged to operate correctly as do lead-acid batteries. In fact, you can fast charge a LiB in a matter of 10-20 minutes during an operator’s break.
- Keep the battery away from elevated temperatures to avoid causing stress and changing capacity capabilities.
- Reduced Downtime
Unlike traditional lead acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries can be opportunity-charged or recharged throughout the shift when necessary, eliminating the headache of battery swapping, thus increasing your fleet’s performance and reducing downtime. On average, a lithium-ion battery will last two to four times longer than a lead-acid battery.
- Virtually Maintenance Free
Frequently having to maintain your lead acid battery can be time-consuming and costly. However, lithium-ion batteries are virtually maintenance-free and don’t require constant watering, equalize charging, or cleaning.
- Reduced Maintenance Labor
Lithium-ion batteries come equipped with cells that are sealed, so you don’t have to wash or add water to keep the batteries operational, which reduces maintenance costs. Depending on your operation, it is possible that you don’t have to remove or swap batteries as you proceed through your workday because the battery can remain inside the forklift longer, eliminating the cost of additional storage and labor which is required for lead-acid batteries.
Author: Tara Holland, Social Media and Communications Specialist
The original content is located here.
Subscribe to Toyota Forklift’s blog here.
Opportunity Charging Benefits in the Warehouse
Being in a warehouse and running forklifts through multiple shifts a day can be an extremely taxing job. You need to take time to charge and let them cool down, which in busy operations can be difficult. Now, with the emergence of lithium-ion batteries, opportunity charging is becoming more popular. But what is it?
What is Opportunity Charging?
Opportunity charging is available for forklifts with lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries but is much better suited for LiB. With this method, the batteries can stay in the truck for multiple shifts while being charged. It also takes advantage of breaks to charge the forklift. This means when your employees are on lunch, taking a break, or switching shifts, the forklift can be plugged in and charged. When the operator returns, the forklift will have enough juice until the next charging opportunity. While opportunity charging is still available for lead-acid batteries, it can have some negative side effects, such as shortened battery life and increased maintenance requirements. Whereas lithium-ion batteries, it can actually extend the overall life, and there is no need for increased battery maintenance.
What type of Warehouses Utilize Opportunity Charging?
While opportunity charging is best used for multi-shift warehouses, you can schedule a warehouse consultation with your Toyota Forklift dealer to see if it would be beneficial for your business. But in a single shift cycle, you have plenty of time to allow the forklifts to charge when the shift is over. In a multi-shift cycle, you don’t have the benefit of time, so opportunity charging can be extremely helpful in reducing downtime.
Considerations for Opportunity Charging
Now that you know the basics of opportunity charging, you might be open to the idea. But before you can move any further, make sure you take these things into consideration:
- Will your operation benefit from opportunity charging?
- As we talked about before, opportunity charging is typically for multi-shift operations. See how much time passes between each shift break, and if you find that some forklifts have downtime while you wait for them to charge, opportunity charging may be beneficial.
- What kind of charging stations do you have?
- Opportunity charging does require a specific charging station, so you won’t be able to use the same charging station as you used for your lead-acid batteries. This is an initial investment that your company will need to consider before they make a decision.
- Contact a warehouse consultation if you have any doubts!
- A Toyota Forklift Dealer can be an excellent resource if you’re thinking about changing to lithium-ion batteries and opportunity charging. They will be able to help you understand if your business needs to make a change, as well as the proper location and process for when the changes are made.
Keep in mind opportunity charging won’t work for every operation. Make sure you take the time to research and talk to the experts at your Toyota Material Handling Solutions. When used correctly, opportunity charging can be used to reduce downtime and keep your operation moving.
Author: Lucas Collom, Digital Products Administrator, Toyota Material Handling
The original content is located here.
Subscribe to Toyota Forklift’s blog here.
Tuning Forklifts for Optimal Performance
When it comes to forklifts, there’s no such thing as a one-size fits all. After all, what works for a small mom-and-pop retail store may not work as well for a high-throughput forging application. Options such as lights and attachments allow you to customize each forklift to fit your needs, but did you know that adjusting forklift settings can be just as critical to optimizing performance and efficiency?
Many forklifts today come standard with pre-set performance and operational settings that can be adjusted through either a built-in multi-function display or an external device such as a laptop. Toyota’s Core Electric and 3-Wheel Electric models, for example, each have over 60 different parameters used to fine-tune forklift performance. Programmable passwords help prevent unauthorized users from accessing these settings.
Settings on Toyota Forklifts are highly adjustable as most parameters have eight or more levels of adjustment. Understanding how these settings affect forklift operation is the first step in realizing productivity and efficiency gains. Below are a few examples of these parameters along with how they may affect your operation. If you feel like you may benefit from optimizing your forklift’s operation, please reach out to your authorized Toyota dealer for expert support and service.
Tuning Your Forklift
Toyota Forklift Acceleration, Speed, and Braking Adjustments
Travel/Acceleration -Adjusting these speeds on the forklift may increase productivity or allow the operator to slow down when necessary. These settings can also save energy in applications where quick acceleration or faster travel speeds are unnecessary.
Accelerator Pedal Response* – Adjusts sensitivity to the initial depression of the accelerator pedal. Higher settings will reduce the delay between when the pedal is depressed and when the forklift begins to accelerate.
Rollback Speed* – Trucks with the rollback feature have a momentary delay followed by a controlled descent when the accelerator pedal is released while on a grade. This setting allows the travel speed and time before rollback to be adjusted.
Over Speed Alarm – An alarm sounds when the forklift exceeds a pre-set travel speed.
Regenerative Braking* – Adjusts how quickly the truck slows down when the operator’s foot is removed from the accelerator pedal. The strength of the “plugging” response can also be adjusted (when travel direction is switched between forward and reverse).
Toyota Forklift Maintenance, Lift, and Power Adjustments
Hydraulic Functions – Lift, lower, tilt, and attachment speeds are all adjustable. This includes starting, inching, maximum, acceleration, and deceleration settings. These settings can also provide energy savings in applications where faster hydraulic speeds are not necessary.
Lift Interrupt Level* – Used to tune the depth of discharge of a battery before the truck reaches lift interrupt. When the battery reaches the set level, the lift function will be disallowed. This allows the forklift to be matched to the battery size and type that is installed.
Planned Maintenance Hour Meter – An alarm sounds to inform the operator when the forklift is due for planned maintenance. The maintenance period can be adjusted and the alarm can be overridden.
Engine Auto Off/Auto Power Off – Engine (IC models) or battery power (electric models) will automatically turn off during a certain period of inactivity. The amount of time before it turns off can be adjusted or the setting can be turned off entirely.
Toyota Forklift Detection System Adjustments
SEnS and SEnS+ Smart Environment Sensors– Toyota forklifts equipped with SEnS or SEnS+ allow tuning to adjust parameters such as the distance at which a pedestrian or object is detected and the type of indicator that is used based on the distance.
*Applies to electric forklifts only.