Not all batteries are built the same and neither or their makers. Batteries and chargers are an inevitable part of electrical equipment purchases and the decision is usually made by the seller of the lift truck. With time working around lift trucks, from a user or supplier/servicer standard point of view, the name brands that last become apparent, but what’s behind the brand is the important part.
To go deeper, let’s start with the tiers of battery makers. There are several tiers of makers of lead acid batteries and around 3 of them are in the 1st tier as far as market footprint, some with several name-brands and offerings. Then there is Tier 1.5 then 2, and so on. I added 1.5 due to a certain brand(s) that in my opinion deserve(s) to be a graduated tier 2. Some brands that are well known are made by other makers, in some cases competitors and it is a mystery as to how different they are when it comes to quality and composition. In the long run, it is not completely the battle since factors like cycling, watering, etc. are a large part of the battery as long as the products match the setup.
A factor that should be considered when choosing a brand is whether or not there is a charger companion that goes with the battery. The companion factor should never be dismissed because one of the consequences of this will be that the battery will be serviced or maintained by a different team with different specialties than they would for the battery. Cross-branding may also deprive the battery of optimum charging characteristics for that particular battery. In some cases, the battery manufacturer, sometimes not the same one that made the charger, will exhaustively test a particular charger to their batteries, then use the results to refine the design features and characteristics of the charger to be an optimum fit for the battery. The benefits of brand coupling are typically more efficient charging and prolonged battery life. An optimum charger match ups is that it helps the professionals who sell and service them become experts more easily. Battery manufacturers who offer a dedicated charger companion, not always having the same brand name, are superior to those who do not.
Some manufacturers of batteries and chargers offer quality batteries at a much lower price but have no service network to support them in the field. Others, including all of the top-tier brands, seem to base much of their business model on their service networks while there is the in-between tiers who works as an “option” or “specialty” through suppliers established by other brands. Price will usually vary depending on the level of network the battery works through, but the biggest concerns are going to be warranty work, maintenance, and speed of repairs. Although some brands have great networks and service teams, some just make great batteries that rarely need warranty work done, however, if you are operating several electric trucks, it’s never going to be good scrambling for a service provider when in a pinch.
So, who are those quality battery manufacturers? They are the ones with the reputation as such. For the more specifics, click the contact FTS button below.
By Dustin Link
