Three typical situations and countermeasures for the vulnerability of electric forklifts

1、 Damage caused by improper battery maintenance

1. Typical scenarios

Excessive discharge: Continuing to use lead-acid batteries when the battery level is below 20% can lead to sulfurization or capacity degradation of lithium-ion batteries.

Improper charging: using mismatched chargers or charging for too long (such as overcharging lead-acid batteries causing electrolyte boiling).

Electrolyte leakage: The lead-acid battery casing is damaged or the pole is corroded, causing the electrolyte to seep out and corrode the vehicle body.

2. Consequences of damage

The battery capacity decreases and the range is shortened.

Lead acid batteries cannot be repaired after vulcanization, while lithium-ion batteries may experience thermal runaway.

Electrolyte corrodes the chassis or electrical circuits, causing short circuits.

3. Response measures

Standardized charging: Use the original charger, and the lead-acid battery adopts three-stage charging (constant current → constant voltage → float charging).

Regular maintenance: check the electrolyte level of lead-acid batteries every month and replenish distilled water; Lithium ion batteries monitor cell voltage through BMS.

Timely replacement: Lead acid batteries have a lifespan of 2-3 years, lithium-ion batteries have a lifespan of 5-8 years, and are forced to be scrapped after expiration.

2、 Malfunctions caused by hydraulic system leaks or contamination

1. Typical scenarios

Oil pipe aging: High pressure oil pipes may crack due to long-term vibration or high temperature aging, leading to hydraulic oil leakage.

Seal failure: The oil cylinder seal ring is worn or hardened, causing internal leakage (insufficient pressure).

Oil contamination: Failure to regularly replace hydraulic oil and blockage of the multi way valve by metal debris resulted in the fork lifting being stuck.

2. Consequences of damage

The hydraulic system pressure drops, causing the fork to fail to lift or tilt properly.

Oil leakage pollutes the ground, posing a risk of slipping.

The valve is stuck due to pollution, and it needs to be disassembled, cleaned or replaced with new components.

3. Response measures

Regular inspection: Check the oil pipes and seals every 500 hours, and replace aging parts.

Oil management: Replace hydraulic oil and filter element every 2000 hours, and use anti-wear hydraulic oil (such as ISO VG46).

Leakage emergency: If a leak is found, immediately stop the machine, clean it with an oil absorbing pad, and replace the seal.

3、 Malfunctions caused by motor overload or overheating

1. Typical scenarios

Overloading operation: Transporting goods exceeding the rated load results in excessive motor current and aging of insulation materials.

Long term high load: continuous operation for more than 8 hours, motor temperature rise exceeding 85 ℃ (such as DC motor).

High ambient temperature: When used in an environment above 40 ℃, poor heat dissipation can cause the motor to overheat.

2. Consequences of damage

The motor winding is short circuited or burned out, and the entire motor needs to be replaced.

The AC motor frequency converter has failed overcurrent protection and the IGBT module is damaged.

The bearing fails to lubricate due to high temperature, resulting in abnormal noise or jamming.

3. Response measures

Overloading is strictly prohibited: The weight of the goods is strictly controlled within the rated load (such as a 3-ton forklift not exceeding 3 tons).

Intermittent operation: After working continuously for 1 hour, stop and cool down for 10 minutes.

Environmental control: Install cooling fans in high-temperature environments or use high-temperature resistant motors (such as H-class insulation).

4、 Supplement for other vulnerable situations

1. Control system software malfunction

Scenario: Electromagnetic interference causes ECU program malfunction or sensor (such as angle sensor) damage.

Consequence: Operation instructions fail, forklifts cannot operate or load/unload normally.

Response: Regularly upgrade ECU firmware, install electromagnetic shielding cover, and backup sensor data.

2. Mechanical structure wear and tear

Scenario: Chain stretching exceeds the limit (sag>20mm), or insufficient lubrication of roller bearings.

Consequence: unsynchronized lifting of forks, deformation or jamming of the gantry.

Response: Adjust the chain tension every 500 hours and replace the roller bearings every 1000 hours.

The main equipment produced by Hebei Makita: stage electric hoist, electric chian hoist, wire rope electric hoist，Hand chain hoist, lever hoist, pneumatic hoist and other lifting equipment