Help forklift

[Screwdriver]

A question for you, in another post you said you were on a 30 sec issue with the skits. Hope you were better to go see this Non essential FLT repair?

If your not well you should really look after yourself first

Not sure I really want to go into detail about it tbh. There will be an episode, then I will (probably) have a period of normality. I have had to dash home a few times which is why I am effectively restricted to my local neighbourhood.

You’re right I do have to look after myself. I try to avoid the thinking about the visual defect that came out of nowhere for example (demyelination of the optic nerve) but consider this; I can see it.

It is a constant reminder that there’s something eating away at my brain. My left arm increasingly goes into uncontrollable spasm (though that might be a failed foraminotomy), the bowel issue might just be stress and the recent episode of arrhythmia too but everything points to MS.

I often find myself wondering how a “normal” person would cope. On their own.

 

[Screwdriver]

Well the saga continues except this time I have the truck to myself for a few days, plus some other jobs in the same workshop. I have it up on blocks in the middle of the workshop ready for me to investigate. From what I remember, the forks work, the steering motor generally doesn't but if it "wakes up" everything works as it should until it is put into reverse then the machine stops dead.

Meanwhile I also have a couple of other things to have a look at, some 3ph machinery to "rewire" and a gigantic extractor fan to install. I think I'll pop that in another thread...

 

[Screwdriver]

LOL. Well that went well. So day one of the investigation and the first thing I find is the forklift batteries bubbling away like a witches cauldron. Very hot, still drawing 25A after an overnight charge, stinks of hydrogen and continued to bubble for some time later. Not a good sign I think but happy to hear from anyone familiar with these things. Obviously I have switched it off and plan to investigate (not just by asking on here either).

The owner plugged it in himself last night when it shot up to 35A. I assume this should be a "smart" device and switch itself off or at least manage to process. Just one more thing to check.

Let me preempt any "Google expert" criticisms. The internet is a vast resource for data and I see no difference in reading specifications and technical installation instructions via Google from a confirmed specialist website or buying a book on the subject. It just means you need the wit to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

The forklift is what it is. It's not my fault it has issues, it came with them. I could walk away and say I'm not even prepared to try or I can roll up my sleeves and offer my help. I need to ensure I have a firm grasp of the operating procedures and relevant safety requirements and address any problems that may reveal themselves. Shame the seller of these secondhand items doesn't appear to share the same mentality.

 

[MattH]

Being wet cells they should self regulated.
My charger is 40A 48v and when I first plug in the batts pull all 40A. As their voltage comes up the Amps they pull drop down.

 

[Screwdriver]

Should know more once I pop the tops off for a looksee. Need to read up a bit on specific forklift battery procedures though. Can't imagine they'd be much more onerous than a regular lead acid cell but just a lot worse if you get it wrong. I need to be happy with the battery before I go digging around for the drive fault - that could even be battery related. Won't know until I get some measuring gear on it. I would have thought a regular forklift truck engineer would spot that. Problem is, you can't assume anything.

 

[MattH]

They are just standard LA cells, just single 2v cells instead of 6 in one case as with a car battery.

when I got my FLT the cells were knackered and when the output dropped the truck would sense this and go into a fail safe mode which would not allow you to raise the forks but you could lower them

Check the electrolyte levels are all the same and make sure it is covering the top of the plates (top up with DA as required).

 

[jsf55]

I'm pretty sure we used to top the batteries up on a friday afternoon and leave it on equalised all weekend, but most times it was saturday after 12, But at the end of the day they all needed changing and it was easier to go for a hire truck than the outlay for them

 

[Screwdriver]

I checked all the levels, voltages etc. and the battery pack looks good. Rolled my sleeves up and just about to try and troubleshoot the "interruptor" unit (whatever that is!) and the owner had a change of heart. Because the lockdown is going soft, he's opening up the workshop a lot sooner than he was expecting. So he's decided to buy another (working) forklift and flog this one. I won't get the chance to have another crack at this, I need to rewire his workshop in a hurry and he "needs" a forklift to install the new ducting.

Sadly, that means he can ask his staff to come in to help with the ducting so all the easy jobs are gone (for me). Plus I will have to work around a live workshop if/when possible. Hey ho, it was nice while it lasted.