Forklift Environment – Is it really that important?
Is the environment that big a deal when looking at forklift longevity or maintenance? Absolutely. Let’s start with the electronics. Most all forklifts, no matter what power source they use (electric, hydrogen, gasoline, LPG, diesel) have on-board electronics.
Forklifts in ambient temperature indoor warehouse environments are what most maintenance programs are built from. If, for example, the warehouse is not temperature controlled and is in a desert environment (like much of the southwest United States), then that will have an impact on the long-term reliability of the equipment.
On an Internal Combustion (IC) engine unit (typically LPG, gasoline or diesel powered forklift), it’s the Electronic Control Module (ECM) or Electronic Control Unit (ECU); different manufacturers call this by a different names but they are all basically “The Brain”. This is what controls fuel injectors and ignition system. It also monitors any sensors to help with these functions. On an electric forklift everything is controlled by electronics; from the travel to lift, reach or tilt…all these are controlled by electronics. And electronics and heat are not good friends.
So if your warehouse is not temperature controlled then in summer months you may experience more issues…especially as the equipment ages. Over time the exposure to higher air temperatures (where the electronics cannot cool properly) will eventually cause issues like:
- Minor annoyance items
- Intermittent codes that are not repeatable but disrupt the flow of the work day
- Total failure that now leaves the equipment inoperable until a technician can repair it.
Now, what about cold storage forklift environment?
Well, in this case they typically install heaters (I know, we said heat wasn’t good for electronics) to keep the electronics from getting too cold. These heaters are often in the display (liquid crystal displays don’t like to be too cold), but more often than not the big issue for this is the condensation.
Most cold storage environments will have the equipment go from cold to ambient as the docks or the charging areas are not in the cold storage area. When this happens, the cold air on the surface of the equipment will condense and that moisture is not good for the electronics, so the heaters will help stop the air around the electronics from getting too cold and causing this condensation issue. If the equipment is left in a cold storage environment and rarely (if ever) leaves, that can also cause long-term issues as this can create issues with threshold voltages, etc. in the circuits.
Forklift Environment – Freezer?
When this is encountered, there should be dielectric grease (or equivalent as recommended by the manufacturer) to protect the electronics, especially the connectors. Most electric forklift will have heaters in the control handle and elsewhere; again, to protect against the long-term exposure to extreme cold. This helps ensure the longevity of the equipment and provide a better user experience.
What about high heat forklift environments?
Some forklifts live in the opposite extreme, like a foundry, steel mill or a bakery. These will take their toll on the equipment over time. You will need to do maintenance more frequently. Things like greasing joints to prevent steer linkage wear, checking electric motor connections, belts/hoses on IC equipment, etc. all have to be done more often to ensure that the equipment doesn’t wear out or breakdown prematurely from the constant excessive heat.
What about dusty/dirty forklift environments?
Places like foundries and bakeries where there is a high probability of airborne debris will require more maintenance.
If the radiator on an IC unit gets plugged with dust/debris in a mill or flour in a bakery, that engine coolant will not dissipate the heat properly and the engine will always run hot. Over time this can be catastrophic. To avoid this, do the extra maintenance and save yourself in the long run.
Is it better to be inside than outside?
It’s always better if you have control of the environment. If you can have the unit in a warehouse that you control the temperature and the cleanliness, you should get a good long life from your equipment.
That said, there are some instances where this just isn’t reality. Like construction; a lot of equipment used in this environment will be outside most, if not all, of the time. Again, you want the extra maintenance so that things like the radiator and air filters get cleaned regularly. If the air filter is full of dirt/debris then it’s doing its job…keeping that stuff out of the engine intake. However, once it’s plugged it’s like asking you to run a marathon with a hand over your mouth; you just can’t get the air you need to operate effectively. So, if because of your business, inside isn’t an option then outside isn’t a bad thing, just be aware that the exposure to temperature variances and dust/debris will likely require more than the basic maintenance.
How often should I do maintenance on my forklift equipment?
Often on industrial equipment we think of maintenance in terms of the hours used between maintenances. Way back when the intervals were fairly tight. They’ve come a long way in the last couple of decades and the components are much more resilient than they once were. But even then, they aren’t to the point where there is no maintenance required. Like your car, they typically recommend a number of hours and/or a number of days between maintenances. And they will usually outline different intervals for forklift environments outside of the indoor, ambient temperature-controlled environment.
There are no brushes on the AC motors used on most electric forklifts these days but the connections can work loose, so you still need to have a look before the high-current drawn across a loose connection burns the stud off the motor. Oil filters are better than they used to be, but, like an air filter, they can get plugged; yeah they keep that junk out of the oil going into the engine, but now the flow rate is being reduced. The longer you wait to change it, the lower the flow rate until the filter goes to bypass and now you aren’t filtering at all. Let’s avoid this with some maintenance.
Does any of this affect my forklifts lift system?
Yes it does. Just like the oil filter on an IC motor, the hydraulic system has an oil filter. And just like engine oil, hydraulic oil will loose viscosity over time. Seals can become damaged and leak when debris builds up on the hydraulic rams (whether lift, tilt or reach). Pumps can fail due to contaminated oil or splines on the pump breaking down.
Forklift Environment Recap
- Ambient temperature in a controlled warehouse is the preferred for most manufacturers
- High heat or extensive exposure to cold will need more attention
- Moisture (from rain outside to condensation from inside environment changes) need more attention
- Maintenance should be performed more often in these environments
📞 Call Master Lift, LLC at (714) 289-1189 OR ✉️Email us for expert forklift solutions!
