Hello! I am only going to mirror the other comments that have been made and say that everyone has their brand that they prefer the most. I have discovered that they all have pros and cons. I would advise you to test them out and see what you think.
We are an non-profit after market recycling company and we bale textiles, cardboard, ect. I am very pleased with all the great information everyone has given me.
I believe I have enough to make a decision on.
Thanks again everyone!
Barb;
What Industrial application are you intentions of use for the forktruck you are seeking? Is it going to be used in the waste recycling industry? If it is I would highly recommend that you spec out the requirements you need and are looking for. Make it a sound and binding contracting agreement. Stipulate that if your unit is down due lack of part or labor availability for longer then a predetermined time that your firm is not put out of business. Most new equipment dealer do not like to stock dollar bills on a shelve to collect dust for parts they may not use but only on rare instances. Keep in mind like Ed said in his blog there are many brands available and only you can decide what is the best for your industrial application. If you are in the waste recylce industry may I suggest that you may find petinent information in a waste recycler's trade journal. John also has given you some excellent advise, batteries for industrial forklifts are the single most expensive part to a unit. Anything you do up front to preserve the battery's life will end up a plus. The lead time to replace one will be your firms worst enemy even though most battery failures can be repaired but not all.
Barb
Do yourself a favor buy a single point watering system with for your battery with a visual indicator (little white dot) that alerts personnel the battery needs water. The few extra bucks will save you money & extend the life of the battery by refilling the battery cells to the proper level. Improper watering of a battery has shorten the life of batteries more than any other cause.
Go with a 48volt system - as Ed pointed out the truck will have faster travel speeds as well as lifting/clamping/tilt speeds. And the last time I checked there is very little difference in price by going to 48v - like less than $100. Plus your lifts motors/electrical/electronic components will see less less current draw (less heat) & live longer save you money in the long run.
Thank you Ed -
I appreciate your feedback, it greatly helped direct me in a better direction.
1) What brands are better - we have received quotes on a Yale, CAT, Nissan, Clark and Mitsubishi.?
almost everyone on here will push the brand they work for, or what they know most about, as this is natural to consider the brands we know about to be "best". "Best" actually has different meanings in different applications. are you considering only brand new?
if you decide on a used electric, I would plan on purchasing a new and very good quality battery, as the battery will be a very large portion of the value of the truck, and the better the battery (and how well it is matched to the truck and charger, and maintained), the happier you will be with what ever brand forklift you purchase.
2) Are any of these types better in getting parts for them..service as well as pricing?
about the same, pretty much
3) Would we need a side shift hydraulic option to use clamps in order to pick up our bales?
I would think you would want a 4 spool hydraulic option, and the better quality side shift option (not all side shifts can handle a clamp's side force). I would also think you would want the "chopper controlled hydraulic motor speed control option"
4) Is there any special wiring that we would need to plug the electric machine up with?
there is a charger that will need considerable AC power, some are 3 phase 480 volts, 30 Amp lines, the charger plugs into the battery on the electric forklift, and has a connector that matches the truck and battery
5) Is a 36V battery powered forklift the same power as our LP forklift?
roughly the same, the LPG may be geared for a higher top speed, and I would recommend you go with 48 volt battery (over 36volt) for top drive speed.
6) Are there good clamps that have a quick dis-connect so we don't have to have mechanics here to switch from clamps to forks?
yes, this is actually pretty common.
Contact your local Linde Dealer and ask about the RX60 Series (80 Volt).