Discussion:
FORKLIFT BATTERY - HEAD TO HEAD COMPARISONS?

We currently run around 110 forklift batteries and we have been utilizing GNB brand batteries for quite a few years now and have had a pretty good experience with them. We are switching our battery maintenance company and they typically deal with two different brands besides GNB (they can provide GNB's, but not as easily or affordably). Does anyone know of a head-to-head type battery comparison that has been done or does anyone have major experience with multiple brands? As a courtesy; I would ask that any battery manufacturers please refrain from this conversation unless it is to provide a link to a truely independent test. I'm not trying to be rude, but all the different battery manufacturers claim their batterys are the best because....."xyz". Thank you all in advance for your help.
  • Posted 25 Feb 2015 01:39
  • By CR500R
  • joined 24 Jan'15 - 15 messages
  • Indiana, United States
Showing items 1 - 5 of 5 results.
Thank you all for your advise. I dug a little deeper into the generic branded batteries that most of our original fleet consists of and found out they are un-labeled Reaco's which are actually CROWN's V-line batteries. They have a standard 5 year full warranty and have typically held up well at our facility. I just didn't realize what brand they actually were. We have been typically getting 7+ years from them. We had originally made the switch to GNB (EXIDE) because we changed vendors. I think we are going to try the CROWN V-lines again. I know the watering/maintenance service we received in the past wasn't optimal and we still received many years of service from the Crown's. The vendor we are switching to shows a lot more promise on their watering/maintenance ability (and knowledge). I don't think the DEKA's are an option for us at the moment.

MILLDOG...you wouldn't happen to have a copy or link of the 3M study do you?
  • Posted 29 Mar 2015 23:14
  • Modified 29 Mar 2015 23:18 by poster
  • By CR500R
  • joined 24 Jan'15 - 15 messages
  • Indiana, United States
3M did a study several years ago and ranked Deka #1. I always had great luck w/ Enersys based upon the local support.
I would be more concerned with your local dealer(s) than the battery itself
  • Posted 28 Feb 2015 01:16
  • By Milldog
  • joined 28 Feb'15 - 2 messages
  • Iowa, United States
Milldog
I totally agree with Bucknut. Interstate runs a close second
  • Posted 27 Feb 2015 23:17
  • By triumphrider
  • joined 31 Jan'11 - 304 messages
  • Texas, United States
Deka batteries are the best, they do cost a little more but in 25 years in the business I can count the number of failures on one hand, and those failures were handled by the manufacture in good fashion.
  • Posted 27 Feb 2015 05:55
  • By Bucknut
  • joined 5 Oct'12 - 5 messages
  • Ohio, United States
I've mainly dealt with GNB & found there pretty decent, very rarely had any issues / failures & any problems we did have ( cell failed or charger fault ) where quickly sorted out by GNB.

Also dealt with Hawker EnerSys - about the same experience as GNB.

The only thing I don't like about either GNB or Hawker EnerSys is there awful battery filling system's, give me old fashioned cell flip tops & a topping up gun on the end of my topping up cart any day.
  • Posted 25 Feb 2015 05:59
  • By Forkingabout
  • joined 31 Mar'11 - 862 messages
  • england, United Kingdom

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