Crown Equipment Corporation introduces its new V-Force™ High-Frequency Modular (V-HFM) battery charger that provides 15 percent more efficiency than traditional Ferro and SCR chargers while fully charging electric forklift batteries to 100 percent in eight hours or less. While other charging systems achieve 70 to 80 percent efficiency, the V-HFM charger achieves 93 percent efficiency over the entire charge cycle.

 Part of the V-Force family of charging systems, the V-HFM Charger is one of the smallest, most compact battery charging systems currently available. The 46-pound charger contains three interchangeable power modules and occupies 67 percent less space than typical charger cabinets. The compact and lightweight design of the charger allows it to be installed virtually anywhere within a warehouse, including mounted on a wall or rack.  

The V-HFM Charger allows fleet managers to lower their energy costs by reducing amp-draw rate, according to Craig Bruns, director of aftermarket, Crown Equipment. It uses a constant current – constant voltage – constant current charge profile to reduce the amount of battery-damaging heat generated during charging. Charge termination is determined by the change in voltage over time, preventing over and undercharging and maximizing battery and charger efficiency.
 
“As managers face increasing pressure for their fleets to be more efficient, productive and sustainable, the Crown V-HFM Charger can help them achieve improvements in all three areas,” said Bruns. “Our high-frequency charger basically does a better job of converting energy so essentially our customers will be using less electricity to do the same amount of work. And, the fact that it can be mounted anywhere makes it an ideal solution for managers looking to implement opportunity charging as a means to increase productivity and reduce dependence on battery rooms.”
 
The V-HFM Charger has the ability to be programmed for use with 24/36/48 volt batteries and can be easily changed or expanded to accommodate charging demands. In the event the current application requires upgrading to a larger battery, the output of the charger can be easily upgraded simply by adding another module.

The charger is one of the most intelligent in the industry as it is equipped with proprietary software that logs each charge cycle, and allows charger performance and battery condition to be monitored. The software also prevents charging of an incorrect battery type and configuration. The system display provides information throughout the charge cycle telling the operator the stage of charge and amount of amps returned. It also includes lights to indicate when the battery is charging, if a fault has occurred, and when charging is complete.