If your electric forklift will not charge, start with the power supply and the connections, because most of what an operator can safely check sits there. If the charger stops by itself, many of its protections clear once the cause goes away, such as a battery that is too cold or a charger that has overheated. Anything else, call us at 778-316-8133. If you can bring the charger or the truck to our Richmond warehouse, we will inspect it, and the inspection is free while it is under warranty.
The short version: check that the charger has power and its plugs are seated, check that the air inlet and outlet are clear, let a hot or cold battery or a hot charger settle, and call us if it still will not charge. Do not open the charger.
What you are working with
Our electric forklifts run on 80V lithium-ion batteries: 280Ah on the CPD15, CPD18 and EFL35, and 230Ah on the EFL25 and EFL30. The charger is sold separately. It is an 80V 100A lithium forklift charger that takes a 3-phase 220V input, delivers 8 kW, and is cooled by a fan. A CAN BUS link lets the charger exchange charging data with the battery, so a problem on either the battery side or the charger side can stop a charge.
Start with the supply
The charger needs a 3-phase 220V supply. If it shows no sign of life, check that the breaker feeding it is switched on. If the breaker has tripped, or if it trips again, do not keep resetting it. Call us, and have an electrician look at the supply. A supply that is missing a phase or is outside the voltage range will make the charger stop, and checking the wiring behind the breaker is a job for a qualified person.
Checks worth making
These are checks an operator can make without opening anything:
- Connections. Make sure the charging plug is fully seated on the truck and that the communication cable is plugged in properly. A loose communication cable can interrupt the exchange with the battery and stop the charge.
- Air inlet and outlet. The charger is fan-cooled, so make sure nothing is blocking the air openings. Dust, packaging and stored items can choke the airflow and make it overheat.
- The fan. You should hear it running while the charger works. If it does not start, stop using the charger.
- Noise and smell. A burning smell or an unusual noise means stop charging and call us.
- The surroundings. The charger has an IP20 rating, which means it is not designed for wet conditions. Keep it dry, with free space around it for airflow, and keep debris such as paper, wood chips and metal shavings away from it.
The charger's manufacturer also suggests cleaning dust from the air openings about every 30 days, depending on how dusty the room is.
When the charger stops by itself
The charger is built to stop when something is outside its safe range. What you should do depends on why it stopped:
| What happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| Battery too cold or too hot | Charging stops until the battery is back in range. Let it warm up or cool down, then try again. In winter, a truck that has just come in from the cold may need time to warm up. |
| Charger overheating | Wait for it to cool, and check the air openings are clear. If it overheats again, call us. |
| Supply voltage too high, too low or a phase missing | Check the breaker. Have an electrician look at the supply. Some of these protections clear on their own once the supply is back to normal. |
| Communication with the battery interrupted | Check the communication cable is plugged in fully. If it still will not communicate, call us. |
| Short circuit, overcurrent or overvoltage at the output, or a locked-out charger | These faults lock the charger out until its supply is switched off at the breaker and back on. If it locks out again, stop and call us. |
| Battery fault, insulation fault or any hardware fault | Stop charging and call us. These are not operator repairs. |
If the charger reports a fault, note what it shows before you call. It makes the conversation shorter.
Warranty and service
The lithium battery and the charger each carry a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects. Our service is based at the Richmond warehouse, and the simplest route is to bring the charger or the truck to us. Inspection is free while it is under warranty. We cannot offer the same in-person service outside BC, so if you are in another province, read our warranty page before you order.
Please do not open the charger or the battery, and do not swap parts. Both contain high-voltage components, and a repair that is not done by a qualified person can create a safety hazard. For problems with other kinds of forklifts, see our guide to what to do when a forklift stops working.
Is your electric forklift not charging?
Call 778-316-8133 and tell us the model and what the charger is doing. If you can bring it to our Richmond warehouse, we will inspect it.
Common questions
Why won't my electric forklift charge?
Check that the charger has power at its breaker, that the charging plug and the communication cable are fully seated, and that the air openings are clear. If those are fine, a hot or cold battery or an overheated charger may be pausing the charge. If it still will not charge, call us.
Why does charging stop in cold weather?
The charger stops when the battery temperature is outside the allowed range, and it resumes once the battery warms up. A truck that has just come in from the cold may need time to warm up.
How long does it take to charge?
On the CPD15 and CPD18, about 2.8 hours for the 280Ah battery on the 80V 100A charger. Our product pages list charge times where we have confirmed them.
Does the electric forklift come with a charger?
No. The charger is sold separately for $2,800. It is an 80V 100A unit and needs a 3-phase 220V supply.
Are the battery and charger covered by warranty?
Yes. The lithium battery and the charger each carry 1 year against manufacturing defects.
To talk to someone now, call 778-316-8133 or contact us.
