Delta-Q Technologies, a leader in battery charging solutions for electric vehicles and industrial machines, has released new insights into onboard industrial battery charger reliability and validation testing with its white paper, “On-board Charger Reliability for Electric Drive Vehicles and Industrial Machines.”
Drawing on Delta-Q’s design and validation expertise, the paper details how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can improve integration of onboard chargers into machines such as aerial work platforms, lift trucks, and floor machines. Benefits include higher charger reliability, improved machine availability, and higher productivity thanks to increased charging convenience.
The papers' highlights include:
Make the charger small and sealed. Efficient power electronics can be packaged in a smaller enclosure and sealing the charger prevents components from damage by fluids or dirt.
Give the charger some space. Providing a sealed battery charger with space for convection air cooling will help it to operate better.
Make the charger’s display visible. The end user needs to understand when the charging cycle is completed.
“Battery charging has historically occurred offboard, but with the proper product validation and testing, onboard battery chargers make far more sense due to their simplicity, portability and convenience,” said Lloyd Gomm, vice president of business development at Delta-Q. “With 15 years of experience developing high-frequency chargers, we are proud to share our knowledge in this area and help manufacturers build the most flexible and reliable product at a competitive cost.”
The reliability of onboard components is the main factor affecting machine performance. Onboard chargers face a tough application environment that includes vibration, shock, and contaminants like dust and liquids. Chargers must be properly sealed and extensively validated to withstand these factors that might otherwise break components mounted aboard machines.
The paper details how OEMs benefit from an efficient power electronics design that has high manufacturability, reducing the probability of manufacturing errors. With this combination of factors, OEMs can source an advanced, reliable component at a competitive price.
Delta-Q’s latest insights stem from the development and durability testing of its own IC650 Industrial Battery Charger for onboard use, designed specifically to overcome common challenges to on-board charger reliability and be the most durable solution for on-board applications.
In addition to outlining Delta-Q’s durability testing and validation process for the IC650, the paper includes practical tips for OEMs looking to integrate chargers onboard their own machines, focusing on physical integration and usability.
Suitable applications include aerial work platforms (scissor lifts), golf cars, lift trucks (electric pallet trucks and other Class 3 equipment), and floor cleaning machines (scrubbers, sweepers and burnishers).
Bringing the battery charger onboard enables users to plug in machines whenever and wherever necessary. That helps batteries maintain their specified capacity by avoiding deep discharge and by supporting effective charging habits.
The full whitepaper can be downloaded from www.delta-q.com/whitepaper.
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