Need advice on forklift batteries

[Windmill1]

Hello,
I am looking at a big forklift battery that I may purchase if I can get an idea of how many solar panels it would take to charge these batteries. I have 2 Helios 250 watt 24 volt panels hooked in  series, a 48 volt system. These are the numbers on the batteries.
Capacity 6 hr. 750 AH
Model # 24-0125-13
Weight 3000
Spec. Gravity 1.285
These are Douglas Legacy forklift batteries 48 volts
Also does anyone know where I could get information  on how to charge these at the proper voltage
.
 Many thanks to all.

[dnix71]

Big flooded lift batteries take a lot of current to properly charge. Tall cells like that have to be heated enough and gassed enough to keep the electrolyte from layering. Lift batteries are also designed to waste energy in splitting water to keep them equalized.

Unless you have a whole roof of panels (2kw and up) a forklift battery is not a good choice for backup power. You could equalize a lift battery once a week with a genset, but that doesn't seem to be what you had in mind.

[Windmill1]

Thanks
Appreciate your input, You are right, the gen set is not what I had in mind. I do plan to get more panels. These batteries may not be right for me.

[ruddycrazy]

I scored a 24 volt 1000AH of forklift batteries for buckleys and gotta say they are a different beast to the sonnenschiens I have here. when the traction batteries are online I give the genset and 80 amp traction chrger a good run every 3rd day and they just keep on going strong. also thats with a 240 volt fridge going too, provided one can give traction batteries a good charge then they are gold to have but under charge them too much and don't expect a long life. I will be getting a 10hp listeriod soon so that will keep both banks fully charged and when summer comes around the aircon will be keeping the house cool..... So how many off grid places have a split aircon system in place to dump power when its hot ??

[dnix71]

If you have a/c you could do co-gen and make hot water from the condensor side. That might not improve the efficiency of your a/c but it's free hot water. If you make hot enough water (170F +) you can use that to run evaporative refrigeration, although you have a regular freon compressor type already.

[Windmill1]

Thanks ruddycrazy
The batteries I am looking at are 48 volt, 750 ah, what size charger do you think it would take to fully charge these batteries.

[ruddycrazy]

Hopefully soon I'll be getting that 10hp listeroid diesel here and once that is all set up it will become the main battery charger. I'll have a 240 volt 5kw genhead for powering the 80amp traction charger and also 24 volt truck alternator hooked up. That setup wont take too long to pay back due to the price of petrol going up and up then if the crap does hit the fan that listeroid will run on just about anything with a few mod's.

My traction charger is basically a modiefied forklift charger made by staff & standbury. They are the bees knees in solid state chargers too.

[Windmill1]

Thanks ruddycrazy
Been talking to some people today, some say a 4o or 50 amp 220 volt charger will charge them ok.