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  • Forklift battery.

    So, I like to think if myself as someone who likes to learn, but one thing that has confounded me over the years has been electricity and power. I just can't seem to wrap my head around it and trying to learn the standard way is not working. So, I've decided to sort of dive right in and experiment. I bought an old "New Look" city transit bus st auction at a great price and the previous owner put in a great deal of work into the engine, it runs pretty good. I want to fix up the inside and make it habitable, perhaps a food truck. My concern though, is having a generator attached to the outside is rather athletically displeasing and as such, I'd have to conduct a generator box to allow having it on board, yet not being loud (obviously venting the exhaust). As an alternative, I thought of using a forklift battery or something to that effect (Kubota, etc.) and inverter to power things like an A/C unit, small hour water heater/tank, lighting, TV, water pump, two mini-fridges, possibly a sous-vide stick, signage, soda dispensary. Is that possible? To charge it at night and use the battery to operate the bus for 8 hours and then recharge again? I'm thinking a quiet bus is better than a muffled generator bus. Am I being just plain stupid in thinking this?

  • #2
    You need to investigate how the RV people are doing these things. You may find they are doing as much
    as possible with propane, using one of the really quiet new inverter generators, and have a second "camping"
    12V battery (is the bus 12V?) charged from the bus alternator through a battery isolator, which powers some
    small stuff like LED lights. Bruce Roe

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    • #3
      Fork lift batteries are designed to work all day and then hook up to the charger for a proper, thorough overnight charge. If you can recharge with the proper fork lift charger you can get a lot of use out of this battery while ensuring it gets properly charged for a long life. As Bruce Roe said make the most use of propane as you can. Stored electricity isn't a very good way of creating heat. You will need a generator , or shore power for air conditioning.
      2.2kw Suntech mono, Classic 200, NEW Trace SW4024

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      • #4
        That forklift battery will really make the bus sag. That's a LOT of weight, and how are you going to get it in there ?

        Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
        || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
        || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

        solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
        gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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        • #5
          I have acquired an old taxicab propane tank that I will mount under the chassis. That should take care of my heating needs. The A/C that I am using is 10000 BTU/hr @1000 W. I figured I would need a generator in the 8000-10000 W range. I'm thinking that since this was a vehicle that was used to transport upwards of 60 people at a time, that it wouldn't be a problem putting a forklift battery in there. How much does one weigh? Would one battery be enough, or would I need two (or more)?

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Emmeyekayeee View Post
            , I thought of using a forklift battery or something to that effect (Kubota, etc.) and inverter to power things like an A/C unit, small hour water heater/tank, lighting, TV, water pump, two mini-fridges, possibly a sous-vide stick, signage, soda dispensary. Is that possible?
            Now that is some funny stuff, I don't care who you are.

            Sure it can be done providing your Food Truck is a 18-wheel Tractor Trailer rig, That is what it will take to hold 4 tons of batteries and the space required to house them with a kitchen. To charge those batteries over night will require a custom built Charger powered from 3-phase 208 VAC supply. I can build it for you for around $30,000. Just let me know when you are ready, but I will need a $15,000 good will check up front before I start.

            You will need 4 to 6 sets of 48 volts fork lift batteries.There is a very good reason all manufactured Food Trucks come with large generators. Here are a few links for you to read.

            Selecting Food Truck Generator.
            Cummings Food Truck Generators.
            Food Truck Generators 101

            Bottom line a Food Truck Generator sizes range from 6 Kw to 15 Kwh. A small 6 Kw generator in 8 hours can supply roughly up to 30 Kwh, about what a small small professional food truck kitchen would use without Air Conditioning. If you want Air Conditioning even larger. So to equal a 6 Kw generator working 8 hours a day with say only 25 Kwh of use would require 4 standard GB 24-85-13 24 volt 804 AH batteries. Each battery weighs 2200 pounds and cost $4000. Do the math 4x 2200 pounds = 8800 pounds. About what a Food Truck weighs. 4x $4000 = $16,000 Lastly replace the batteries in 5 to 6 years. That is what you need to get your head wrapped around an know.
            Last edited by Sunking; 05-20-2017, 11:17 PM.
            MSEE, PE

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Emmeyekayeee View Post
              I have acquired an old taxicab propane tank that I will mount under the chassis. That should take care of my heating needs.
              Just curious ... life of a propane tank is 12 years ... at least those 20 lb. ones that we us in our home grills and on campers; how often do the under-chassis models have to be re-certified or replaced?

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