Eneroc batteries can now ‘talk’ to CTI chargers

Eneroc USA, which develops lithium battery and charging systems, and Charging Technologies Inc. (CTI), a Bridgeton, Mo.-based industrial battery charger manufacturer, have completed integration between Eneroc’s LFP (lithium iron phosphate) forklift batteries and CTI’s lithium-capable high-frequency chargers, enabling the battery and charger to communicate directly and eliminating the need to select a manual charge profile.

The Eneroc battery management system (BMS) sends the charger its requested charge current and voltage. It updates continuously as the state of charge and cell temperature change. The BMS also reports cell balancing status and estimated time to full charge. Pack voltage and capacity are sent at handshake. The charger stops or reduces current on a BMS fault or temperature limit.

The CTI charger follows battery requests throughout the cycle. This keeps charge current inside the limits the battery’s cells can safely accept, whether the fleet charges during breaks or runs a full overnight charge.

The integration covers CTI’s lithium-capable chargers with the CAN bus communication option. The Xtreme HF line spans 24 to 80 VDC in single-phase and three-phase models, with a rated power factor of 95% and nominal efficiency of 94%.

“CTI chargers are installed in warehouses and distribution centers across the country,” said Mark D’Amato, vice president of Sales at Eneroc USA. “Fleets that already run CTI chargers can move to Eneroc lithium batteries and keep the chargers they have. Once connected, the battery and charger recognize each other and manage the charge smoothly.”