Enatel announces first CEC-compliant large battery charger

Enatel Motive Power has announced its EcoCharge FS3 range of battery chargers have passed the CEC (California Energy Commission) standard for energy efficiency.

Enatel Motive Power is the first large battery charger company in the world to have achieved this milestone and be listed on the CEC website. Compliance with CEC energy efficiency regulations will be mandatory for all large battery chargers, which are typically used for charging electric forklifts and other electric materials handling vehicles, sold in California with a manufactured date after January 1, 2014.

Enatel Motive Power managing director Gary Foot commented, “it was tremendously satisfying to achieve official recognition from CEC of the energy saving capability of our charger products, and being the first product listed on the website endorses the technology leadership EMP have to offer customers serious about minimizing their energy costs, not only in California, but worldwide.”

The CEC regulations require comprehensive measurement of charger efficiency continuously during the recharge of the battery. They also set minimum requirements for power factor and ensuring that the batteries are charged as efficiently as possible by specifying a maximum charge return factor so that energy is not wasted charging the battery. Historically, many charger manufacturers have made claims regarding the efficiency of the chargers which relates only to the peak efficiency of the charger and doesn’t take into consideration the efficiency of the charger over its complete operating range, or when it is sitting idle.

The EcoCharge series of chargers are multi voltage (24/36/48V or 72/80/96V) multi AmpHour (0 – 2000Ahr) modular battery chargers capable of conventional or high rate charging the majority of electric powered materials handling equipment using a wide range of different battery types.