DC-DC Converters for Forklifts & Materials Handling
Electric forklifts, order pickers, golf carts and utility vehicles run on 36V, 48V, 72V or 80V traction batteries, but the accessories fleets now depend on, LED lights and beacons, reversing cameras, two-way radios, telematics and safety systems, are typically 12V or 24V. A DC-DC step-down converter takes the traction-battery voltage down to a stable 12V or 24V so those accessories run off the main battery without requiring a separate battery to maintain. We stock step-downs across that range, including 48V/72V/80V to 12V units at 20A, 30A and 40A, and have access to an impressive range of converters with even more uncommon specifications. We'll match the right one to your machine.
Three specs matter. Input voltage range, which has to cover your traction battery at its charge voltage, not just its nominal figure. Continuous output amps for the whole accessory load running at once including surging. And the IP protection rating for a dusty or wet yard. An ACC or ignition control input is required for some applications as well, it switches the converter off with the machine so it isn't sitting there drawing from the traction pack overnight.
A converter is not a charger. It supplies a voltage to power a circuit; it doesn't apply a staged charge profile, so don't use one to charge a battery, it won't fill it and you can break the converter as the amp rate load on it is uncontrolled. If your machine carries an auxiliary battery you want charged, that's a different unit, ask us. More answers in our DC-DC & charging FAQ.
Common questions
How do I run 12V accessories on a 48V or 80V forklift?
Fit a DC-DC step-down converter that takes the traction-battery voltage, 48V, 72V or 80V, down to a regulated 12V or 24V. It gives your lights, beacons, cameras, radios and telematics a stable supply without adding a separate battery that someone has to remember to charge.
Do I need a converter or a charger for a forklift?
A converter. You're powering 12V or 24V loads, not charging a second battery, so you want a DC-DC converter that supplies the required output voltage. A charger is only needed where you're refilling an auxiliary battery with a staged charge profile, and a plain converter will neither fill a battery properly nor survive the attempt.
What continuous current do I need?
Add up the running current of everything the converter feeds at once, lights, beacon, camera, radio, telematics, and pick a converter whose continuous rating, not its peak rating, comfortably exceeds it. Sizing to peak alone leaves the unit running hot and short-lived. If you're not sure of the load, measure it with a clamp meter rather than guess.
Will the converter drain the traction battery when the machine is off?
Not if it's wired to an ACC or ignition control input so it switches off with the machine. That keeps standby draw off the traction pack overnight. Our 48V/72V/80V to 12V 30A and 40A units have that control input built in; the 20A doesn't. On a converter without it, switch the supply side through the key or use an isolator.
Do you supply converters for golf carts and electric utility vehicles?
Yes. The same 36V, 48V and 72V step-downs used in forklifts suit golf carts and electric utility vehicles running 12V or 24V accessories. Tell us the traction voltage and the accessory load and we'll match the unit.