Our vision is to improve people’s lives through product innovation and development; and to bring equipment to the market that provides solutions to real problems. One way that we strive toward this vision is by being particular about the batteries we use to build our Ride-On Floor Scrapers.
The batteries used to power your floor scrapers matter. They make a significant difference in the overall utility, dependability, and ROI of your machine. It’s important to understand that there are different types of batteries and that some are better than others.
Batteries Used in Anderson Innovations Floor Scrapers
Not all batteries are equal. Anderson Innovations uses two types of batteries: Deep Cycle AGM (lead acid) in the ES 2000 and Lithium Iron Phosphate in the ES 1300—a brand-new machine in the Anderson Ride-On floor scraper line.
When deciding between different floor stripper or floor scraper machines, finding out what kind of battery is being used in the machine will help you determine if it’s a worthwhile investment on your end.
There are a few good questions to ask:
Where are the batteries coming from?
Our AGM batteries are made in the USA and the lithium batteries we use are assembled in the USA with internationally sourced cells. The majority of batteries come from China, and many U.S. companies buy batteries that are made in China to their specifications. We choose to use the most domestic suppliers whenever possible, so while the cells of our lithium batteries are imported, the batteries are still largely made in the USA.
How big is the battery?
Capacity is measured in several ways. With AGM batteries, the most common capacity unit is Amp Hours in a 20 hr rate. This can be a confusing number as it’s based on a relatively small constant draw that is not a good comparison to how floor-scraping machines work. We test our batteries under realistic conditions and measure the energy output of the system to determine its actual capacity in Kilowatt hours (kWh). Lithium batteries are commonly designated in kWh. The battery pack in the ES 2000 is 10 kW and provides up to 8 hours of run time. The ES 1300 has a battery with 5kwh capable of 3.5 hours of runtime. The battery pack on the ES 1300 is also removable allowing for a second, fully charged battery pack to be installed when needed to continue running.
What about charging?
The bigger the battery pack, the bigger the charger should be. This can cause problems when charging on 110V. If a battery pack is too large, charging regularly on 110V will cause the batteries to lose capacity and can take 14 hours or more to complete. That is why we use the biggest AGM battery we can without creating a problem if charged regularly on 110V. Our ES 2000 will charge from 0% to 100% in about 10 hours on 110V with a typical 48V, 20-amp DC charger. Temperature, depth of discharge, and especially AC voltage fluctuation can change charge duration. The ES 2000 can be charged with up to 60amps on 220V. The battery on the ES 1300 can be fully charged in 6 hours with a 15 amp DC Charger. We are constantly testing new battery and charger combinations to improve the runtime and recharge time of our equipment with the intention of staying on the cutting edge of battery technology.
How many cycles will the batteries take before they need to be replaced?
The cycle life of batteries is the number of charge and discharge cycles that a battery can complete before losing performance. This is possibly one of the most important points to consider when looking at battery options because, as everyone knows, batteries are expensive. The more cycles you get out of a pack of batteries, the better. A typical cycle life expectancy for an AGM battery is about 400 cycles at 100% depth of discharge. The batteries in our ES 2000 are capable of 1200 cycles at 100% Depth of Discharge. The lithium batteries we use in our ES 1300 are capable of up to 2000 cycles with 100% depth of discharge. However, if recharged regularly at 80% depth of discharge, the cycle life of the lithium batteries we use increases to as many as 4000 cycles.
Lithium Batteries VS Lead Acid (AGM) Batteries
There are a variety of benefits to using Lead Acid (AGM) batteries in a floor scraper:
- Lead Acid is less expensive than Lithium per kWh
- Lead Acid is very dependable, not requiring any computers to function properly
- Lead Acid is heavy—in a scraper like the ES2000 with a fixed battery pack, the extra weight improves the performance of the machine
- Lead Acid typically has better cold-weather performance than Lithium
- Connecting batteries in series and parallel does not require any special communication cables
While lead acid batteries do have some great benefits, there are aspects where Lithium technology provides some advantages over AGM batteries. These benefits have allowed us to make the ES 1300 a revolutionary machine in the Ride-On floor scraper market. Some of these benefits include:
- Lithium has better power density than Lead Acid (same power in a much smaller box)
- The cycle life of a lithium battery far exceeds that of Lead Acid batteries
- Voltage stays very consistent over the discharge cycle with minimal drop
- The battery management system (BMS) can turn off the battery if a short is detected
- Charging current can be much higher than lead acid allowing for faster re-charge times
- Lithium is lighter than lead acid, which along with the smaller size, is important for a removable pack machine such as the ES 1300
What kind of Lithium Batteries are used in our floor scrapers?
We use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. This is a more stable compound than others, such as Lithium ION or Lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), typically found in electric vehicles. LiFePO4 batteries have a higher thermal runaway threshold compared to the chemistry of other common lithium batteries, making them safer to use.
Ready to get started? Contact us to learn how to get an Anderson Innovations floor scraper today!
