Many open-air logistics yards, alpine region industrial parks and periphery of cold-chain facilities will form typical alternate freezing-and-thawing working zones in autumn and spring, where the ambient temperature fluctuates repeatedly below and above zero centigrade within 24 hours. In such special working conditions, lithium-ion forklifts face more hidden operation risks than in constant temperature normal environments, so standardized operation and maintenance specifications must be strictly followed.

First of all, full pre-operation inspection is required before daily starting work. Operators need to check the outer casing of the lithium battery first, to confirm there is no frost crack or accumulated condensed water at the sealing edge, then check all power connection plugs to make sure no residual ice blocks block the insertion point, to avoid poor contact in subsequent operation. They also need to check the tire tread to remove residual broken ice adhered to the surface, to prevent sideslip when driving on semi-thawed road surface. Do not start full load operation directly in ultra-low temperature state, users should run the vehicle at low speed with no load for 3 to 5 minutes, to preheat the drive motor and internal hydraulic oil to the suitable working temperature range.

For the in-operation process, standardized management should be implemented strictly. The battery activity will drop obviously under alternating cold and warm environment, so operators should avoid sudden heavy load acceleration or frequent high-current discharging actions during operation, to prevent unexpected protection shutdown of the battery management system. The driving route should avoid low-lying areas that accumulated ice melt water, to prevent the accumulated water from penetrating into the electrical compartment and causing short circuit risks. If the operation interval exceeds 15 minutes, the vehicle should be parked on a flat area sheltered from frost and direct strong sunlight, rather than being exposed in the open air to suffer repeated temperature changes.

As for post-operation storage and regular maintenance, after finishing the daily work, the forklift should not be parked in open area with temperature below zero centigrade, it is recommended to move the whole vehicle to a ventilated and dry parking area with ambient temperature above 5℃. Operators need to wipe off all residual defrosting water on the battery surface and vehicle body gaps in time, to avoid water residue that will freeze and expand at night. The background operation data of the battery management system should be checked every week, to track the cell pressure difference change within the normal range. The hydraulic oil and brake fluid should be replaced with wide temperature applicable models according to the specified service cycle, and the charging operation should not be carried out in open alternate freezing-and-thawing environment, the charging site should keep the temperature within the specified range of the product manual. Abiding by these above notes can effectively reduce equipment failure risks, improve operation stability and support smooth progress of logistics tasks.