Cold storage enquiries usually start with a capacity and a lift height. Those are the easy numbers. The specification that decides whether the truck survives the room is different: what happens to the battery at −25 °C, what the hydraulic oil does when it is cold-soaked, and how much condensation forms every time the machine crosses the threshold.
Battery: the biggest single decision
A lead-acid battery loses usable capacity as temperature falls — roughly 1% per degree below 25 °C, and the loss accelerates below −10 °C. A truck that runs a full eight-hour shift in ambient conditions will not run eight hours at −25 °C on the same battery.
| Chemistry | Behaviour at −25 °C | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Standard lead-acid | 40–50% capacity loss; charging becomes slow and gassing is unreliable | Not suitable |
| Cold-store lead-acid | Reduced but usable; requires a warm charging room and electrolyte adjustment | Single-shift, warm charge area available |
| Lithium with cold-weather BMS | Heated pack; capacity retention far better; needs a BMS rated for the temperature | Multi-shift, no warm charging area |
Hydraulics and seals
Standard hydraulic oil thickens below −15 °C; the pump strains, lift speed drops, and the relief valve works harder than it should. Cold-store specification means low-temperature hydraulic oil, and seals rated for the temperature rather than the standard nitrile set. Ask for the oil grade in the quotation — if it is not stated, it is standard.
Condensation, not frost, is the real enemy
Every pass through the door brings moisture into the freezer and takes condensate back out. The damage shows up in electrical connectors, the control handle and the mast chain. Three things help: sealed connectors, stainless or galvanised chain, and a truck that spends as little time as possible in the transition zone.
What to put in the enquiry
- Room temperature (not 'cold store' — the difference between −18 °C and −30 °C changes the battery choice)
- Hours per shift, and whether the truck leaves the freezer to charge
- Door type and how often it opens — this drives condensation, not capacity
- Floor condition and any ramps at the threshold
- Whether washdown happens, and with what
Send those five and the specification becomes defensible. Without them the honest answer is that any quotation is a guess.