Potain has launched the new PowerBoost battery pack for the Potain Igo M 24-19, with plans to expand the offering to other cranes in the range in the future.
It says the battery pack offers plug-and-play installation and can be used as a standalone unit or in conjunction with the on-site electricity supply.
Once connected, PowerBoost can install and erect the crane and deliver up to two working days of power. It has 16 kWh Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries with an input rating of 230 V and a current range of 10 A to 16 A. Output is 230 V and up to 32 A. Fast charging is possible too, taking just 2 h 15 min to go from 50% to 85% capacity when using a 16 A power supply.
PowerBoost is flexible, says Potain. If used as a standalone source for lifting operations only, for example, it can deliver an eight-hour workday with 50 load cycles. Alternatively, if PowerBoost is used just for set-up and tear-down, it can perform these tasks twice on a single charge, including commissioning the crane.
PowerBoost can be attached during transport and drive the crane when it is positioned via remote control.
If PowerBoost is used in conjunction with the local, on-site electricity supply, the two work together to regularly recharge the batteries and the crane uses minimal grid power for better efficiency and cost savings.
“Unlike a diesel generator, there’s no noise or emissions with PowerBoost,” says Remi Deporte, self-erecting cranes product manager at Manitowoc. “This also eradicates the need to transport fuel to the jobsite and can help reduce overall project costs. It’s an ideal product for a range of applications, including sensitive renovation projects or other sites with restrictions on sound or air quality. It also means customers can continue to use the crane even if there’s an issue with the local grid supply.”
The first Potain Igo M 24-19 equipped with PowerBoost was purchased by Valem, a Potain dealer for France. The first job was at a project to restore the old ramparts in the historic village of Hiers-Brouage in Charente-Maritime district, for local specialist contractor Hory-Chauvelin.
A YouTube video of PowerBoost in action can be seen here.
