24V forklift battery: how do the 50Ah, 150Ah, 200Ah, 230Ah and 280Ah models differ in use?

Direct answer: Choose by energy per shift, continuous current, charge current and compartment size, not by the Ah figure alone. The published tables show two families: small packs (50Ah and about 160Ah) rated for 50A continuous, and larger packs (230Ah and 280Ah) rated for 160A continuous. The 230Ah and 280Ah pages also list identical energy, which needs clarifying.

The 24V 50Ah page lists 25.6V, 1.28 kWh, 250 × 165 × 119 mm, about 8.5 kg, 40A maximum charge, 50A continuous and 100A peak for 3 seconds, IP65 and an LCD with state-of-charge display. The page says it suits light-duty electric forklifts, pallet trucks and AGVs.

The 24V 150Ah page actually lists 160Ah and 4.09 kWh, 623 × 209 × 626 mm, about 90 kg, and the same 40A charge and 50A continuous ratings as the 50Ah model. More energy does not mean more power on these two pages: both share a 50A continuous limit, about 1.3 kW at 25.6V.

The 24V 230Ah and 24V 280Ah pages move to a different class: 150A maximum charge (10–45 °C), 160A continuous, 800A peak for 5 seconds, 7 kW output, IP54, and 630 × 251 × 450 mm. Weights are about 63 kg and 65 kg. Both list 5.88 kWh. That fits 230Ah (25.6V × 230Ah ≈ 5.9 kWh) but not 280Ah (about 7.2 kWh), so ask Redway which figure is correct for the model you plan to buy. A separate 24V 200Ah page lists 5.12 kWh and about 40 kg but follows a different layout from the forklift pages.

Match the pack to the truck. Compare the truck controller’s continuous and peak current with the pack’s 50A or 160A rating, check the compartment and weight, and ask the truck maker whether a given pack is acceptable. Charge time has a simple floor: Ah ÷ charge amps. That is about 1.25 hours for 50Ah at 40A, about 4 hours for 160Ah at 40A and about 1.5 hours for 230Ah at 150A, before any taper. Real times depend on the charger and the pack’s temperature window of 0–55 °C.

All the forklift pages quote “5 years or 3500 cycles (DOD 70% 0.25C)”. Use that definition when comparing, and read our post on opportunity charging in multi-shift use if trucks will be topped up between shifts. Not published: approved truck models and the charger protocol, so ask Redway for both in writing.