NPP Service Manual

6 Electrical operation

This chapter describes the electrical operating principles of the power pallet truck. The
standard model and its electrical schematic diagram are used as an example.

CAUTION

Always use the correct schematic diagram for the specific model you are servicing. The
latest schematic diagrams are available from the manufacturer’s Web site.

To troubleshoot a particular component, locate the component on the appropriate page

of the schematic diagram and check the circuitry associated with it. Keep the schematic
diagram at hand for reference while reading the explanation. Make sure that you have
the correct schematic diagram with regard to the truck model and its age.

6.1 Using the schematic diagram

CAUTION

The figures provided in this section are provided as examples only. Therefore the
information in the actual schematic diagram of the truck model you are servicing may
differ from the figures.

As an example, Figure 45 below shows a part of a schematic diagram.

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NPP Service Manual

Figure 45. Page 1/8, zone 13, wiring reference J14

Note the numbers above the wiring reference J14. These numbers (8/16) direct you to
the page and zone where the wire is connected.

This procedure is used to follow the circuits throughout the schematic diagram. If the
numbers are given without the slash (/), the connection is on the same page of the
schematics.

Table 4 below explains the different identifiers used in the schematic diagram. # stands
for a number.

Table 4. Schematic diagram identifiers

IDENTIFIER DESCRIPTION

S# Switches and other state changing devices (for example, most sensors).

#F# Fuse

J# Reference.
All references marked with an even ”J” (e.g. J2) are positive (+). All
references marked with an odd “J” (e.g. J3) are negative (-).

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NPP Service Manual

IDENTIFIER DESCRIPTION

M# Motor

V# Diode

A# Controllers and displays

K# Contactors and relays

X# Connector. Contact numbers are marked on individual wires.

XX# Splice. Multiple wires are connected together at this point.

Figure 46 shows the reference to which Figure 45 referred.

Figure 46. Page 8, zone 16, wiring reference J14

Once again, note the numbers below the wiring reference J14. These numbers (1/13)
direct you back to the page (and zone) shown in Figure 45.

Figure 47. Page numbers (4/9), circuit diagram number (3-7109) and revision letter (H)

Copyright© 2013 by MCFE. All rights reserved. Revision: A Document ID: 618021 68 (206)
NPP Service Manual

Page numbers, the circuit diagram number and the revision letter can be found in the
bottom right corner of the page.

Figure 48. Page modification history

On the bottom left side of the circuit diagram, you can see the modification history of the
page.

6.2 Power source

This truck product family uses wet lead-acid batteries, which consist of 12 cells and
supply a nominal voltage of 24 volts. The batteries have the maximum capacity of
500 Ah, depending on the truck model. The batteries reside in a separate compartment
and are connected to the system via the X1 battery connector. In the electrical
schematic diagram, the battery is presented as G1 in zone 11 on page 1.

6.3 Safety circuit (emergency stop button)

If the emergency stop button (S9) is in its normal closed position, B+ continues to flow
to the key switch (S1). B+ also flows to the main power contactor coil (K1). The operator
can shut down the system power at any time by pressing the emergency stop button.
When the button is pressed, the connection opens and removes B+ from the main
contactor coil (K1).

6.4 Key switch

The main key switch S1 controls the electrical power supply to the entire system with
the help of the main contactor K1. The coil controlling the K1 contacts is presented in
zone 17 on page 1.

The key switch is activated by turning it to the ON position. When the key switch S1
closes, B+ flows to the coil of the main contactor K1, the negative is connected to the
battery via the controller pin 6 of the connector XA1B and the contactor K1 closes the
contacts. Positive electrical power is supplied to the system through the main fuse 5F1.

The fuse 5F1 is rated at 300 A. In the electrical schematic diagram, the location of the
main fuses is illustrated in zone 27 on page 1. After the main fuse 5F1, the +B supply is
fed to the contacts of the pump motor M2. The pump motor negative is controlled by the
pump controller. In the schematic diagram, the M2 contacts are presented in zone 21 on
page 1.

The traction motor is controlled by the traction controller. In the schematic diagram, the
M1 contacts are presented in zone 23 on page 1. The main voltage is supplied to the
terminal BF on the traction controller.

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NPP Service Manual

6.5 Traction

The movement of the truck is controlled by the traction controller. Before the truck can
be driven, the battery must be connected, the main key switch must be closed and the
system must have passed the self-test procedure.

When the truck is powered on and in the standby mode, it can be driven by turning the
accelerator at the end of the tiller arm forward or backward. In the electrical schematic
diagram, the accelerator is presented in zones 12 to 15 on page 3 of the electrical
schematic diagram. The accelerator unit receives its positive 24 volt electrical supply
from the pin 2 of the connector XA1C. The negative connection is supplied directly from
- B. When the accelerator is turned forward or backward, it indicates the direction to the
traction controller via the pins 4 and 8 of the connector XA1B. It also provides a varying
voltage to the pin 4 of the connector XA1C. The voltage varies between 0, 3 and 4.7
volts, depending on the position of the accelerator control. The voltage increases as the
accelerator is moved to either extreme.

6.6 AC motor operation

In the induction motor (= asynchronous motor), the stator is powered with alternating
current and designed to create a rotating magnetic field, which rotates in time with the
AC oscillations. In the induction motor, the rotor rotates at a slower speed than the
stator field and therefore the magnetic field through the rotor is changing (rotating). The
rotor has windings in the form of closed wire loops. The rotating magnetic flux induces
currents in the rotor windings as in a transformer. These currents in turn create
magnetic fields in the rotor that interact with the stator field. Due to Lenz's law, the
direction of the created magnetic field is such as to oppose the change in current
through the windings. The cause of induced current in the rotor is the rotating stator
magnetic field, so to oppose it, this rotor starts to rotate in the direction of the rotating
stator magnetic field to make the relative speed between the rotor and the rotating
stator magnetic field zero.

For these currents to be induced, the speed of the physical rotor must be lower than
that of the stator's rotating magnetic field or the magnetic field would not be moving
relative to the rotor conductors and no currents would be induced. As the speed of the
rotor drops below synchronous speed, the rotation rate of the magnetic field in the rotor
increases, inducing more current in the windings and creating more torque. The ratio
between the rotation rate of the magnetic field as seen by the rotor (slip speed) and the
rotation rate of the stator's rotating field is called "slip". Under load, the speed drops and
the slip increases enough to create sufficient torque to turn the load. For this reason,
induction motors are sometimes referred to as asynchronous motors. An induction
motor can be used as an induction generator, or it can be unrolled to form the linear
induction motor, which can directly generate linear motion.

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NPP Service Manual

6.7 Sensorless operation

Sensorless operation means that there is no motor speed feedback sensor in the
traction motor. The traction controller is able to estimate the rotational speed value on
the basis of controlled values of the field rotational frequency, the applied phase voltage
and measurements of motor temperature and phase currents. From these values, the
motor rotational speed can be estimated on the basis of a mathematical model of the
traction motor.

The main benefit of sensorless operating is its reliability, as it means that there are
fewer components inside the motor.

In certain cases this technology can cause some vibration in acceleration situations.
The reason is that if the loading situation changes rapidly (for example, there is water
on the floor), the traction controller guesses the flux value and thus a small delay and
some vibration may occur in the wheel control.

Copyright© 2013 by MCFE. All rights reserved. Revision: A Document ID: 618021 71 (206)