How Much Propane Does a Forklift Use?

Written on: June 5, 2023

Power your forklifts with cylinder exchange services from Boehlke Bottled Gas

If you are one of the many Southeastern Wisconsin businesses that use forklifts, you know how essential they are for getting needed work done.

More and more businesses like yours are discovering the benefits of using propane-powered forklifts. With comprehensive forklift propane cylinder services from Boehlke Bottled Gas, your business can run more efficiently and cost-effectively!

Boehlke Bottled Gas’ forklift propane services

Boehlke Bottled Gas has been serving Southeast Wisconsin businesses since 1938. We understand the needs of local businesses because we are one!

That understanding is based on knowing that no two businesses are alike, so one-size-fits-all propane forklift services aren’t going to cut it. We start by going over your business and how you use forklifts. With that information, we’ll give you a free quote and create a customized propane forklift cylinder exchange service to meet your needs.

We set up clean, safe, and secure cylinder storage cages at your business and thoroughly train your employees in the safe handling and usage of forklift propane cylinders.

Our cylinder exchange service makes having propane forklifts worry-free as we handle everything, including retrieving empty cylinders, the refill and certification processes, and delivering a fresh supply of cylinders.

Because we’re local, we offer responsiveness and flexibility not big, national propane company can match. If you need to adjust your forklift cylinder services, we can promptly do it so your workers continue to get the job done without any issues.

Propane usage in forklifts

Most propane forklifts use 33-pound cylinders that contain approximately eight gallons of propane. That is enough propane to last between six and eight hours, depending on how it is being used. In more challenging outdoor conditions, the cylinder will power a forklift for closer to six hours. On a smooth indoor surface such as a manufacturing plant, warehouse, or distribution center, you’ll likely get eight hours. That means your workers can go an entire shift without having to stop to replace the empty cylinder.

But even if they do need a full cylinder, that process takes just a couple of minutes. All the forklift operator needs to do is remove the empty cylinder and replace it with a full one, and they’re back on the job!

That’s much better than electric forklifts, which can need up to eight hours to recharge, meaning they’re idled for an entire shift. The charging stations for electric forklifts also take up a lot of valuable space in your facility.

Filling gasoline- or diesel-powered forklifts also takes more time, and there is also the risk of fuel spills which need to be cleaned and remediated, costing more time and money.

What businesses use propane forklifts?

Construction companies benefit from propane forklifts because they are superior to electric forklifts on inclines and, unlike electric forklifts, can operate in wet conditions.

Farms use propane forklifts for moving bags of seed, hay bales, and more swiftly and efficiently.
Manufacturing facilities, warehouses, industrial plants, and distribution centers use propane forklifts to move materials both indoors and outside, because propane’s lack of emissions allows them to be safely operated indoors, something that cannot be done with gasoline or diesel forklifts.

Put the experience and reliability of Boehlke Bottled Gas to work for your Southeastern Wisconsin business! Contact us today to learn more about our propane forklift services.