How to calculate the operating time of lithium batteries on industrial floor scrubbers?

One important consideration when choosing batteries for floor scrubbers is battery life - how long will the battery power the scrubber ? A simple formula can help estimate runtime based on the battery's capacity and the scrubber's power demands.

The formula is:

Runtime (hours) = Battery Capacity (Wh) ÷ Scrubber Power (W)

Let's take the Sycain 25.6V 100Ah lithium-ion battery as an example. Its capacity is:

- Nominal voltage: 25.6V  
- Capacity: 100Ah
- Total battery capacity = Voltage x Capacity 
             = 25.6V x 100Ah = 2,560Wh
             = Approximately 2.56kWh

If used in a 1000W manual floor scrubber, the maximum runtime would be:

Runtime = Battery Capacity / Scrubber Power
         = 2.56kWh / 1000W 
         = 2.56 hours

For a 2000W ride-on scrubber, the maximum runtime would be: 

Runtime = Battery Capacity / Scrubber Power
          = 2.56kWh / 2000W
          = 1.28 hours

However, real-world testing shows that scrubbers rarely operate at their full rated power continuously. On factory epoxy floors during normal cleaning, the actual operating power is typically between 60-70% of rated capacity.

Therefore, under normal usage conditions the Sycain 25.6V 100Ah lithium-ion battery can last:

- Over 4 hours on a 1000W scrubber
- Over 2 hours on a 2000W scrubber

This formula, along with data from field testing, helps floor cleaning professionals accurately estimate runtimes for battery selection and fleet management planning. It also demonstrates batteries may exceed calculated times during typical application use.

If you need to purchase lithium batteries, please visit the product page for more information.