The most common avoidable problem on electric scissor hires: a flat machine at 10am because charging was an afterthought.
The rule
Charge overnight for 8 hours continuously for optimal performance. Not “a couple of hours at lunch”, not “we’ll top it up Friday”. Plug in at knock-off, unplug at start-up. A full overnight charge covers a normal working day on our 19ft electrics.
What you need on site
- A standard outlet (10A is fine for the 19ft units) within cord reach of where the machine parks
- Power that stays on overnight — site boards that get isolated at 6pm are the classic trap
- For the 40ft unit, confirm charging requirements with us at booking
Habits that protect the hire
- Charge every night, even after a light day — lead-acid packs live longest topped up, not cycled deep.
- Don’t interrupt the cycle. Chargers run stages; unplugging mid-cycle repeatedly hurts the pack.
- Cold mornings sap range. In winter, expect slightly less runtime and plan the heaviest lifting early.
- No power on site? Tell us before delivery — options exist (generator with adequate output, or a diesel/tracked alternative), but they need arranging, not improvising.
If it goes flat mid-day
Lower the platform using emergency descent (we’ll show you at handover), plug in, and give it as long as you can. Then call us — repeated deep discharges on a hire get expensive for everyone.
FAQs
Does charging cost much? An overnight charge costs roughly a dollar or two of electricity — the cheapest running cost on site.
Need a machine for this job? Get a hire quote — tell us the job and suburb and we’ll quote the right machine and delivery. Or use Help Me Choose. Call 0472 721 234.