Between different brands, models, designs and capacities, selecting the right electric chain hoist for your application can be a confusing task.
No matter what brand of electric hoist you choose, it will perform the same basic function: lifting and shifting loads. This raises a question: does your choice of hoist really matter?
The quick answer: it absolutely does. You want to ensure that the hoist is capable of doing the job you need it to in a safe manner. You need to know that it will work exactly how you want, when you want, where you want.
So what are the key differentiating factors that will help you decide on the right hoist for a given application? In this analysis, we’ll compare three hoist brands: Balken G2, Hitachi and Elephant, and more specifically their three-phase, 1000kg capacity, dual speed hoists (almost all hoist models are available in single or dual speed versions).
The key factors that should inform your choice of hoist are:
- Motor performance (including duty rating and insulation)
- Switching capability
- Safety features
- Environmental protection
Let’s take a look at each of these considerations to see how the Balken G2, Hitachi and Elephant hoists compare.
Motor performance
The performance of an electric hoist motor will define the hoist’s ability to lift loads near its working load limit (WLL), how long it can operate in a given time span, and the length of its working life.
Two main factors impact motor performance:
1. Motor duty rating
The motor duty rating describes the length of time that the hoist can continuously operate at full load torque, without overheating.
It’s generally fine to lift loads near or at a hoist’s WLL, provided you don’t lift those loads too often. But if you need to frequently lift loads near the hoists WLL, you’ll need to be aware of the duty cycle of the hoist motor: the percentage of time that a hoist can safely operate at a given load capacity.
Different brands can have significantly different hoist duty cycles:
| BALKEN GENERATION 2 | ELEPHANT | HITACHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duty Cycle | 40% | 40% | 20 - 30% |
2. Motor insulation
The quality of the insulation that surrounds the hoist motor will determine the highest temperature that the hoist can be continuously exposed to without degrading the motor or reducing its life.
In terms of insulation, most hoist motors are rated as either Class B, Class E or Class F. Motors with Class F insulation, such as those used in Balken G2 hoists, are able to operate at a maximum temperature of 155° C to yield an average life of 20,000 hours. Class F motors (Elephant and Hitachi) can only operate to a maximum of 120° C to achieve the same life (and confusingly, Class B motors are rated at a slightly higher 130° C).
| BALKEN GENERATION 2 | ELEPHANT | HITACHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insulation Class | F (155° C) | E (120° C) | E (120° C) |
Balken G2 hoists can operate longer at higher loads and operating temperatures than Elephant and Hitachi hoist motors, which sit at the lower end of both the motor rating and insulation spectrums.
Switching capability
A further measure of the hoist durability is how often the hoist's relay can be switched, and how often the brake can be activated and deactivated, without causing excess wear on the mechanical parts.
This factor is best indicated by the number of starts per hour the hoist can perform: Balken G2 and Elephant Hoists can perform 240 starts per hour, while Hitachi handles up to 180 starts per hour.
| BALKEN GENERATION 2 | ELEPHANT | HITACHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starts per hour | 240 | 240 | 180 |
Safety features
Safe lifting begins by selecting the right hoist: one with a WLL and level of motor performance that is appropriate for the application. But beyond these basic factors there are a few other safety features that you should look out for:
Low-voltage pendant controllers
Pendant controllers should be low voltage, as is the case with all of the hoists mentioned in this analysis. One difference between the hoists is that pendant controllers are only available as optional extras on Hitachi models.
Emergency stop
The Balken G2 and Elephant hoists come standard with an emergency stop button on the pendant controller. Hitachi controllers are not only optional, but the emergency stop is an additional extra.
Overload protection
Overload protection ensures that the hoist isn’t used to lift weights greater than its rated capacity. This is a standard feature on all of the hoists in this guide, though the method can differ slightly: Balken G2 and Elephant hoists use an adjustable slipping clutch, while Hitachi hoists use an overload limiter.
Braking system
A reliable braking system is critical to ensure loads are held during a power outage or any other form of disconnection. Balken G2 hoists feature electromagnetic spring pressure brakes, while Elephant and Hitachi hoists feature standard electromagnetic brakes.
| BALKEN GENERATION 2 | ELEPHANT | HITACHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pendant Voltage | 24V | 24V | 24V |
| Emergency Stop | Yes | Yes | Extra |
| Overload Protection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Braking System | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Generally speaking hoists made in Europe, such as Balken G2, will have a greater focus on safety than those made in Asia (Hitachi) or the US (Elephant), as they are subject to EU safety regulations, which are some of the most stringent in the world.
Environmental protection
Hoists are operated in a wide variety of environmental conditions, from outdoors, to clean areas, to the heat of foundries. When selecting a hoist it is essential that the model is suitable for the environmental conditions in which it will be required to operate.
Both the pendant controller and the hoist body should have some form of ingress protection rating, or “IP rating”. IP ratings feature two numbers, and the higher the better. The first number represents protection against solid particles, and the second number represents protection against the harmful ingress of water.
| BALKEN GENERATION 2 | ELEPHANT | HITACHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pendant IP Rating | IP-65 | IP-65 | IP-65 |
| Hoist Body IP Rating | IP-55 | IP-54 | IP-54 |
- IP54: Provides protection against dust ingress and splashing water from any direction.
- IP55: Offers protection against dust ingress and low-pressure jets of water from any direction.
- IP65: Offers protection against dust ingress and low-pressure jets of water from a nozzle.
Balken G2 has the highest hoist body IP rating of IP-55, which means it can handle low-pressure jets of water from any direction, while the IP-54 rated Elephant and Hitachi hoists can only handle splashes.
Balken G2 vs Elephant vs Hitachi hoists: which is best?
Selecting the right hoist is about more than load rating and price. You want capability and reliability. You want the lowest maintenance requirements possible for the longest operating life possible. You want to ensure the safety of your team, while considering motor performance, environmental protection and safety features too.
When you bring all these factors together, it becomes clear that not all hoists are equal:
| BALKEN GENERATION 2 | ELEPHANT | HITACHI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor duty rating | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Motor insulationg | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Switchings | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Safety | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Environmental protection | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Overall | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 |
Combining strength and reliability with European safety and quality, Balken G2 hoists can have a real impact on the way you work, and form the obvious choice for any business looking to be safer, more efficient and more productive.
Helping New Zealand manufacturers safely solve their lifting challenges with the best local and global solutions
Still not sure which specific hoist is right for you? That’s where we come in.
At Stratalign we’ve spent years helping Kiwi businesses identify and secure the manual handling equipment they need. Our team has the knowledge and expertise to help you identify the ideal hoist for your situation – the type that can make your business safer, more efficient and more productive.
We offer a complete range of hoists, including air, manual and electric hoists from Balken G2 that are certified to AS 1418.1.
