5 Tips to Prolong the Life of Your Forklift Battery

Unlike the battery under the hood of your car or truck, which are relatively inexpensive to replace, the battery on a forklift can comprise up to 30{20514508106287dfb893bed48a1dcd27cc0807a1f06d58e7551de6b0ad5aea3a} of a new forklift’s value and, when properly maintained, can last for up to 6,000 hours of working time.  Find out the 5 most important things you can do to keep your forklift battery running as long as possible.

1. Only operate your forklift when the battery is at 20{20514508106287dfb893bed48a1dcd27cc0807a1f06d58e7551de6b0ad5aea3a} or higher

Discharging your battery (that is, using it) at the low end of its charge will not only damage the battery but cause other electronic components on your forklift to run hot. In extreme cases, this can cause serious damage to your lift–even complete motor failure.

Another reason to keep your lift batteries as charged as possible is that a 20{20514508106287dfb893bed48a1dcd27cc0807a1f06d58e7551de6b0ad5aea3a} charged battery will negatively affect your lift’s traction and slow down the hydraulics. If you happen to discharge a battery completely, it will require a full 8 hour cycle to bring it back into operation.

2. Give the battery a break

Many folks put their lift battery on a charge during short breaks. This is called “opportunity charging” and often seems like a good idea to keep your lift battery above the 20{20514508106287dfb893bed48a1dcd27cc0807a1f06d58e7551de6b0ad5aea3a} red line. The truth is, a forklift battery’s lifespan is determined, basically, by how many charges it’s had. Short charges lead to reduced efficiency and lifespan. Instead of plugging the battery in over lunch, let the forklift cool down while you’re on break.

3. Keep an eye on the water level

Water plays an essential role in the battery operation and is used by electrolysis. You should be adding distilled water to your forklift battery every 5-10 charges. Too little water and the active materials in your battery can become brittle. Keep the battery filled, but not overfilled! Too much water can permanently damage a battery.

4. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance

Sulphation is horrible for your battery. What is it? It’s a natural occurrence where white sulphuric crystals form on the lead plates, affecting the battery’s ability to hold a charge. This is a major issue in warm climates, but can also be caused by overfilling. Include a check for crystal development on your battery with your daily maintenance checklist, seek out an engineer if you see signs of sulphation.

5. Be careful with fast charging

Fast charging can reduce downtime, but it doesn’t come free. The heat generated while fast charging can dramatically reduce your lift battery’s lifespan. Lead-acid batteries are much more vulnerable than nickel and lithium batteries, but it’s still a practice that you should employ only for emergencies.

For California forklift maintenance, parts, and services, contact Forklift Nation today! We look forward to helping!