Understanding how to properly maintain a forklift battery can help extend the battery’s life as well as the forklift’s performance.
The purpose of this article is to educate forklift operators on some of the basics of electric forklift battery maintenance to help them extend the life of their batteries and improve the performance and lifespan of their lift trucks. For the long-term health of your pallet jacks and lift trucks, everyone on your team must understand the maintenance schedule. Battery maintenance should be included in any regular maintenance schedule, just like checking the tires or making sure the spark plug is in good shape.
Below are some tips to maintain your forklift battery
1. Check and Maintain the Battery Fluid Levels Out
For a battery to perform at its best, it must have the correct amount of water. To keep your forklift batteries in peak condition, you should check the fluid level every five charging cycles. There should be enough water in several cells to completely cover the plastic battery element. Check all the cells if it isn’t obvious from the first two or three. The fluid can be replenished as needed.
The plastic battery element needs to be covered when filling forklift batteries, which should be done every ten charges if they’re brand new. Only fully charged batteries should be topped up. It’s also critical to avoid overfilling the battery because the lift truck battery needs some extra room to expand when it’s in use.
Ideally, water used in batteries should have a pH range of 5 to 7, as well as impurity levels that do not exceed those recommended by the batteries themselves. For more information on the water impurity limits allowed in your forklift battery, consult the manufacturer’s documentation. It’s best to use distilled water.
2. Be Careful with the Forklift Battery Temperature
Even though forklifts are frequently used in harsh conditions, the operating temperature should not exceed 113 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure maximum battery life (45 degrees Celsius). The battery compartment of a lift truck should be kept as cool as possible if working in hot weather is unavoidable. The life of a battery is reduced by 50% for every 10 degrees Celsius above 25 degrees Celsius due to the chemistry of the battery.
3. Equalizing
Some batteries need to be equalized, and if they do, their chargers often have an equalizing setting. What does it mean to “equalize” a battery? At its core, equalizing a battery involves overcharging it to flush out any sulfate crystals that have accumulated on the plates. Battery life can be reduced by sulfation. Accurately equalizing a battery also prevents acid stratification, which occurs when a battery’s lower acid concentration is greater than its upper acid concentration.
Check the specifications of your battery before adding equalizing to your forklift battery maintenance schedule, as not all lift truck batteries require it. Wet cell batteries should be equalized every week. Do not equalize more frequently than required by operating procedures. More isn’t always better.
4. Your Forklift Battery Needs A Clean!
Maintaining the warranty on some forklift batteries requires that the battery tops be cleaned with battery cleaner or warm water. You may not be required to clean your forklift’s tray every month but we recommend doing so to prevent buildup that can cause the tray to corrode and possibly even damage your forklift’s electronics.
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