subject: Maintenance Of Forklift Batteries [print this page] Keeping your forklift batteries in good repair not only makes good sense but, can prevent a drain on your finances. Forklift batteries are not only expensive to purchase but improper maintenance can result in financial losses due to down time and service calls. In some instances, a battery that has not been properly maintained can result in the necessity for repairs to the forklift itself.
Following a few simple tips on charging and watering your battery can help to keep your battery running and performing at peak levels. Here are a few simple tips for maintaining your fork lift battery that may extend its life:
Quarterly Professional Maintenance Check
Having your forklift battery checked by a professional every three months will help identify small problems before they become large ones that shorten the life of your battery. Keeping your forklift battery in top condition will help it run longer and smoother.
Basic Maintenance You Should Be Doing
Keep your charging equipment in good repair. Use compressed air occasionally to blow out equipment and keep it clean and well functioning.
Allow batteries to discharge to 80% before charging. Charging them too soon or too late could shorten the life of your battery.
Allow them to fully charge before disconnecting and using them.
Turn off the charger before disconnecting the battery.
Allow the battery to cool down after charging before you use it.
Cold batteries need extra time to charge.
Check them for water regularly and do not add water until a visual inspection shows that the top plates are visible.
Do not overfill with water. The water should be only 1/4" above the plates.
Water at the end of the charge cycle.
Keep a record of both your charges and your watering cycles to ensure that you are checking them regularly.
Be vigilant about anything that is not normal for your forklift battery such as the cables seeming hot, unusual sulphur like smells and other things that may indicate problems.
There are a few other things you should be aware of as well. Both excessively hot and excessively cold temperatures can drain your battery faster, so if you are working in extreme temperatures you may want to check your battery more often to make sure that it is not discharging too much.
You should also keep in mind that if you are using your forklift for short periods of time or sporadically that you should only charge your battery when necessary. Charging it too often or unnecessarily can shorten its life considerably.
Maintaining your forklift battery properly can extend its life considerably, keep your business running more efficiently and save you time, aggravation and money. Following the above tips, keeping a record to ensure proper maintenance and having a professional check it regularly will help keep your forklift battery running smoothly.
