When operated correctly, electric forklifts handle heavy loads safely. Read the truck’s data plate for information such as its weight and load capacity. Learn how to read and understand an electric forklift data plate.
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4 Tips To Get the Most Out of Your Forklift Battery
Proper maintenance protects forklift batteries and ensures you get the most use out of your equipment. Taking care of the battery improves its performance and saves your business money. Use these four tips to get the most out of your forklift battery.
Charge Correctly
Only charge your battery once it is depleted to 20–30 percent of its charge capacity. If you charge before it reaches 30 percent, you will shorten the battery’s lifespan. And using the battery after it has less than 20 percent charge will increase wear on the unit.
Completely charging a lead-acid battery takes about eight hours. After charging, let your battery cool for the manufacturer’s recommended amount of time before use—typically another eight hours.
Add Water As Needed
Maintaining the electrolyte level is key for getting the most out of your forklift battery. Typically, batteries require deionized water, but you should follow your manufacturer’s instructions to be sure. Watering will keep the electrolyte at the right acid-to-water ratio.
Only water the battery at the end of the charge cycle. Watering before or during the charge cycle increases the chance of a boil-over, pushing hazardous sulfuric acid outside the battery.
Store in Safe Conditions
Proper battery storage protects the equipment’s working lifespan. Prevent sulfation by fully charging the battery and adding water before storage. Store in a dry location and ensure air can circulate around the battery. Protect the top of the battery from dust and debris.
Generally, you should store forklift batteries at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not place batteries near sources of heat, such as radiators.
Recondition the Battery
Finally, forklift batteries have an average lifespan of about five years or 1,500 charge cycles. Workloads and battery maintenance affect how long your battery will operate. Fortunately, once your battery reaches the end of its initial lifecycle, you can have it professionally reconditioned to give it a second life.
At Green Power Forklift Batteries, we use an 18-stage reconditioning process to maximize the functional lifespan of batteries and ensure high performance. Contact us for more information on how refurbished forklift batteries can benefit your business.
Should You Opportunity Charge Your Forklift Battery?
Opportunity charging charges forklift batteries in a fraction of the time conventional charging takes, but this method isn’t the best option for every business. Continue reading to learn if you should opportunity charge your forklift battery.
How Opportunity Charging Works
Opportunity charging is when a forklift operator charges their lift truck’s battery during a short downtime, such as during lunch, rest breaks, or shift changes. At the end of the charge period, the battery has enough power to last until the next charge.
Opportunity charging takes 10 to 30 minutes, and batteries need a weekly equalization charge to 100 percent. Typical opportunity chargers will charge the battery up to 80 percent before shutting off.
Benefits for Two-Shift Operations
If your facility operates two shifts, you should consider opportunity charging forklift batteries. This charging method gives the battery enough power to work through both shifts, boosting productivity. And because the batteries spend more time powering lift trucks, opportunity charging can let you do the same amount of work with fewer batteries.
Conventional charging typically requires 8 hours of continuous charging, followed by a cooldown period. Opportunity charges save time by taking advantage of natural breaks in the work schedule. It also saves time by minimizing how often operators change out the batteries.
Limitations of Opportunity Charging
Opportunity charges work best for facilities that run two-shift operations. With only one shift per day, conventional charging is convenient. Conventionally charged batteries also have a longer working lifespan than opportunity-charged batteries.
Facilities that use three shifts can benefit best from fast charging. Compared to opportunity charging, fast charging cycles take less time and charge the battery to a lower state of charge. But of the three charging methods, fast charging will decrease the battery’s overall lifespan the most.
If you decide to use opportunity charging, strategically place the chargers near break rooms and work areas. This makes it more efficient for staff to charge their lift truck batteries during breaks.
Green Power Forklift Batteries has new and refurbished forklift batteries for sale. Whether you run forklifts on single or multiple shifts, our lead-acid batteries will power your equipment reliably. Shop with us today for high-quality forklift batteries.
