Periodically cooling off your forklift battery makes it safe and effective for powering your lift truck. If your battery overheats, it could spell trouble. Read to find out the five signs your forklift battery is overheating.
1. You Feel Heat Emitting From the Battery
The most obvious way to tell the battery is overheated is to feel the heat coming off it. When charging and discharging, it’s normal for the battery to get hotter because of the chemical reaction going on.
Manage the temperature by properly charging the battery and keeping the environment cool. In general, you should discharge the battery for eight hours, charge it for eight hours, and let it rest for eight hours. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Hot Cables and Connectors
While it’s normal for batteries to heat up during use or while charging, the battery’s cables and connectors should not get hot. Weak contact points at the ends of the connectors can cause overheating. Replace overheating cables and connectors before they melt their insulating outer sheath.
The sulfuric battery acid in an overheated battery can burn through the cable’s insulation and corrode the copper wiring. If this happens, you will see swollen cables. Replace corroded, swollen, and damaged cables and connectors.
3. The Truck Has Intermittent Power Loss
An overheated battery can cause power to your lift truck to cycle on and off. The forklift might sputter or backfire. If you experience this, immediately stop using the forklift. Check the battery as well as the alternator, broken wires, fuel filter, and vacuum hoses.
4. The Forklift Won’t Start
Another sign that you may have an overheated battery is that your forklift won’t start. High temperatures in the battery will heat the electrolyte solution and weaken or ruin the battery.
You can check the voltage of the fully charged battery. If the voltage doesn’t have a full charge after a charging cycle, then it is probably time to replace it.
5. Warning Light
If you see a warning light appear on your lift truck display, don’t ignore it. The light can signal issues with the engine, battery, or fuel tank.
Make sure to schedule ample cooling time for your batteries and keep them properly watered. The forklift battery should operate below 113 degrees Fahrenheit or 45 degrees Celsius.
If you need to replace your faulty battery, shop for electric forklift batteries from Green Power Batteries. Whether you choose new or refurbished, you can rely on these batteries to keep your lift trucks going. Shop with us today.
