Adequately watering your forklift battery ensures better performance. However, overwatering or underwatering can damage the battery, shorten its working lifespan, and lead to increased downtime and a need for more maintenance. Read on to learn about the importance of watering electric forklift batteries.
The Right Kind of Water
Manufacturers generally recommend watering your forklift’s lead-acid battery with deionized water. This water has gone through a purification process that removes all mineral ions. Water with a pH from 5 to 7, which is slightly acidic to neutral, is best for your battery.
When To Water Your Battery
Another important factor in watering electric forklift batteries is timing. Do not top up the battery before the charge; the battery will need the empty space in the cells during charging so the fluid can expand. Top up the battery only after it’s fully charged and cooled.
How Much Water To Give Your Battery
If you don’t give your forklift battery enough water, you risk problems such as overheating and irreversible sulfation. If you overwater the battery, you could cause overflow or acid dilution that diminishes the battery’s performance.
Follow your battery manufacturer’s instructions regarding watering levels. You should water each cell to the top of the lead-acid plates. You can see the plates in each cell, and the tops of the plates generally reach about 2.5 inches below the cell cap.
Battery Watering Methods
You can use three different methods for watering your battery.
- Gravity Feed System: With this method, a water tank is suspended above the battery, with a hose attached to the tank. The operator moves the hose from cell to cell until each cell is filled. You might need to use a flashlight to see the water level with this method.
- Single-Point Watering Kit: With this watering system, you can fill all the cells in each battery at once. Once filled to the right level, the system shuts off to prevent overfilling.
- Watering Gun Method: Hook a battery watering gun to a hose and fill each cell manually to the right level. As with the gravity feed system, you might need a flashlight to monitor water levels.
Green Power Forklift Batteries has reconditioned forklift batteries for sale. These units retain a minimum of 85 percent of the rated capacity of a brand-new battery. Additionally, each battery comes with a standard one-year warranty. Contact us today to learn more.
