Whether your business is in its off-season or you just don’t need a forklift for your current operations, you must ensure you store your forklift correctly. Storing the battery requires more knowledge than simply parking a forklift into its designated area.
Your forklift should be fine wherever you leave it, but the battery needs special care in order for you to store it correctly. With that in mind, here is what to know about forklift battery storage.
Charge Your Battery Fully Before Storing It
You might not remember when your forklift battery was last charged if you use long-term battery storage. As such, you should charge it to full capacity before storing it. A full charge before storage will prevent sulphation from occurring, which leads to expensive repairs.
Store the Battery in a Dry Location
Wherever you store the battery, it must be somewhere that’s dry and free of moisture to prevent damage. Due to this risk, always keep your battery indoors, and make sure it doesn’t freeze in your chosen storage location. This will ensure it maintains a high-performance capacity when you use it in the future.
Disconnect Your Battery From the Forklift Truck Before Storage
If your battery is still connected to your truck when you store it, the truck will discharge your battery even when it’s turned off. This occurs because of parasitic load, which completely empties your battery over time. Therefore, store your battery separately from your truck. Disconnect it when you aren’t using the forklift if it must remain mounted.
For Longer Storage, Refresh Charge Your Battery Once a Month
When you’re planning on storing your battery for longer than usual, make sure that it still works by giving it a refresh charge once per month. This will ensure you have a full battery the next time you need to use your forklift.
Disconnect your battery if you store it in a charger rack. Some chargers are programmable for automatic refresh charges, but make sure yours has this feature before leaving your battery in storage.
Overall, proper storage ensures that you won’t need to look for electric forklift batteries for sale every month. Now that you know what to know about forklift battery storage, you should be well-equipped to succeed in this endeavor.
