When your lift truck’s lead-acid battery dies, you need to move the forklift to the charging station so you can extract and charge the battery. Read on to discover the safest ways to move a forklift with a dead battery.
Swap Batteries
If your lift truck has a side-loading compartment rather than a top-loading compartment, you could potentially swap batteries without moving the dead lift truck. You’ll need a charged backup battery and a mobile battery extractor. The mobile battery extractor enables you to change out the battery anywhere in your facility.
Follow the battery extractor manufacturer’s instructions to pull the battery out safely. Features like friction strips and rollers on the battery changer will let the machine move the battery into the device’s compartment and keep it secure during transport.
Tow It In
One of the safest ways to move a forklift with a dead battery is to tow it using your equipment manufacturer’s instructions found in the service manual. The towing forklift must have enough braking capacity, weight, and power to control both trucks for the grade and distance. You may need to connect additional lift trucks to the rear of the disabled lift truck to prevent uncontrolled rolling if moving downhill.
Consult your service manual for instructions for your specific model. The towing lift truck will need a shield to protect the operator if the tow line breaks. Keep the tow line angle to a minimum and connect the tow line as low as possible to the disabled lift truck.
The disabled truck’s service brake pedal should be released, the key switch in the off position, and the direction control lever in neutral. Travel over a short distance and move slowly, at about 1 mph.
Jump-Start the Dead Battery
Another option for moving the disabled forklift is to jump-start the dead battery. The live battery should have the same voltage as the dead one. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t damage your forklift’s electrical system or cause injury.
Check the fluid levels before starting. Move the operational truck close enough for the cables to reach the dead battery. Turn off both forklifts and engage each truck’s parking brake.
Attach the red jumper cables to the positive terminals of the live and dead batteries. Attach one end of the black cable to the functioning battery and the other to a piece of solid, stationary metal on the dead forklift’s engine, at least 18 inches away.
Start the engine of the functioning lift truck and let it idle for several minutes. Next, start the disabled forklift and let it run for a few minutes.
Remove the cable attached to the metal first, then the black cable connected to the negative terminal. Finally, remove both of the red cables.
Practice proper charging to maximize the lifetime usage of your batteries. Once you need a replacement, visit Green Power Forklift Batteries. We offer a range of options for industrial forklifts, including Crown forklift batteries. Shop with us today for a new battery.
