Preventative maintenance and care can easily extend the life of your forklift battery, and prevent you from having to spend money on replacements and repairs. It can also prevent safety hazards from impacting you and others who have to operate near the forklift. On that note, here are three important things you can do to extend the life of the battery.
1. Clean the Battery as Needed
When necessary, use warm water or a battery cleaner to clean the top of the battery. This is not only a good way to practice preventative maintenance, but in some cases, it is also a requirement to maintain certain warranties. Review the warranty documentation and at least clean the battery once a month to be safe. Doing so will help you avoid build-up and corrosion.
2. Store at Safe Temperatures
In most cases, forklifts are used in extreme environments that are harsh on both the equipment and the workers involved. If you want to do the best you can to keep the battery in decent shape regardless, consider keeping the operating temperature below 113 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have no way of being able to avoid working in hot temperatures, make sure that there is circulation in the battery compartment so it stays cool.
3. Charge Correctly
When you charge your lift trucks, make sure that you stick to protocol. Avoid charging based on convenience, sticking to a schedule is best if you don’t want to shorten the forklift battery life. Generally, it is best to recharge the battery after an 8 hour period or shift. Charging too often, especially when it isn’t more than 30% discharged, can shorten the life of the battery dramatically.
Contact Russell Equipment, Inc. at https://www.russellequipment.com/ to learn more.
