There are simple steps one should take when maintaining proper care of a forklift, one of those steps is making sure you always have a functioning battery. If you keep up with the maintenance that is required for your battery, you can extend the battery life. This helps to avoid investing too much revenue into an unnecessary amount of batteries. Here is what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to forklift batteries.
Charging The Battery
You always want to ensure that your battery stays above 30% charge. Your forklift battery will hit a ‘red-zone’ once it reaches 20%, you should never fall below that line. If you continue to use the battery consistently after you descend past the 20% mark you will decrease the battery’s overall lifespan.
Keep At Normal Temperature
It’s best to steer clear from exposing forklift batteries to extreme heat. This can destruct the performance of the battery. If you know that you need to use the forklift in exceptionally hot temperatures, you will need to purchase certain batteries created for those specific weather situations.
Regular Cleaning
Batteries should be cleaned every month, this prevents physical damage to the battery. When cleaning, you should use warm water so it can break down chemical build up.
Issues That May Occur
Every once in a while, you might find yourself running into an issue with your battery. For example, if a battery were to overflow, you should rinse the battery with water straight away. Another problem that might arise is battery smoke. When this happens, remain calm and power it off promptly.
Don’t Pick It Up
Forklift batteries are very heavy. We do not recommend anyone pick them up with their hands. Batteries can weigh up to 3,000 lbs and should be transported with a pallet jack.
Protective Gear
When handling a forklift battery, make sure you are wearing appropriate gear. The batteries have sulfuric acid and this specific chemical can and will burn you. You should remove all jewelry before charging or handling any battery.
We hope you have found this useful and if you have any questions regarding your forklift battery, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.