How Long Does a Forklift Battery Truly Last?
To be able to make sure that valuable units of electric forklift batteries would have long life, you must perform correct care and maintenance. These industrial grade batteries are very heavy, expensive and big. The more efficient the battery, the more effective your equipment operators can be. Extending the life span of the battery is really a top priority, not only because of the replacement cost, but also because of the expense of down time connected with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
batteries of forklifts must be recharged only when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The discharge rate varies depending upon various things like the average weight of loads, the number of shifts being worked and how many hours the forklift is being used. For busy operations, nightly charging might be required. Nonetheless, don't forget that charging a battery too frequently will wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
Commonly, a brand new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Thus, if the forklift battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery would last around five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimate. The battery life span could be extended significantly beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
Make sure that the battery of the forklift is never discharged completely. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is known as a "deep discharge", the electrical components and motor of the forklift can sustain damage too. This is because the damaged battery could change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the charger to properly communicate with the battery could be compromised too. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger could not charge the forklift battery fully, leading to a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be required to return the charger to proper working order.