How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
To be able to make certain that valuable units of electric forklift batteries would have long life, you should carry out proper maintenance and care. These industrial grade batteries are big, heavy and costly. The more efficient the battery, the more effective your machine operators can be. Extending the life span of the battery is truly a top priority, not only because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time connected with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Forklift batteries must be recharged just when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The discharge rate differs depending upon different factors such as the average load weight, the number of shifts being worked and how many hours the forklift is being utilized. For busy operations, charging every night might be needed. Nonetheless, remember that charging a battery too often will wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
New forklift batteries are normally made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Therefore, if the battery is being charged daily, the battery would last approximately five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimation. The life of the battery can be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A battery of the forklift must never be allowed to become completely discharged. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is known as a "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical components and motor could also sustain damage. This is because the damaged battery could change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to properly communicate with the battery can be compromised as well. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised charger will be unable to charge the battery completely, causing a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be required to return the battery charger to proper working condition.