Forklift trucks rely on their battery power to complete the daily tasks you need for your business. Therefore maintaining your battery is important to ensure that it lasts for as long as possible. Your battery can impact how safe your forklift is and how long it will be effective. Batteries are expensive as many are specially designed, so replacing them less often will save you money in the long run. We have collected our top tips to improve your battery life to help your used hyundai forklift keep running. See our advice below.
Before looking into improving and maintaining your battery, it is important to learn about it. Look at the battery manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines to take in any key advice. Take a look at the expected life span of the product – most forklift batteries will run for around 1500 cycles before needing to be replaced. Generally, each time you charge your battery, this will take one cycle off the starting battery life.
When you are working with a battery, it is important to make sure that you are following the correct safety precautions. If you are untrained and do not understand how the battery works and the dangers, then consult a professional who can provide this service for you. Do not smoke around the battery or move it carelessly as this could lead to unfortunate accidents.
One of the main mistakes that many people make is charging their battery incorrectly, damaging it in the long run. Neglecting your battery or incorrectly charging it can lead to the battery not working or having smaller faults that are inconvenient.
If your battery has an equalise charge option, then it is important to do this every 10 cycles as this helps balance the cell voltages. If you have used your truck for more than 8 hours or the level is under 30%, then put it on charge as soon as you can, rather than letting it run to 0%. This is important as any time the battery is below around 20%, can lead to a reduction in its lifespan. If your forklift battery does completely die, charge it as soon as possible so that it does not lay stagnant.
When actually charging your battery, make sure that you are using the correct charging equipment in a well-ventilated area. Make sure the battery has reached 100% before using it again.
One of the main factors that keep your forklift battery healthy is fluid levels. Therefore, when completing other maintenance checks on your forklift, make sure that you check the H20 levels. Top the H20 levels up every 10 charges, or every 5 if your battery is older or second hand. Only top the H20 up enough to cover the plastic element protector on the battery by about 0.5cm as overfilling the battery can lead to other issues such as overheating or battery acid loss.
Maintaining your battery will make it last longer and will also allow your forklift to run smoothly. It is however important that you have an understanding of how to do this, if not contact trained professionals who will be able to give you advice and practical support.
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