How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are expensive units that require correct maintenance and care to ensure a long life. These industrial grade batteries are really heavy, expensive and big. The more efficient the battery, the more productive your equipment operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is a main concern, not only because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery issues.
Charging Cycles
batteries of forklifts should be recharged just when they are at least 80% discharged. The rate of discharge differs depending upon different things like for example how many hours the forklift is being operated, the average weight of loads and the number of shifts being worked. For busy operations, nightly charging might be needed. Nevertheless, don't forget that charging a battery too frequently would wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Commonly, a brand new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Therefore, if the battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery would last around five years. However, this is an average estimation. 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 result from what is referred to as a "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor can sustain damage as well. This is because the damaged battery can change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to properly communicate with the forklift battery could also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised charger can not charge the forklift battery completely, leading to a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be needed to return the battery charger to good working condition.