How Long Does a Forklift Battery Truly Last?
To be able to make certain that valuable units of electric forklift batteries would have long life, you should carry out proper care and maintenance. These industrial grade batteries are heavy, expensive and large. The more efficient the battery, the more effective your machine operators could be. Extending the battery life span is truly a main concern, not just because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Forklift batteries must be recharged just when they are at least 80% discharged. The discharge rate differs depending on different things like the number of shifts being worked, the number of hours the forklift is being operated, and the average weight of loads. For busy operations, charging nightly might be needed. Nonetheless, don't forget that charging a battery very frequently will wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
New forklift batteries are typically built to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Hence, if the battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery will last around five years. However, this is an average estimation. The life of the battery could be extended significantly beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
Make sure that the forklift battery is never discharged totally. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical components and motor can also sustain damage. 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 can be compromised also. 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 might be required to return the charger to proper working order.