How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Electric forklifts batteries are valuable units that require correct care and maintenance to ensure a long life. These industrial grade batteries are large, heavy and costly. The more efficient the battery, the more productive your machine operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is really a top priority, not just because of the cost of replacement, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery issues.
Charging Cycles
batteries of forklifts must be recharged just when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The rate of discharge varies depending upon various factors like how many hours the forklift is being operated, the average weight of loads and the number of shifts being worked. For busy operations, charging every night may be required. However, keep in mind that charging a battery very often will wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are usually built to last 1,500 charge cycles at least. Thus, if the forklift battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery would last about five years. Nonetheless, this is an average estimate. The battery life span could be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with correct maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A battery of the forklift should never be allowed to become fully discharged. Not only could damage to the battery result from what is called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor could also sustain damage. This is because the damaged battery could alter the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the charger to communicate properly with the forklift battery could be compromised also. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger would be unable to charge the forklift battery fully, causing a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be needed to return the battery charger to good working order.