How Long Does a Forklift Battery Actually Last?
To be able to make certain that expensive units of electric forklift batteries would have long life, you should perform correct care and maintenance. These industrial grade batteries are costly, large and heavy. If the battery is more efficient, the more productive your equipment operators can be. Extending the battery life span is truly a main concern, not only because of the cost of replacement, but also because of the expense of down time connected with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
batteries of forklifts must be recharged just when they are at least 80% discharged. The discharge rate varies depending upon different things such as how many hours the forklift is being used, the average load weight and the number of shifts being worked. For busy operations, charging nightly may be required. However, don't forget that charging a battery too often would wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Usually, a brand new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Hence, if the battery is being charged every day, the battery would last roughly five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimate. The battery life span can be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
Make sure that the forklift battery is never discharged fully. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is known as a "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor could sustain damage also. This is because the damaged battery could change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the charger to properly communicate with the forklift battery can also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised charger could not charge the forklift battery completely, leading to a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be required to return the battery charger to good working order.