Forklift battery maintenance – it’s a chore but a necessity. In today’s age, more than ever, proper battery watering methods are vital to reaching the full life expectancy of a forklift battery. Since the battery usually costs roughly 30% of the entire forklift sale, proper battery watering procedures are essential.
A forklift battery is expected to last for five years. To achieve this, strictly follow the proper watering and charging guidelines. Not properly watering a forklift battery risks lowering the life expectancy of a lift truck battery by up to 50%, or two and a half years. The cost is too high to ignore these guidelines.
In a perfect world, batteries are run for 8 hours, charged for 8 hours, and cool for 8 hours. Some lift trucks offer an indicator, but the best time to water your batteries is always right before each shift, after batteries have had time to cool, and the worst time is right before or during charging.
Even though it may be tempting to charge during lunch breaks, this is not ideal. If watering occurs before or during charging, it can lead to the water boiling over and acid leaking from the battery. Also, let the battery charge completely and avoid keeping it stored in extreme conditions.
This picture shows an overwatered battery.
When the water was filled above the lead acid plates, acid leaked, forming “cauliflower.” Under-watering causes the battery to run dry and increases downtime and maintenance.
Wearing proper gear and removing metallic jewelry can prevent serious injuries. Here are some items to wear:
There are different methods for this, but no matter which you use, it’s vital to only water each cell in each battery until the top of the lead-acid plates is reached. These plates are visible in each cell and usually 2.5 inches below the cell cap.
Watch how easy watering a battery can be. The video shows the process it takes to water a Crown H2GO battery properly.
Feel free to ask our experts any questions!
