How Long Does a Forklift Battery Actually Last?
To be able to make certain that valuable units of electric forklift batteries will last, you must perform proper care and maintenance. These industrial grade batteries are expensive, big and heavy. If the battery is more efficient, the more effective your machine operators can be. Extending the life span of the battery is really a main concern, not only because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time connected with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Forklift batteries must be recharged only when they are at least 80% discharged. The discharge rate differs depending upon different things such as the number of hours the forklift is being operated, the average load weight and the number of shifts being worked. For busy operations, charging every night might be required. Nevertheless, remember that charging a battery too often would wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
Commonly, a new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Hence, if the forklift battery is being charged every day, the battery will last roughly five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimate. The life of the battery can be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with correct maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A forklift battery must never be allowed to become totally discharged. Not only could damage to the battery result from what is known as a "deep discharge", the electrical parts and motor of the forklift can 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 could also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger would be unable to charge the forklift battery completely, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be required to return the battery charger to good working order.