How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
To make certain that valuable units of electric forklift batteries would last, you should perform proper care and maintenance. These industrial grade batteries are really expensive, big and heavy. If the battery is more efficient, the more productive your equipment operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is truly a top priority, not just because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time connected with battery issues.
Charging Cycles
batteries of forklifts must be recharged only when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The rate of discharge varies depending on various things such as the average load weight, the number of shifts being worked and the number of hours the forklift is being operated. For busy operations, charging every night might be required. Nevertheless, remember that charging a battery very frequently would wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
New forklift batteries are typically made to last 1,500 charge cycles at least. Therefore, if the battery is being charged every day, the battery will last approximately five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimation. The battery life span could be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A battery of the forklift should never be allowed to become fully discharged. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical components and motor could sustain damage too. This is because the battery which is damaged could change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to properly communicate with the forklift battery can also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised charger would be unable to fully charge the forklift battery, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be needed to return the battery charger to proper working condition.