How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Electric forklifts batteries are valuable units that require proper care and maintenance to be able to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are really costly, big and heavy. The more efficient the battery, the more effective your machine operators can be. Extending the battery life span is a main concern, not only because of the cost of replacement, but also because of the cost of down time connected with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Don't forget that you could just recharge batteries of forklifts when they are at least 80% discharged. The discharge rate varies depending upon various factors like for example the average load weight, the number of shifts being worked and how many hours the forklift is being operated. For busy operations, nightly charging may be required. Nonetheless, don't forget that charging a battery very often would wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are typically made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Thus, if the battery is being charged daily, the battery would last about five years. However, this is an average estimation. The life of the battery could be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
Make certain that the forklift battery is never discharged completely. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is referred to as a "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor can sustain damage as well. This is because the damaged battery could alter the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to properly communicate with the forklift battery can be compromised also. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger can not completely charge the forklift battery, leading to a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be required to return the charger to good working condition.