How Long Does a Forklift Battery Truly Last?
Electric forklifts batteries are valuable units that require correct care and maintenance to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are very large, heavy and expensive. If the battery is more efficient, the more effective your machine operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is a top priority, not just because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery issues.
Charging Cycles
Remember that you can just recharge forklift batteries when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The rate of discharge differs depending upon various factors like the average weight of loads, the number of shifts being worked and the number of hours the forklift is being used. For busy operations, nightly charging might be needed. Nonetheless, don't forget that charging a battery too often will wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are usually made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Therefore, if the battery is being charged daily, the battery would last about five years. Nonetheless, this is an average estimate. The battery life span could be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with correct maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A battery of the forklift must never be allowed to become fully discharged. Not only can damage to the battery be caused by what is referred to as a "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor can also sustain damage. This is because the battery that is damaged can alter the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to properly communicate with the battery can also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger could not charge the forklift battery fully, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be needed to return the battery charger to good working order.