How Long Does a Forklift Battery Truly Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are expensive units that require proper maintenance and care to ensure a long life. These industrial grade batteries are large, heavy and costly. The more efficient the battery, the more effective your equipment operators can be. Extending the life span of the battery is a top priority, not just because of the replacement cost, but also because of the expense of down time associated with battery issues.
Charging Cycles
Don't forget that you can just recharge batteries of forklifts when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The discharge rate varies depending on various factors like for example the number of shifts being worked, the number of hours the forklift is being used, and the average load weight. For busy operations, nightly charging may be needed. Nevertheless, bear in mind that charging a battery too frequently will wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
New forklift batteries are normally made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Hence, if the battery is being charged daily, the battery would last approximately five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimate. The battery life span can 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 fully. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor can also sustain damage. This is because the damaged battery can change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to communicate properly with the 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 may be needed to return the battery charger to proper working order.