How Long Does a Forklift Battery Truly Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are valuable units that need proper maintenance and care to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are very heavy, costly and big. If the battery is more efficient, the more productive your machine operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is a main concern, not just because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Remember that you can just recharge forklift batteries when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The rate of discharge varies depending on various factors like the number of shifts being worked, the number of hours the forklift is being utilized, and the average load weight. For busy operations, charging nightly might be required. However, remember that charging a battery very frequently will wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are typically made to last 1,500 charge cycles at least. Therefore, if the forklift battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery would last about 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 proper 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 called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical components and motor could sustain damage too. This is because the battery which is damaged can alter the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the charger to communicate properly with the battery can also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger can not fully charge the battery, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be needed to return the battery charger to proper working order.