How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
To make sure that valuable units of electric forklift batteries would have long life, you should carry out proper maintenance and care. These industrial grade batteries are large, heavy and expensive. The more efficient the battery, the more effective your equipment operators could be. Extending the battery life span is really a main concern, not only because of the replacement cost, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Don't forget that you could just recharge forklift batteries when they are at least 80% 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 utilized, and the average weight of loads. For busy operations, nightly charging may be needed. Nevertheless, remember that charging a battery very often would wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are usually made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Hence, if the forklift battery is being charged daily, the battery would last about five years. Nonetheless, this is an average estimate. The life span of the battery can be extended a lot beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with proper maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A forklift battery should never be allowed to become fully discharged. Not only could damage to the battery result from what is called "deep discharge", the electrical components and motor of the forklift could sustain damage also. 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 can not completely charge the forklift battery, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be required to return the battery charger to good working condition.