How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are valuable units that require proper care and maintenance to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are big, heavy and costly. The more efficient the battery, the more productive your machine operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is really a main concern, not just because of the cost of replacement, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Remember that you could only recharge batteries of forklifts when they are at least 80% discharged. The discharge rate differs depending on various factors like 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 required. Nevertheless, remember that charging a battery very often will wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Commonly, a brand new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Therefore, if the forklift battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery would last approximately 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 could damage to the battery be caused by what is known as a "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 charger to properly communicate with the battery could be compromised as well. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger will be unable to charge the battery completely, leading to a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be required to return the battery charger to proper working order.