How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are expensive units that require proper care and maintenance to be able to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are heavy, costly and large. If the battery is more efficient, the more productive your equipment operators can be. Extending the battery life span is a top priority, not only because of the replacement cost, but also because of the expense of down time associated with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Bear in mind that you can only recharge forklift batteries when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The discharge rate varies depending upon different factors like the number of shifts being worked, how many hours the forklift is being used, and the average load weight. For busy operations, charging nightly might be required. However, remember that charging a battery too frequently will wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are typically made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Therefore, if the forklift battery is being charged every day, the battery will 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
A battery of the forklift must never be allowed to become fully discharged. Not only can damage to the battery result from what is known as a "deep discharge", the electrical parts and motor of the forklift can sustain damage also. This is because the damaged battery could alter the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the charger to communicate properly with the battery could be compromised too. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger can not completely charge the battery, causing a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be needed to return the battery charger to good working condition.