How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are valuable units which require correct care and maintenance to ensure a long life. These industrial grade batteries are heavy, expensive and large. If the battery is more efficient, the more productive your machine operators could be. Extending the life span of the battery is a top priority, not just because of the cost of replacement, but also because of the cost of down time associated with battery issues.
Charging Cycles
Bear in mind that you can just recharge batteries of forklifts when they are at least 80% discharged. The discharge rate differs depending upon different factors like the average load weight, the number of shifts being worked and the number of hours the forklift is being operated. For busy operations, charging nightly may be needed. However, remember that charging a battery too often will wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
Brand new forklift batteries are normally made to last 1,500 charge cycles at minimum. Thus, if the forklift battery is being charged on a daily basis, the battery will last approximately five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimation. 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 completely discharged. Not only could damage to the battery result from what is called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical parts and motor could sustain damage also. This is because the damaged battery could change the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the charger to communicate properly with the forklift battery could be compromised also. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger would be unable to fully charge the forklift battery, leading to a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be required to return the battery charger to proper working condition.