How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Batteries of electric forklifts are expensive units which need proper maintenance and care to be able to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are large, heavy and expensive. If the battery is more efficient, the more effective your machine operators could be. Extending the battery life span is a main concern, 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 could just recharge batteries of forklifts when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The discharge rate varies depending on different factors such as the number of shifts being worked, how many hours the forklift is being utilized, and the average load weight. For busy operations, nightly charging may be needed. However, don't forget that charging a battery very frequently would wear the battery more quickly.
Life Span
Commonly, a brand new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Thus, if the forklift battery is being charged every day, the battery will last about five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimate. The battery life span could 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 could damage to the battery be caused by what is called "deep discharge", the forklift's electrical components and motor can sustain damage as well. This is because the battery that is damaged could alter the amount of power being supplied to the forklift. The ability of the battery charger to properly communicate with the battery could also be compromised. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised battery charger can not charge the forklift battery completely, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician might be needed to return the battery charger to proper working condition.