When you are the owner of a workplace that relies heavily on forklifts, forklift batteries will easily become a major topic of concern. While these batteries tend to be designed to have a long lifespan, many forklift operators do things on a regular basis that compromises this lifespan and replacement becomes necessary much faster than it should. having to replace forklift batteries too often is just going to be an added business operation expense that you will not want. If you want to make sure you get the most from the forklift batteries you rely on, there are a few simple rules that you should keep in mind. 

Always make sure the area where the battery is charged is well ventilated. 

Forklift batteries have to be charged repeatedly and when they are being charged, their temperature rises. The bad thing about this is, excessive heat can compromise the longevity of the battery's life. Therefore, when you hook your forklift batteries up to be charged, make sure the area is well ventilated. Charging the batteries in a tight spot where there is little or no air circulation will just mean the battery gets hotter than usual during charging. 

Always charge for a full cycle and never interrupt a charging cycle. 

When you buy a forklift battery, it will actually be rated for so many charging cycles before it will have to be replaced. Therefore, it is always best to only charge the battery when it is fully depleted or at the end of the workday. If a battery is showing only partial charge halfway through the work day, you may be tempted to go ahead and hook it up to be charged. However, even a partial charge is counted as a charging cycle, so you are essentially wasting part of that cycle if the battery is not fully depleted when you plug it in. Likewise, don't interrupt a charging cycle once it has started. 

Always charge discharged batteries immediately. 

Once a battery has depleted, it is a good idea to go ahead and hook it up to the charger. Discharged batteries left to set on a shelf for long periods can accumulate hard sulfation inside of the battery and around the battery cells. This hard sulfation can prevent the battery from charging as usual because it will interfere with current delivery and can significantly change the lifespan of the battery overall. 

For assistance, talk to a professional like U.S. Lift & Warehouse Equipment Inc.

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