{"id":7742,"date":"2020-03-20T15:15:57","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T19:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/midatlanticindustrial.com\/jarvisgreen\/?p=7742"},"modified":"2020-03-20T15:15:57","modified_gmt":"2020-03-20T19:15:57","slug":"how-to-optimize-your-forklift-batterys-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midatlanticindustrial.com\/jarvisgreen\/how-to-optimize-your-forklift-batterys-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Optimize Your Forklift Battery’s Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having the proper level of forklift battery water is an important piece of your\u00a0forklift maintenance routine<\/a>. Follow these tips to help optimize your forklift battery\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n

1. When to Water your Forklift Battery\u00a0<\/strong>
\nBatteries need to be watered when warm. The best time is at the completion of the charge cycle.<\/strong> Never\u00a0completely fill a battery when it\u2019s cold or prior to charging. \u00a0It\u2019s good to make sure the water level is just high enough to cover the lead plates inside the cells but only\u00a0<\/i>fill to that level, if necessary. If you top off the water before charging, overflow can happen. When a battery overflows, it loses some of the acid inside and will cause corrosion on the cells of the battery.<\/p>\n

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Topping off the battery after<\/strong> charging will help keep the battery protected as the water level decreases.\u00a0Use of a <\/span>single point watering system<\/strong> will eliminate the need to remove caps and inspect often.\u00a0 The same timing must be followed and only connect to fill water after a charge cycle when possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. When Manually Filling your Battery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make sure the plates are submerged but do not<\/em> overfill. Keep the forklift battery plates just below the water-line when filling.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Frequency Of Watering Your Forklift Battery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Forklift batteries typically need watering about once a week when used every day. Batteries that have been in use for an extended period of time, or are reconditioned, should be checked after every five charges. If properly maintained<\/a>, new batteries can be checked every ten charges for the first few years of use.<\/p>\n

4. Use Proper Water<\/strong><\/p>\n

Believe it or not, the quality of water is important when it comes to maintaining your forklift battery.\u00a0Forklift battery water should always be clean and pure.\u00a0Water that is free from impurities and measuring between 5 and 7 on the PH scale is preferred. \u00a0Using water containing impurities can lead to battery damage from the chemical and mineral content in the water. Many public sources of water are acceptable but should always be checked for the proper standards as shown in the GNB<\/a> example below:<\/p>\n