How Long Does a Forklift Battery Last?
Electric forklifts batteries are expensive units which need correct care and maintenance to be able to guarantee a long life. These industrial grade batteries are very large, heavy and expensive. If the battery is more efficient, the more effective your equipment operators can be. Extending the battery life span is a main concern, not just because of the cost of replacement, but also because of the cost of down time connected with battery problems.
Charging Cycles
Don't forget that you can only recharge batteries of forklifts when they are at least 80 percent discharged. The rate of discharge varies depending on various things such as the number of hours the forklift is being operated, the average load weight and the number of shifts being worked. For busy operations, nightly charging might be needed. However, don't forget that charging a battery too often would wear the battery a lot faster.
Life Span
Commonly, a new forklift battery will last at least 1,500 charge cycles. Hence, if the battery is being charged every day, the battery would last roughly five years. Nevertheless, this is an average estimate. The life span of the battery can be extended significantly beyond the average 1,500 charge cycles with correct maintenance.
Deep Discharge
A battery of the forklift should never be allowed to become fully discharged. Not only could damage to the battery be caused by what is called "deep discharge", the electrical components and motor of the forklift can sustain damage also. 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 communicate properly with the battery could be compromised as well. In a worst-case scenario, the compromised charger would be unable to charge the forklift battery completely, resulting in a destructive cycle of incomplete charges. A service technician may be needed to return the battery charger to proper working condition.