Top 3 Tips on Forklift Battery Maintenance

One of the key factors to a warehouse operation running efficiently is forklift uptime. Additionally, forklift uptime can be increased with periodic and proper maintenance of your industrial forklift batteries. A dead forklift battery means a forklift is down which directly impacts the productivity of your operation. Fortunately, with a few proactive simple steps on how to care for your forklift battery, you can get the most out of your industrial batteries for a long time.

Follow these simple steps to extend the life of your industrial battery and make sure your forklifts are always performing to the best of their ability:
 

General Maintenance

• Keep flame and metal items away from the battery
• Keep the battery clean and dry
• Always keep the vent caps securely in place (except when watering)

 

Charging 

• If the battery is above 110°F(43°C), allow the battery to cool before charging
• Keep the battery cover open during charging
• Keep the vehicle battery compartment open during charging
• Always turn off charger before disconnecting the battery from charger
• After charging, the battery should cool down for 8 hours before use

 

Watering

• Only add water (do not add acid) AFTER the charging is complete
• Use only “approved” clean tap water to fill each battery cell (do not over-fill)
• Fully tighten vent caps after watering

Reach out to our forklift experts at your local Brandt dealership to learn more about battery maintenance, forklift inspections and more.