Mismanagement of this extremely important maintenance routine can cause malfunctions, shorten the battery life, and possibly damage the battery beyond repair.
Did you know that...
When too much water is added to battery electrolyte, that the battery can boil-over. When that happens acid spills over battery cases, stands, and the warehouse floor. It can even damage the forklift itself. Not good.
The boil-over happens when the electrolyte heats up and expands. This problem can occur during charging or even discharging when the battery is in use. And this overflow is also dangerous to warehouse workers and forklift operators too.
A typical boil-over can reduce battery capacity by 3 to 5 per cent. Over time this can result in an unusable battery, requiring a costly battery replacement.
Underwatering is damaging too...
When you underwater batteries the damage you cause is not immediately visible. But a dry cell will ruin a forklift battery, and make it unsuable.
When the metal plates are exposed to the air the battery capacity decreases permanently. And, even adding more water won’t return the cell to previous performance.
So what is forklift owner to do? The good news is these safe guards and be easy to do with the a little knowhow, and the right equipment.
How to prevent underwatering...
To prevent underwatering start with a once-a-week battery watering schedule. When the electrolyte level is just right, it’s between the high watering level line and the separator protector. Getting the most out of your batteries means keeping the electrolyte level always between these two lines.
After that, check each week to ensure that the electrolyte level in your batteries remains above the separator protector. Add water if the electrolyte level is below the separator protector. Sometimes a twice-per-week watering schedule might be recommended.
To prevent overwatering and the resulting boil-overs…
Ensure batteries are never filled over the “high watering level” line. This line is ⅛-inch below the battery vent opening. It is typically marked inside the battery cell. Keep a flashlight handy to use on the inside of the battery to check the high watering level.
In terms of equipment, we have you covered there too. We carry a variety of watering accessories and safety gear to make it easy to maintain your battery.
Click here to see our collection of battery accessories or click one of the product links below:
Don't see what you are looking for? Drop me a note and I'll help you out...that is as soon as I take a little sip of water to keep me running as well.
Best,
Megan
P.S. If you are planning to buy battery accessories don't forget to use this 10% off discount code FIXIT10. Use it now at http://materialshandlingstore.com
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Megan Perreira
MaterialsHandlingStore.com
Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation
