How To Store Your Forklift Batteries During The Shutdown

The Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a grinding halt. With lock-downs imposed in many parts around the world, businesses were forced to shut down. When it comes to business organizations that employ material handling equipment, there were several problems and disruptions. The fleet of forklift batteries had to be grounded in the facilities for a long time.

In this article, we will talk about the forklift batteries. If not stored properly, you might return to find the lead acid battery cells damaged beyond repair. This can prove to be costly and damaging to a company’s bottom line, especially at a time when an organization is trying to ramp up their production. So let’s find out how to store your forklift battery during the shutdown and take proper care of them. These tips are useful even during periods when workload drops and the forklifts aren’t in use.

Charge the batteries prior to storing them

During a shutdown, employees might keep the forklift batteries in the same position that they are. But this could damage the batteries. Before storing lead acid batteries over a prolonged period of time, they must be removed from the forklifts, taken to the charging room, and charged fully. Additionally, it is important to top off the forklift batteries with distilled water to the required levels. Doing this will prevent sulfation, which is often expensive to fix and can affect the battery’s performance and lifespan.

Store the batteries in the right place

Storing the forklift batteries in a dry environment is important to keep them in the top condition. Ensure that you keep the batteries indoors, away from moisture or frost. This prevents moisture from getting inside the batteries and damaging them.

Disconnect the batteries that are in the trucks

During the time when your forklifts are at a standstill, you should disconnect the forklift batteries that are mounted on them. When a forklift truck isn’t turned on for an extended period of time, a battery that’s connected to the truck will gradually discharge over time. This phenomenon is called a ‘parasitic load’. So when you resume operation again, you will discover that your batteries are discharged.

Check the batteries regularly 

Lead acid forklift batteries can be safely discharged only down to 30% capacity. In case your company is experiencing a prolonged shutdown in operations, it is important for you to perform regular battery maintenance. You must check the capacity of a battery to ensure that it does not fall below 30%. Every once in a while, you should charge the batteries. This ensures that they’ll be fully charged and ready to go when you need them again.

Consider lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries do not require the level of maintenance lead acid forklift batteries do. During a shutdown or a period of reduction in workload, lithium-ion batteries can simply be turned off when not in use. Moreover, lithium-ion batteries can be safely discharged down to 20%.

If you follow these battery maintenance tips while your batteries are out of use, you can be sure that they will be able to perform when you start work again. To know more click here.