An electric forklift is a powerful machine that can lift and position heavy loads with ease in an industrial business facility. With proper charging and anti-corrosion maintenance, an electric forklift can give you many years of service.
Forklift Battery Charging and Fluids - Electric forklifts are powered by batteries that are available in 12 volts, 24 volts, 36 volts, and 48 volts. Match the voltage of the forklift battery with a corresponding forklift battery charger of the same voltage. Check the charge of the forklift battery with a handheld battery charge gauge and recharge if necessary.
- Position the Forklift - Charge a forklift battery only in an area specifically dedicated for battery charging and no other maintenance tasks. Park the forklift so that the battery is in close proximity to the battery charger and set the hand brake.
- Prepare the Forklift Battery - Open the forklift battery compartment to expose the top of the battery. With a wrench, loosen and remove the battery cables from the battery and make sure that the positive and negative cables remain separate from each other and do not touch.
- Connect the Battery to the Charger - Connect the positive clamp of the battery charger (marked +) to the positive terminal (marked +) on the battery. Next, connect the negative clamp of the battery charger (marked -) to the negative terminal (marked -) on the battery.
- Charge the Battery - Turn on the battery charger and allow it to charge the battery for a full 8 hours. After 8 hours, use a handheld battery charge gauge to confirm that the forklift battery is fully charged.
- Check for Heat Buildup - When charging, periodically touch the top of the forklift battery with your gloved hand to make sure that it is not heating up. If the battery does heat up, discontinue the charging session and replace the forklift battery with a new battery.
- Disconnect the Charger - Turn the battery charger off and disconnect the positive and negative clamps of the charger.
- Check the Fluid Levels - Uncap each battery cell and check the water level. If needed, top off each cell with distilled water to just cover the top of the plate inside the cell. Do not overfill.
- Complete the Charging Session - Reconnect the forklift cables to the newly charged battery and close the battery compartment.
Forklift Battery Maintenance - To keep your forklift in top running condition, do the following maintenance once a month or whenever you see visible corrosion on the terminals. Remove powdered corrosion only when your forklift battery is fully charged.
- Remove the Cables - With a wrench, remove the cables from both the positive and negative battery terminals.
- Neutralize the Corrosion - Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the cable ends and battery terminals. Then, pour a couple tablespoons of clean water on each of the cable ends and terminals to start a chemical cleaning reaction.
- Remove Corrosion - Use a stiff wire brush to thoroughly clean the cable ends and terminals to remove all powdery battery corrosion.
- Rinse and Dry - Rinse the cable ends and battery terminals with a small amount of clean water. Dry with a clean cloth and allow to completely air dry. If you have an air compressor, you can use it to dry off the cable ends and terminals.
- Lubricate the Terminals - Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to the forklift battery terminals. This will inhibit corrosion and act as an electrical conductor between the cable ends and the terminals.
- Reconnect the Cables - With a wrench, reconnect the cables to the positive and negative battery terminals.
With proper charging and maintenance, you can keep your electric forklift in top running condition. This will make sure that your electric forklift will be safe, perform well, and give you years of dedicated service.
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