Whether you own a forklift or you work with one regularly, it is essential to have in-depth knowledge about it. When you have the required knowledge about a heavy piece of equipment like a forklift, it becomes easier to take proper care of it. One of the essential elements of forklifts is Forklift Batteries. It is through these that the forklift is powered. We are here to tell you some of the essential things you should know about it.
How is the forklift battery formed?
The first step to understanding a forklift battery is knowing about the composition. A Forklift battery is stored in a battery case that hosts various crucial elements like the individual cells, battery bars and battery cables. There are various self-contained and small cells. Each cell has individual batteries and a set of lead plates that contain sulfuric acid. Then the cell is tightly packed. All the cells are connected to each other by the battery bar to form a complete circuit. The amperage generated by the battery is carried by the battery cables.
What are some of the hazards associated with the battery?
There are a couple of hazards that could take place when the battery has not been maintained properly. It could cause hydrogen gas fire, high rate current electric shock and injuries due to the heavyweight. If there is a sulfuric gas leak from the cell it can cause burning of eyes and skin.
What is the water monitor?
A water monitor checks the electrolyte levels of the battery. It will alert you if the battery requires more water. It prevents the water from boiling over due to overwatering. It can also help to prevent damage that is caused due to infrequent watering. Both these events can significantly damage the battery.
What is understood by battery regeneration?
Regeneration is the process of restoring the battery to its full capacity. This is done by clearing the sulfate from the battery plates. Sulfating begins from the day of manufacture and continues to build up with usage and charging and discharging. Whenever you charge the battery, some sulfates aren’t converted and start to build up. This build-up is behind the false full charge. Eventually, it causes a charging problem as the charger starts to read false voltage due to the resistance from the buildup. This will switch off the battery before it is fully charged. However, this can be easily sorted out by regenerating the battery.
What can cause the battery to fail prematurely?
Sometimes the battery fails prematurely. This could be due to over/opportunity charging, low water levels, failure to equalize charge, overwatering and corrosion. Hence, you must take proper care of the batteries.
What are the safety items you should keep close when working with batteries?
There are a couple of things that you should keep close when working with forklift batteries. This includes face shield, protective goals, rubber gloves, rubber apron, liquid non-metallic containers, eyewash, baking soda and acid-neutralizing solutions.