Top 5 Warning Signs Your Forklift Battery Needs Replacing
#1 Excessive sulfation
When there is insufficient water in the battery, or it has a history of being improperly charged, the sulfuric acid may collect on the battery’s plates as lead sulfate crystals. Sulfation can be diagnosed visually (a grey or grimy appearance is typical) or more precisely with a multimeter. Excessively sulfated batteries will lose power and take longer to charge and if left for too long the plates could become permanently damaged. In fact Sulfation is the number one reason you should never store your lead acid batteries in a flat state.
GOOD NEWS: The normal charging process reverses light sulfation.
BAD NEWS: If the battery is excessively sulfated, to the point that the lead sulfate crystals are not coming off the lead plates during the normal charging process, then we need to bring out the big guns: The Desulfation Cycle!
Our H10 & HQC Battery Chargers have inbuilt Desulfation Cycles
Some Battery Chargers, such as our H10 series and HQC series, have a preprogrammed “Desulfation Cycle” available for the user to select. This special cycle, which could run for up to 60 hours, will maintain a constant low current in an attempt to break up and dislodge the lead sulfate crystals. If this saves your battery then happy days! If not… well you did everything you could but unfortunately your battery needs to be replaced.
#2 Shortened run time
If you are finding that your battery is unable to hold its charge like it used too, and you’re unable to restore it’s performance after some TLC, then there’s a good chance the battery needs to be replaced.
#3 Decreased forklift performance
If your display panel is dim or flickers it might be an indication that the battery is unable to provide enough power. Firstly check for a clean and secure connection between the battery and the forklift, and secondly check inside the battery for signs of sulfation and be prepared that your battery may need to be replaced.
#4 Spilled acid
Acid leaking from a battery is never a good sign and it’s best to proceed with caution and use the correct PPE. If you notice signs of acid on the batteries exterior then your battery needs to be inspected by properly trained technicians. They will be able to determine if your battery is able to be recovered or if it needs to be replaced.
Reminder to always fill your battery with water AFTER charging and not BEFORE charging. Filling your batteries water reservoir to it’s upper limit before charging can result in the electrolyte overflowing out of the vent caps, causing acid spills, as the electrolyte expands during the charge cycle.
#5 Corroded or damaged terminals
If the battery has been poorly maintained, or physically damaged during service, it may result in damaged or corroded terminals. In some cases the terminals can be replaced but in others the battery will need to be replaced.
OK so you need a replacement battery – now what?
With an Australia wide network we’ve got you covered regardless of where you live. Not only can we supply and install your replacement forklift battery, we offer ongoing service and support. Our generous five year warranty (2 years complete replacement + 3 years pro rata) ensures complete peace of mind.