How and When to Add Water to Forklift Batteries

February 23, 2021 8:42 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

As a forklift owner, you may know that you need to consistently maintain your forklift batteries—but how do you do this? It’s always a good idea to keep your power sources well-cared-for. All you need to know is the proper way to do it, and when. Otherwise, you risk reducing your battery’s lifespan by up to 50 percent. That’s a big loss when your battery alone can make up a third of your forklift’s cost. Here’s how and when to add water to forklift batteries in Jefferson, WI.

When to add water to forklift batteries

The best time to add water to batteries is before a shift and after the battery has had plenty of time to cool. Never water a battery while it’s already depleted and still hot—you could damage the battery and reduce its lifespan. In fact, it will cause the battery to boil over and even leak acid while it’s charging.

If possible, let the battery run for eight hours, charge for eight hours and cool for eight hours. Your forklift battery or the forklift itself may have a gauge to indicate battery temperature—use that to pinpoint when might be a good time.

How to add water to forklift batteries

There are several different ways to water forklift batteries in Jefferson, WI. No matter what method you use, make sure you only fill the batteries up to the lead acid plates. They’re usually located about two and a half inches below the battery cap, and should be quite visible. Here are the different ways you can fill them. If you’re not sure which method is appropriate, ask your local forklift battery dealer for advice:

  • Hose and watering gun: This method uses a watering gun hooked up to a hose. The forklift battery tender will go to each battery cell and fill them with water by hand. Use a flashlight to ensure that you neither over- nor underwater the battery cells.
  • Automatic battery watering system: These systems have a hose-like device that fits to each cell. They automatically fill the cells to the perfect level, and shut off when they’re done. If you don’t want to have to do all the work by hand, this is a great system to use.
  • Gravity feed: Like the hose and watering gun method, this uses a hose to hand-fill each battery cell. Again, this is a method where you may need to use a flashlight to make sure you’ve filled the cells to the appropriate level.

Remember, the two key takeaways are to add water when the battery is cool, and to never over- or underwater the battery. You should avoid spilling battery acid or reducing your forklift battery’s lifespan as much as possible. Not only are they expensive to replace, but damaged batteries can seriously harm you or your operators.

For more information about how and when to add water to forklift batteries in Jefferson, WI, get in touch with the experts at Remis Power Systems Inc. today.

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