The care and maintenance of your warehouse’s forklift batteries is a complex, continuous process — and the possibility for human error is extremely high because of this. However, it’s essential to ensure personnel understand what to do (and what not to do) while maintaining your forklift batteries — as the consequences of making a mistake could be fatal.

Could your personnel be significantly compromising warehouse efficiency and warehouse organization with the wrong forklift battery handling procedures? This list of the three most common forklift battery maintenance mistakes should help you:

Mistake 1: Failing to water the forklift battery

Watering the forklift battery once every five to 10 full charges is one of the most necessary parts of maintaining these batteries. Never water a battery before charging it! Always water the battery after a full charge, once the battery has cooled down sufficiently. In addition, personnel must only use distilled, non-mineral water when watering a forklift battery.

Mistake 2: Improperly charging the battery

For many personnel, it’s tempting to opportunity charge — or charge the forklift battery for short periods of time during a lunch break to extend its charge. However, doing this too often can significantly hamper the forklift battery’s lifespan. Batteries should only ever receive full eight-hour charges — and personnel should never be permitted to use a battery when its charge has fallen below 20%.

Mistake 3: Mishandling forklift battery washing

Another important process of maintaining your forklift batteries is washing them. About once a year, personnel must wash off the buildup of sulfuric acid that cakes on the battery’s exterior in order to preserve the battery’s ability to hold a charge. Personnel should always use a mixture of baking soda and mineral-free water to wash forklift batteries, and should always wear protective equipment while doing so.

Want to know more about the proper way to conduct forklift battery washing and maintenance? Ask us whatever questions you may have in the comments below. Helpful links.