Forklift battery maintenance can be a tricky thing, but there are several ways in which you can not only make your battery last as long as possible, but also make it easier on yourself when the time comes to finally replace it. If you operate and maintain a forklift on a regular basis, take a look below at some insightful tips that will prove useful on an everyday basis. 

Equalize the Battery Regularly

If you work in an environment where there is a great deal of water (or maybe it's simply humid), then you should always remember to equalize your batteries every ten charges or so. This reverses the tendency of battery acid to concentrate at the bottom of the battery when it's flooded. Of course, this is only possible if your battery has an equalizing setting, but most modern forklift batteries do. Failing to equalize the battery means that it won't hold a charge nearly as well, which in turn means less efficiency and productivity overall.

Don't Charge Too Frequently

It is an all too common bad habit among forklift operators to charge the battery whenever possible, even on short lunch breaks. But if you want to extend your battery's life as much as possible, this is something you'll definitely want to avoid. Each charge takes up a cycle -- regardless of how long the battery is actually charged -- and a battery only has so many cycles to go through before it dies. By charging your forklift's battery strategically, you can sometimes double or even triple its lifespan.

Don't Ignore If Something Smells Rotten

If you're trying to recharge a faulty battery, you may notice a faint sulfuric smell during the process. This is no coincidence -- what you're smelling is the chemical buildup inside the battery being heated instead of creating a charge. So if there's a suspicious smell of rotten eggs surrounding your forklift, take it as a sign that you need to inspect and possibly replace the battery as soon as possible.

Add Water When Appropriate

Because periodically adding water is so crucial to the life of a forklift battery, many people get overzealous and add water at the beginning of a battery's charge cycle. Unfortunately, this does far more harm than good. So when you're refilling water to the appropriate level, always make sure it is done at the end of a cycle rather than at the start. 

For more information on this topic, contact a company like U.S. Lift & Warehouse Equipment Inc.