The Process of Adding Water to Forklift Batteries How and When

You may be aware that you must maintain your forklift batteries on a regular basis as a forklift owner, but how do you do so? It’s always a good idea to take care of your power sources. All you need to know is how and when to do it correctly. Otherwise, you risk reducing the lifespan of your battery by up to 50%. That’s a significant loss when your battery alone can account for one-third of the cost of your forklift.  Battery for forklift 2023 When and How to Fill Forklift Batteries with Water.

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.