Battery Watering

Typical flooded cell (or wet) forklift batteries should only be watered after charging. Typically, forklift batteries will only need to be watered on a weekly basis although this is largely dependent upon the environment they are used in. Why is watering the battery so important after the charge cycle? As an example, imagine you have a full glass of water. You add a sponge in the water to soak up the liquid and then add a small amount of water to the empty glass. If you were to then squeeze the water from the sponge back into the glass with the added water, the liquid from the glass would no doubt, overflow.

The same premise applies to flooded cell forklift batteries. If extra water is added before the charge cycle, it may overflow and dilute the forklift batteries electrolyte. There is however one exception to this rule. If you check the forklift battery plates and notice they are not damp, adding water prior to the charge is of benefit. Dampening the top of the plate will ensure they won’t overheat and dry out during charge, causing the forklift battery to lose capacity.

Forklift battery technology continues to evolve at a rapid rate. Forklift batteries that only required watering every 2 months are commercially available, as are fast charging systems to avoid costly shift batteries and changeover periods. At Formidable Forklifts we understand the evolution and we can assist you with  matching the right used forklift with the right motive power solution……