Warehouse IQ

Is it Normal for a Forklift’s Battery to be Really Hot?

Wow, when I feel the side of the battery in my lift truck, it is really hot.  I wonder if that is normal.  Is it normal for a lift truck’s battery to be really hot?

Normal – yes.  Good?  No.

Chemical Reaction – Lead Acid Batteries

Charging and discharging a forklift batteries will heat up a battery.  If you are running the lift truck hard with excessive lifting (and pulling out lots of amps) the battery will heat up.  So it is normal for a battery to feel hot on the sides when in used or charging.

Is it bad for a forklift battery to be hot?

It may be normal for a battery to generate heat when charging and discharging, however, heat will shorten the life of a forklift battery.  If the standard life of a battery is 2000 cycles (warrantied for 1500), the reason is that a battery can  expand and contract only so many times before the components inside the battery wear, become brittle and break.

Conclusion – Stay Cool

So, if you are looking to keep your battery running for any length of time, try to keep it cool.  That means, allow the battery to cool for a full 8 hours after charging.  This will extend the life of the battery a provide for a reliable battery to use over time.

If you use your battery immediately after charging it, the heat build up will eventually harm the battery leading to its early replacement.

One idea is to install a fan over top of the battery’s intercell connectors.  This will cool the battery effectively.

Comments?

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