1. Do not replace the charger casually
2. Protect the charger
3. The battery shall be reasonably charged initially
4. Charge in time
5. Avoid overcharging
6. Prevent excessive discharge
7. Periodic complete discharge
8. Pay attention to the charging environment
9. Replenish the electrolyte in time
The battery is an essential power source for electric forklifts. At present, the vast majority of electric forklifts are equipped with lead-acid batteries. It is common to affect vehicles due to the poor technical condition of batteries. Therefore, it is essential to use lead-acid batteries to prolong their service life correctly. Hualong?
1. Do not replace the charger casually
The chargers of various manufacturers generally have personalized needs and remove the speed limit of the controller. Do not replace the charger at will when you are not sure. Removing the speed limit of the controller can improve the running speed of some forklifts, but it will not only reduce the safety of the forklift but also reduce the battery’s service life.
2. Protect the charger
The general operating instructions have instructions on protecting the charger. Many users don’t have the habit of reading the manual. They often look for the manual after they have problems. It’s often too late. In addition, it should be noted that the ventilation of the charger should be maintained during charging. Otherwise, it will affect the service life of the charger and the charging state due to thermal drift. This will damage the battery. Therefore, it is also essential to protect the charger.
3. The battery shall be reasonably charged initially
The battery’s first charge is called the initial charge, which significantly impacts the battery’s service life and charge capacity. If the charge is insufficient, the battery’s charge capacity is not high, and the service life is short; If the battery is overcharged, the electrical performance of the battery is good, but its service life will be shortened. Therefore, the battery should be charged carefully.
4. Charge in time
After the battery is discharged, the vulcanization process begins. From 12 hours later, there will be obvious vulcanization. Vulcanization refers to the formation of a layer of white coarse-grained lead sulfate on the electrode plate, which will seriously block the pores of the electrode plate, make it difficult for the electrolyte to penetrate, and reduce the capacity. Its poor conductivity significantly increases the battery’s internal resistance and reduces the output power. Charging in time can make it clear that there is no serious vulcanization. If it is not charged in time, these vulcanization crystals will accumulate and gradually form coarse crystals. Public chargers are powerless to these coarse crystals, gradually reducing the battery capacity and shortening the battery’s service life. In addition to charging every day, we should also pay attention to charging as soon as possible after use. The memory of the lead-acid battery is not so strong. Keep the battery capacity in a whole state as far as possible. Frequent recharging after discharge can effectively prolong the service life of the battery.
5. Avoid overcharging
When the charger shows full charge, stop charging. You can’t charge it overnight or even for a few days. Overcharge will cause the active material of the electrode plate to harden and fall off, produce water loss and battery deformation, and shorten the battery’s service life.
6. Prevent excessive discharge
The controller of an electric forklift is generally equipped with an Undervoltage protection function. When the electricity meter shows only one grid, the power supply should be turned off, and the battery should be charged as soon as possible to avoid excessive discharge. When the battery is discharged to the termination voltage, the internal resistance is considerable, and the electrolyte concentration is fragile. Significantly, the inner and surface of the plate hole are almost neutral. During over-discharge, the internal resistance tends to heat and volume expansion. There is apparent heating and even heating deformation when the discharge current is large. At this time, the concentration of lead sulfate is enormous, and lead sulfate will crystallize into larger particles. The formation of irreversible sulfation will further increase the internal resistance, and the charging recovery capacity will become poor or even irreparable.
7. Periodic complete discharge
A regular full discharge of the battery is also conducive to “activating” the battery, slightly increasing the battery’s capacity. The general method is to discharge the battery at regular intervals fully. The process of complete discharge is to make the forklift reach the first Undervoltage protection under the condition of the average load on a flat road. When the battery is fully charged after complete discharge, it will improve battery capacity.
8. Pay attention to the charging environment
The best ambient temperature for charging is 25 ℃. Most chargers are equipped with an automatic control system to adapt to the ambient temperature, so most chargers are designed according to the ambient temperature of 25 ℃. In summer, try to reduce the battery’s temperature, ensure good heat dissipation, prevent charging after exposure to the hot sun, and keep away from the heat source. In addition, fully understand the operation condition of the battery in the high-temperature season and the changes during the whole service life. When using, do not put the battery in an overheated environment, especially when charging. Keep away from the heat source. After the battery is heated, take cooling measures, and charge it only when the battery temperature returns to normal. When the battery discharge depth is shallow or the ambient temperature is high, the charging time shall be shortened.
9. Replenish the electrolyte in time
During the charging and discharging process of the electric forklift battery, the water in the electrolyte will gradually decrease due to electrolysis and evaporation, resulting in the decline of the electrolytic liquid level. If it is not supplemented in time, it will accelerate the battery plate’s vulcanization speed and shorten its service life. Therefore, it is necessary to check regularly and supplement distilled water in time (distilled water can be purchased in hospitals or chemical stores). Do not use drinking purified water instead because the purified water contains a variety of trace elements and ions, which will aggravate the internal self-discharge of the battery, and deep self-discharge will shorten the battery’s service life.
With the vigorous development of electric forklifts, to solve the life problem of lead-acid batteries and the designers and manufacturers of lead-acid batteries, users’ correct use and regular maintenance are also essential. Proper use can ensure the service life of the battery. Routine maintenance and repair are also necessary to prolong the battery’s service life. Possible quality hidden dangers can be found in advance, which is also a reflection of prevention. This can improve economic benefits and reduce the high financial investment in replacing batteries, which is also an embodiment of building an energy-saving society.
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