As we all know, everybody needs a little TLC from time to time, and your materials handling equipment is no different. Along with ensuring that your equipment is regularly serviced and TE inspections are conducted, any batteries and chargers which power your equipment also need maintenance.

First and foremost make sure that you stick to the manufacturers’ guidelines, especially when your battery is new. A new battery has to be used and re-charged (known as a battery cycle) a certain number of times before being topped up. This differs with batteries from different suppliers, so make sure you read the information that comes with your shiny new battery very carefully.

To get the most effective performance out of your battery, make sure you use most of its power before you recharge it. Generally they say you should use a battery until there is 20% or less of its charge remaining because charging it any sooner could cause damage. This may not always be possible depending on your operation, but try to follow this as much as possible and make sure that your team is aware of this and you have a recharging process in place.

Now we’re talking about charging your battery, you should allow sufficient time for your battery to charge fully and not use it until it has finished on its charger. Lead acid batteries cannot be charged for short periods (known as opportunity charging) as it will damage the battery. Once your battery is fully charged, you should allow it to finish gassing and fully cool down before using it again. If you don’t have long periods available to charge your battery, speak to your salesperson about battery changing and the different options available.