Forklift Battery Maintenance Water
Forklift Truck Traction Batteries
Flooded lead-acid forklift truck traction batteries are expensive and keeping them well maintained is necessary for prolonged and productive battery life.
The ‘battery water’ used in forklift batteries is called electrolyte which is essentially a mixture of sulfuric acid and pure water. When a forklift battery is charging it heats up which results in water evaporation through the battery cell. Furthermore, the process of electrolysis breaks down water into hydrogen and oxygen gases that also eventually escape through the battery cells.
Over time, enough water escapes and this brings down electrolyte levels to dangerous levels exposing plates in the battery cell and leaving behind heavily concentrated levels of sulfuric acid that can cause unrepairable damage to forklift batteries.
Thus, replacing and maintaining electrolyte levels in forklift batteries is necessary for improved performance and increased lifespan.
Maintenance of Forklift Battery Water
Using tap water to replace electrolyte levels in forklift batteries does more harm than good. Tap water contains many impurities that cling on to the plates inside the battery cell. This build-up of impurities reduces battery capacity as well as life expectancy.
Instead of using tap water it is recommended to use distilled or deionized water which removed dissolved solids and impurities leading to better performance and increases battery life.
Distilled Water for Forklift Batteries
Distilled water is used in many industrial applications and is one of the purest water types. Its energy intensive process leaves behind purified water free of all forms of impurities and minerals.
Pros
- Highest levels of purity
Cons
- An expensive and time-consuming process. Suitable for industrial applications that require large volumes of pure water
Deionized Water For Forklift Batteries
Deionized or demineralized water is produced by passing water through an ion-exchange resin made up of cationic and anionic beads. Impurities in water cling to these resin beads electrostatically leaving only pure water to pass through.
Pros
- A less expensive and much quicker process of attaining pure water
- Ideal for forklift batteries
- Can be produced on site
Cons
- Not as pure as distilled water
A deionized system like the Single PS-300 can produce deionized water on site to replace electrolyte levels in forklift batteries ensuring that they don’t go flat.
One can also purchase deionized pure water but keep in mind that these containers have a shelf life and are expensive to ship because of the weight.
Routinely checking electrolyte levels in forklift batteries can result in seamless productivity and cost-savings in the long-run. Having a deionized pure water system on site can help ensure that pure water is always available on hand should the need arise.
For more information on forklift battery water and maintenance visit Tontio.com.
