The alternate title of this post could be, “how to avoid paying double for your forklift battery.” When uninformed buyers choose a cheap battery with no warranty, they inevitably end up buying a second battery - the right battery - a short while later.

Before you spend a few thousand dollars on a battery, take a few moments to learn how to choose the right battery for your forklift and important questions to ask.

On average, a forklift battery will last a single-shift operation five years. Proper care and maintenance can extend battery life up to ten years. Prolong the life of your forklift battery by following these easy Do’s and Don’ts when charging, operating and handling forklift batteries.

In the material handling industry, productivity and efficiency are two important keys to success. There are only so many hours in the day, so whenever a company can find a way to do more in less time, they gain a competitive advantage. For some operations, especially food processing, 3PL and other multi-shift applications, lithium-ion forklift batteries provide that extra edge by reducing labor costs and improving productivity.

In this article we’ll answer common questions about lithium-ion (L-I) forklift batteries including:
- How long does it take to charge a lithium-ion forklift battery and
- When are lithium-ion forklift batteries worth the extra cost?

If you’re looking for a replacement forklift battery that is low-maintenance and fast-charging, but don’t want to spend the money for lithium-ion, consider a thin plate pure lead battery. Unlike a lead-acid battery that requires frequent watering, a thin plate battery does not need to be watered or equalized, and (in most cases) they cost 50% less than lithium-ion.

A thin plate lead battery can charge to 100% capacity in less than one and a half hours for Class III applications, and in five hours for Class I. Thin plate lead batteries are the superior choice for opportunity or fast charging and offer greater capacity for longer run time between charges. 

Read on to learn more about thin plate lead batteries and chargers from NexSys®.

Most forklifts come with a standard flat plate battery. You may be wondering if a waterless battery or tubular plate battery would service your operational needs better. In this post, we’ll review the pros and cons of different types of forklift batteries. We’ll also go over a few ways multi-shift operations can save time (and therefore money) changing out batteries between shifts.

What's the difference between the conventional method of charging a forklift battery versus fast-charging and opportunity charging? G enerally speaking, conventional charging is best for single-shift operations. Multi-shift facilities can save time and money with fast or opportunity charging. In this post, we’ll review the pros and cons of each method and special considerations like truck modifications and the cost of new chargers. 

Why do forklift batteries need water? How long will my battery list? Should I recondition my old forklift battery?

We answer these and other frequently asked questions about forklift batteries in today’s post.