How to determine whether the lead-acid battery of a forklift needs to be replaced

Time：2025-07-09 10:30:27

Browse：620

Therefore, promptly determining whether the lead-acid battery of a forklift needs to be replaced is the key to ensuring the normal operation of the forklift.

In the daily use of forklifts, lead-acid batteries play a crucial role, providing power support for the operation of forklifts. Once the battery malfunctions, the forklift may "go on strike", affecting work efficiency. Therefore, promptly determining whether the lead-acid battery of a forklift needs to be replaced is the key to ensuring the normal operation of the forklift. Below, we will provide a detailed introduction to the judgment methods for everyone.
Observe the performance degradation of the battery
The performance of the battery is directly related to the endurance and working efficiency of the forklift. Performance decline is an important basis for determining whether it needs to be replaced.
First of all, a significant drop in battery life is a clear sign. Under normal circumstances, a fully charged battery can support a forklift to complete operations for a certain period of time. If it is found that after a forklift is fully charged, its operating time has been significantly reduced compared to before, for instance, it used to work for 8 hours but now can only operate for 4 to 5 hours or even less, it indicates that the battery capacity has severely declined and can no longer meet the normal working requirements. It is very likely that it needs to be replaced. This is because as the usage time increases, the plates inside the battery will gradually age, the active material will decrease, and the power storage capacity will decline.
Secondly, abnormal charging time should not be ignored either. It takes a certain amount of time for a normal lead-acid battery to be charged to saturation after being discharged. If the charging time is significantly shortened, showing full charge after just a short while but running out of power very quickly during use, it might be due to a short circuit or other issues inside the battery, preventing it from storing electricity normally. On the contrary, if the charging time is significantly prolonged, more than double the normal charging duration, and the battery life remains poor after charging, it indicates that there is a serious problem with the battery and it is highly likely that it needs to be replaced.
In addition, the difficulty in starting forklifts is also one of the manifestations of the decline in battery performance. When the battery power is insufficient or its performance declines, the forklift will appear to lack power when starting, the starting speed will slow down, and it may even require multiple attempts to start. If faults in other components such as the starter motor have been ruled out, it is very likely that the problem lies with the battery.
Check whether the appearance of the battery is damaged
The appearance condition of a battery can directly reflect the possible problems inside it. By carefully inspecting its appearance, it can also help us determine whether it needs to be replaced.
Shell rupture is a rather serious situation. During the operation of forklifts, the battery casing may crack due to reasons such as collision and jolting. Once the shell breaks, the electrolyte will leak, which not only corrodes the components around the battery but also causes a sharp drop in the battery's capacity, making it unable to work properly. In this case, the battery has lost its value for repair and must be replaced in a timely manner.
Bulging and deformation are also common appearance problems. During the charging process of a battery, if the charging voltage is too high, the charging time is too long, or there is a fault inside the battery, a large amount of gas will be produced inside, causing the shell to bulge and deform. The internal structure of a swollen battery has been damaged. Continuing to use it poses safety risks and may lead to dangerous situations such as explosions. Therefore, it also needs to be replaced.
In addition, the terminals of the battery should also be inspected. The terminal posts are the parts that connect the battery to the external circuit. If the terminal posts suffer from severe corrosion, breakage or other conditions, it will lead to poor contact, affect the transmission of current and prevent the forklift from working normally. Although the corrosion of the terminal posts can be temporarily dealt with by cleaning and other methods, if the corrosion is severe or the battery breaks, it is also necessary to consider replacing the battery.
Related questions and answers
Question: How often does a forklift lead-acid battery need to be replaced?
Answer: The service life of lead-acid batteries in forklifts is influenced by various factors such as usage frequency, maintenance conditions, and working environment. Generally speaking, under normal use and maintenance conditions, its service life is about 2 to 5 years. If the usage frequency is high, maintenance is improper, or the working environment is harsh, the service life may be shortened, and it may need to be replaced after about two years. Conversely, if properly maintained and used at a moderate frequency, its service life may be extended to more than five years. However, this is only a rough range. Whether replacement is needed or not still needs to be determined in combination with the performance and appearance inspection results mentioned above.
Question: If a battery has a small amount of electrolyte leakage, can it still be used?
Answer: If the battery only has a small amount of electrolyte leakage and the casing is not obviously cracked, after promptly cleaning up the leaked electrolyte, inspecting and handling the cause of the leakage, it may still be able to be used temporarily for a period of time. However, it should be noted that electrolyte leakage can lead to a decrease in battery capacity, and the leaked electrolyte is corrosive and can cause damage to surrounding components. At the same time, this also indicates that the battery has malfunctured. Continuing to use it poses risks. It is recommended to closely monitor its performance changes. Once there is a significant decrease in battery life or abnormal charging, it should be replaced immediately.
Question: Can the service life of a battery be prolonged by adding electrolyte?
Answer: During the use of the battery, the electrolyte may decrease due to evaporation and other reasons. Adding an appropriate amount of distilled water can replenish the liquid level and maintain the normal operation of the battery. However, if the battery has already suffered from severe performance degradation, appearance damage and other problems, merely adding electrolyte cannot extend its service life. At this point, the plates inside the battery have aged and been damaged, and adding electrolyte cannot fix these problems. Moreover, if electrolyte is added, it may also lead to an excessively high concentration of the electrolyte, accelerating the corrosion of the plates and shortening the service life of the battery. Therefore, adding distilled water can only be used as a way of daily maintenance and cannot replace the battery.
In conclusion, to determine whether the lead-acid battery of a forklift needs to be replaced, it is necessary to comprehensively consider its performance decline and appearance damage. In daily use, regular inspection and maintenance of the battery should be carried out. Once any of the above problems are found, measures should be taken promptly. If necessary, a new battery should be replaced to ensure the normal operation and work safety of the forklift.

Statement: The articles on this site are written by the GSGT team or reprinted from other media or compiled by AI.No reproduction without permission.For copyright or other issues, please contact:gsgtpower@163.com.

News

How to determine whether the lead-acid battery of a forklift needs to be replaced

24V/VCF6A lead-acid battery NICHIYU FBR9 forward forklift battery factory direct supply

24-7PBS/560M Forklift Battery for Hyster E40XN 48V 560Ah Excellent in Both Price and Quality

48V1050Ah HYSTER 10HPzS1050 Lead-acid Battery Empowers the Performance of Hyster E65XN-40 Forklift

24V/4HPzS620 Lead-Acid Battery for ForkLifts and Hyster N30XMR3 Special Battery for ForkLifts