5 Things To Know Before Buying A Forklift Battery

It’s crucial to make intelligent purchases, especially when buying something fundamentally important for your workplace machinery. Depending on your forklift model, there are several factors to consider when purchasing a new battery. Here are five things to know before buying a forklift battery that will help you narrow things down once you begin shopping for a new one.

1. The Correct Size

Before you can pick out a battery, it’s vital to know the proper battery dimensions for your forklift. Getting accurate height, weight, and width measurements makes it easier to refine your options. Remember to measure the size of your forklift’s battery compartment rather than the size of the previous battery.

2. Proper Voltage

Most forklifts use either a 36-volt or 48-volt lithium-ion forklift battery. Getting the wrong voltage will result in faulty, inconsistent power, often leading to long-term damage to your equipment, or a downright powerless forklift.

3. Amp-Hour Capacity

When you work in an industrial environment, you want to ensure that your battery lasts for the duration of a typical shift. Checking a battery’s amp-hour (Ah) capacity lets you get a better picture of the standard charge and discharge rates. Find a battery that lasts throughout the day and charges efficiently for when you need to start it up again.

4. Necessary Counterweight

Every forklift has a minimum battery weight requirement to provide a proper counterbalance. Avoid choosing an underweight battery that may result in stability issues and other safety concerns. Lightweight batteries are convenient, but check your equipment to ensure you follow your forklift’s battery weight requirements. Due to the lightweight nature of lithium-ion batteries, often manufacturers will provide an additional ballast to help offset these weight savings if needed.

5. The Best Brands

An important factor to know before buying a forklift battery is that if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Like any other battery, purchasing the lowest cost option from no-name brands ends up being more of a hassle in the long run.

Opting for a trusted brand with an established warranty is the best way to reduce risks and unnecessary complications when purchasing your industrial-grade battery.

For more information on lithium forklift batteries, the experts at BigBattery have the answers to all your questions and concerns. Feel free to reach out to us by phone at (818) 280-3091 or by email at Sales@BigBattery.com.