V-Force Energy Solutions - Flipbook - Page 22
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Creating and maintaining these battery
performance profiles will help you track
battery condition over a given period
or for a particular application to better
understand performance requirements.
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Another common issue occurs when a
lead-acid battery’s cool-down period is too
short. After a full charge, lead-acid batteries
need time to cool down before discharging
begins. Increased battery temperature
while discharging can transfer to cables
and connectors, which can result in faster
degradation or complete failure. Unless you
are utilizing opportunity charging, lead-acid
batteries ideally need eight hours to cool
down before discharging.
ESTABLISH (AND ENFORCE) A
BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
High power consumption in many
applications requires lead-acid batteries
to be swapped during or between shifts.
Instituting a system that allows you to
manage your batteries’ usage, charging and
inventory is key. For instance, implementing
a FIFO rotation in conventional charging
applications will help you establish a battery
charging process to avoid frequent changeouts. Your strategy can be as simple as a
log-in sheet or an established process to
“always take the battery on the left.” It can
also be more sophisticated, adhering to
a battery management system providing
detailed data. Some chargers and battery
management systems help operators choose
the correct battery or know when they’ve
made the wrong choice. The important thing
is to enforce the strategy you choose.
Establishing energy
solutions best practices
involves adhering to
standardized processes
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ALLOW LEAD-ACID BATTERIES TO
COOL DOWN
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ENSURE LEAD-ACID BATTERIES ARE
PROPERLY EQUALIZED
Implementing and following a consistent
equalizing schedule for your lead-acid
batteries can be challenging because it
takes that battery offline for what may be
an entire usage cycle. Your staff must be
disciplined to follow equalization guidelines.
Equalize charging raises the charge of the
cells in the battery to equal voltage. Cells
with different voltages cause certain cells
to work harder and degrade faster, leading
to the battery losing capacity over time.
Equalize charging should occur once a
week, with proper time given so the battery
can cool down. Smart chargers allow you
to set a time and date for this to happen
automatically. Some applications routinely
equalize charges on Saturday, cool
batteries on Sunday and water first thing
Monday before the forklift is used.
