Battery
Management
Definitions/Terminologies
Temperature is the degree or intensity of heat present
in a substance or object.
Heat is a form of energy that is transferred between
Battery is an electrochemical Cell is the smallest indivisible Electrolyte is a substance systems or objects with different temperature.
device that converts unit of the battery; the that when dissolved in a
chemical energy into fundamental electrochemical suitable solvent becomes an
electrical energy. unit. ionic conductor.
Battery cycle is the time between when the battery is
fully charged and discharged to the threshold, 20%
Specific gravity is the ratio of
the density of a solid or
liquid to the density of an
equal volume of distilled
water.
Batter Structure
Technology of Charge and Discharge
Charging is the process of replacing the energy removed during discharge, plus EXTRA to compensate for any charging inefficiency.
The amount of energy necessary for complete recharge depends on the depth of discharge, rate of recharge and temperature.
Discharging is the process of depleting the energy stored in the battery in chemical form to achieve a specific operational task.
Pb(s) + PbO2(s) + 2H2SO4(aq) → 2PbSO4(s) + 2H2O(l)
discharging level
Proposed
80 %
Deep
20 %
discharge
Equalization Charge is a form of over charge which, when applied allows the flatter cells to catch up. Effectively the charging
takes the form of a current limited charge with a higher voltage setting. This results in a continuation of the charge through
the battery even when some cells reach a fully charged state and their voltage rises. This allows the remaining cells to
continue to receive charge.
Factors that affects Battery Life
Temperature is the degree or intensity of heat present in a
substance or object.
Most new batteries start with 1500 cycles High temperature will increase the rate of the chemical reaction,
prior to each end of its usable battery life. leading to increase performance and fast discharge which result
in loss of batter life.
A battery charged once each working day Ideally, the environmental temperature should be less than the
(300 per year) should last 5 years (1500 temperature of the battery.
cycles). Opportunity/step charging can
reduce the life by over half. The temperature of the electrolyte(liquid) optimally at ambient
temperature should be 55°C and 45°C for VR, gel electrolyte.
Heat is a form of energy that is transferred between systems or
objects with different temperature.
Battery Usage & Monitoring Steps
Create battery change and charging area
Ensure appropriate cable and sockets
Mark batteries for easy identification and monitoring
Place battery on a stand and position under charger to charge
Create checklist and maintenance template to check:
- Cleanness
- Voltage
- Specific gravity
- Terminals
Create monitoring template to manage utilization of 80% maximum discharge before recharge.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Date Technician
Cell Specific Gravity Voltage Cell Specific Gravity Voltage
1 13
2 14
3 15
4 16
5 17
6 18
7 19
8 20
9 21
10 22
11 23
12 24
BATTERY CHECKLIST STATUS
Battery top clean and dry
Vents cap clean and dry
Battery terminal & connection tight
Electrolyte Level
COMMENT
Discharged State Full Charge State Battery Running State
Battery No. Landing % Landing Time Date Full Charge Time Date Take Off % Take Off Time Date Charging Hour Cooling Hour
Battery maintenance is an extremely Cleaning your forklift battery is essential
forgotten yet important factor; as knowing a in prolonging its life and making sure
little about its maintenance will go a long safety measures are kept to prevent
Battery
way. injuries. You need to be visual when it
comes to cleaning your battery and
The key benefits your business will always have an overview of specific parts
Maintenanc
experience from being involved in a battery before using it.
maintenance schedule includes:
If a battery overspills, wash
Decreasing expenses
e
immediately with water (baking soda
Improved safety optional) to stop corrosion on top and
underneath the battery.
Greater performance
If a cloth is to be used, it must be
Extended life span. clean and damp.
Do not clean with dry cloth to avoid
static electricity building up.
Regular monitoring and maintenance will
help maximize better life. A routine
inspection, at least, once a month is
recommended.
Specific Gravity is expressed as the mass of the
liquid divided by the mass of an equal volume of
water. It is usually measured with hydrometer.
Dilution of electrolyte during discharge and re-
concentration during charge is a useful guide to
the state of charge of a lead-acid battery. The
less acid there is in the electrolyte, the less dense
it is, and the lower the specific gravity, SG.
The specific gravity of an electrolyte decrease
and in increase with temperature.
A battery’s specific gravity is a great way of
measuring the battery’s state of charge, BSOC. It
decreases linearly with ampere-hour discharge
and increases as the battery is charged.
Hydromete
r Usage
Voltage Check
•The voltmeter is used to measure the
stabilized voltage of the battery. The
Voltage reading between each cell should
be 2.14V optimally after full charge. That of
forklift battery could be 36V, 48V or 80V.
Watering: Deep cycle batteries begin service
consuming relatively low amount of water. The
operating environment determines the water
usage of batter. As battery age, they will use
more water.
Perform regular watering as need be to ensure
premium performance of battery.
Over-watering dilutes the sulphuric acid level
inside the battery; which results in poor battery
performance.
Under-watering leads to overcharging condition
which shorten battery running time.
Maintain battery liquid level above top of Water level at charging end Water level after battery cold
the plates
Use only distilled or de-mineralized water
Watering should only occur after charging is
complete
Never charge if plates are uncovered in
electrolyte
Condition Check For
Poor Batter Performance Under- charged battery
Sulfated Battery
Defective connectors or cables
Low electrolyte
Old batteries
Unequal/Low Specific Gravities Over -filling
Under-charging
Troubleshootin Excessive watering Over-charging
Container leak
g Odor During Charging
Old batteries
Low electrolyte
Over-charging
High Temperature Over-charging
Battery overworked
Opportunity charging
Safety Tips
01 02 03 04 05 06
Charge in a Ensure you remove Wear eye goggle and Wear protective Avoid open flame in Do not place metallic
ventilated space the battery from the polystyrene clothes gloves battery charging area object on top of a
forklift when (acid will eat through battery
charging(reduce cotton)
heat)
Thank you for your time.
