When a vehicle's battery goes dead, the vehicle owner's first instinct is to buy a replacement. In fact, this isn't necessarily the most practical solution. A process called battery reconditioning has been around for several years, but very few individuals are even aware that it is actually possible to recondition old batteries. If you are an avid fan of DIY projects, then you may want to try your hand at reconditioning the next time your vehicle's battery fails.
The good thing about battery reconditioning is that it is not limited to car batteries. You can actually recondition almost all rechargeable batteries, including those of golf carts, power tools and even forklifts. Reconditioning can definitely save you a significant amount of money, considering the cost involved in buying new batteries. And once you've mastered the reconditioning process, you can even turn it into a profitable business on the side. You can recondition your friends' batteries for a fee or collect discarded batteries, recondition them, and sell them at a discounted price.
Battery Tool
The main difference between reconditioning car batteries and forklift battery reconditioning is the amount of time it takes to complete the process. Car batteries normally take just a few days to recondition, whereas forklift batteries can take about two weeks to complete reconditioning. What's similar about the two processes is that you can expect the batteries to work like new when the process is completed properly and you can also expect to spend less than ten percent of the cost of buying a replacement.
The process of reconditioning forklift batteries begins with a 24-hour exploratory charge. This is essential in determining the current condition of all battery cells. Prepare yourself to find some dead battery cells that will need to be replaced. If you skip this 24-hour process, chances are good that you will not be able to identify all the weak and dead cells in the battery. If you fail to replace ALL of the cells that need replacing then these cells will just fail again and render your battery dead sooner than you expect. In that case, you would have wasted two weeks of reconditioning just because you skipped the first part of the reconditioning process.
After the exploratory charge, you are now ready to begin the desulfation process. This process takes about a week to complete, after which the battery's ability to load and its performance capacity are then tested. If the battery passes these tests then you can expect it to work like new. Otherwise, you will have no other choice but to look for a replacement. Looking for a replacement doesn't mean you have to buy a brand-new battery; there are lots of reconditioned batteries up for sale.
If your forklift battery reconditioning project was a success, you will have to learn how to take care of your forklift battery such that you are able to maximize its lifespan. The most important thing to remember is to keep the forklift's battery hydrated. You should keep the acid levels from dropping below the plates because oxidation can reduce the plates' capacity when this happens. Remember to use only distilled water because tap water contains chlorine, which can also damage the plates.