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Regardless of the type of electric material handling equipment you use, such as
forklifts, pallet jacks, rider pallet jacks, walkie stackers, personnel carts or others, one
In this program we want to emphasize that each equipment and battery manufacturer
has its own specific maintenance and operating procedures and these should be
Your company has specific rules and procedures and these should also be followed.
The information in this program has been taken from a variety of sources, a variety of
practices. It's a review of the basics of charging batteries, regardless of the type
equipment used, however, it's up to each individual to follow your company's rules
Ok, let's begin the program by reviewing some basic tips for handling industrial
equipment batteries. The first rule is to always wear personal protective equipment,
which includes rubber apron, gloves, boots and face/eye protection when handling,
mixture of sulfuric acid and water and is quite caustic which can easily burn your skin.
Keep open flames away from batteries and never try to check the electrolyte level with
and do not smoke or create sparks near batteries. The space between the underside
of the cover and the top of the electrolyte in the cell usually contains a hydrogen-
oxygen mixture which is explosive when ignited. Make sure you charge batteries only
Be prepared for an electrolyte spill and have adequate water available to flush your
skin or other affected area with water. Volumes of water applied quickly and
continuously will prevent serious injury to the skin. Quick medical attention is
Splashes to the eyes can be avoided by wearing proper eye/face protection, however,
if electrolyte is splashed into the eyes, wash the eyes with water for 15 minutes and
strong neutralizer such as baking soda. The baking soda will neutralize the acid and
When changing or repairing plugs or receptacles that are connected to the charging
equipment, be sure to shut off the power first. This will prevent a short circuit and
arcing of an electrical spark. Arcing can cause an explosion and fire. When mixing acid
to prepare electolyte, ALWAYS POUR THE ACID SLOWLY INTO WATER and never pour
water into the acid. If water is added to acid it will not readily mix and will splash the
acid due to the great difference in the specific gravity of the two liquids. Always store
acid in plastic or glass containers. Always lift batteries with mechanical equipment
such as a hoist, crane or lift truck. Move batteries horizontally with power trucks,
conveyors or rollers. Make sure that hoist hooks, spreader bars and other tools are of
Cover the top of batteries with a rubber mat or other insulating material to prevent
external short circuits from chains or cables falling onto the top of the battery. Proper
electrolyte spills.
Make sure that charging plugs and receptacles are properly locked and all other
connections tight, secure and free from friction. A loose connection may mean
sparking or arcing near highly explosive gas mixtures. Enclose all bare wires and bus
bars in the battery room by wire guards, guard rails or other means of isolation from
general plant traffic, as any open, high current transmission equipment is a possible
Double check to make sure the charger being used matches the voltage and
amperage of the equipment battery. Voltages and amperages are found on the
equipment data plate and on the charger data plate. Before disconnecting or
connecting batteries to a charger, make sure the charger is in the OFF position. If an
attempt is made to do this while the charger is ON, serious injury to you, the battery
and charger could result. Before charging, make sure the battery cells contain the
correct amount of water. Charging batteries with a low water level might result in
damage to the cells. Keep in mind that battery fumes are explosive and to check the
cells with a flashlight or other approved light. Before connecting the battery cable to
the equipment's receptacle, make sure the key switch is off and all controls are in the
off position and the brakes are locked. The battery cable must be fully connected
before the equipment is used. If the plug is not making good contact, heat will weld
the two parts of the battery connector together, making it difficult to remove and
corrosion.
Good battery terminal contact is essential not only for operation, but also for proper
charging of the battery. The battery cover should be closed except when charging,
then it must be left open. Disconnect the battery from the truck when doing
Obviously, live current may cause arcing or short circuiting. Never lay metal tools such
as wrenches or other material on top of an open battery. Sparking and short circuiting
will occur and can quickly discharge the battery or may explode. Check batteries for
cracks or leaks and repair them when detected. If batteries are not in use, they should
be kept charged. A freshening charge of about 3 to 4 hours at the finish rate may be
When recharging a fully discharged battery, the starting charge rate may be 3 to 5
times higher than the finish charge rate indicated on the battery nameplate. The
charge rate should taper down to the finish charge rate by the time the battery is 85
percent charged and may be even lower when fully charged. High "on charge"
charging. The top of the battery should be kept clean and dry. Keep vent caps in place
during use and when charging. Let's stop here a minute because there have been
questions and confusion in the past about the practice of leaving vent caps on or off
during charging. Many years ago, safety rules dictated that vent caps must be left off
during charging, to help dissipate the heat during charging. However, in the past 15 or
so years, engineers and other safety professionals have determined that vent caps
Most manufacturers today also state that vent caps should remain on during
charging. Vent caps must be checked to make sure the vent holes are not plugged and
are functioning properly. The vent caps dissipate heat during charging and allow small
volumes of gas mixtures to escape. If the vent caps are left off, a large volume of
hydrogen gas could escape and build up, creating a greater explosive hazard. It is
clear however, that battery compartment covers must remain open during charging.
When batteries are not mounted on equipment, they should be placed in proper
storage areas, but never stored directly on a cement floor. If necessary, place them on
wooden pallets and store in a dry, moderately cool area. Lead acid batteries will
slowly "self discharge" over a period of time due their chemical makeup. If the self-
charge is left uncontrolled, excessive sulfation can occur which is difficult to reduce
If a greasy film forms on the top of batteries, this is acid and should be neutralized
with a baking soda solution. Keep all batteries in a clean condition. Have we left
anything out?
How about the type of water you should use when filling the battery? The answer is to
always use distilled water. The reason for this is simple. Distilled water removes
impurities in water. Using regular tap water in batteries causes these impurities to
attach themselves to the battery plates during charging, or chemical action and can
cause the battery to decrease it's normal life expectancy. Use distilled or other
approved water when filling batteries. Don't use tap water because it will cause the
life of the battery to be decreased over time. Always follow your equipment
company's policies and procedures are the best sources of information for safety and
long life of the equipment. If you're not sure about something, ask your supervisor.
The job and the equipment you use is too important to be left to chances.