Tips for Industrial and Vehicle Battery Maintenance

The professionals at Industrial Batteries Inc. have extensive experience with battery maintenance and below are their tips for properly maintaining industrial and vehicle batteries.

14/10/2022

 

 

 

Properly maintaining industrial and vehicle batteries can extend their life and prevent you from having to replace your battery before it’s time. This not only saves you money, but it also means less hassle in your life because you don’t have to worry about a battery unexpectedly going bad. The professionals at Industrial Batteries Inc. have extensive experience with battery maintenance. Here are their tips for properly maintaining industrial and vehicle batteries.

 

Temperature Matters

The single biggest detriment to any battery is temperature. Excessive heat or excessive cold adversely affects a battery’s performance and decreases its lifespan. If you live in an area that gets extremely hot in the summer or extremely cold in the winter, you’ll need to take precautions to keep your battery from overheating or freezing.

The liquids that keep your battery cool can evaporate in high temperatures, leading to an inability to cool down. In the winter, cold temperatures slow everything down, including the chemical reaction inside your battery that allows your vehicle or machinery to start. If this slows down too much, the battery won’t hold enough charge to ignite the engine.

Try to limit short trips in your vehicle or short operation cycles for your equipment in the summer. Short run times don’t allow the battery to fully charge, which will further weaken your battery in hot weather. Combine trips or loads to length the run time and keep your battery fully charged. In the winter, use a battery blanket when your vehicle or machinery isn’t running to keep it warm. Additionally, park inside or away from the wind to protect the battery from freezing even further.

In an industrial environment, consider installing fans near where your equipment is stored to keep the batteries from overheating. This is usually more of a concern for industrial batteries than freezing, especially in warmer environments, but if your equipment is kept outside, battery blankets might be required in harsh winter climates.

 

Corrosion and Grime Kill

When battery posts become dirty or corroded, you may discover that your battery doesn’t stay charged as long as it should. This is because the dirt surrounding the battery posts becomes a conductor that only serves to drain the battery. For this reason, keep your battery’s posts clean and free from dirt, grime, and corrosion. Fortunately, it’s very simple to keep these clean with materials you probably already have around your home.

Grab an old toothbrush, some baking soda and water, a pair of rubber gloves, a rag, and some petroleum jelly. Put on the gloves, mix the baking soda and water together, dip the toothbrush in the mixture, and scrub the battery’s posts until the grime and corrosion is gone. Rinse the baking soda from the terminals with a spray bottle of water and wipe them with the rag until they are completely dry. After they’re dry, dab a small amount of petroleum jelly onto the posts to lubricate them and discourage future buildup.

 

Conclusion

Maintaining your industrial or vehicle batteries is the key to long-lasting performance. As always, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance procedures in addition to the tips given here to make sure you’re doing all you can to protect your battery’s lifespan.

 

 

 

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