The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it’s time to prepare your battery fleet for a new season! With each season, there are different ways to care for your batteries to have them perform at their optimal capacity. Seasonal battery maintenance is essential to maximizing your batteries’ lifespan at their peak performance.
In the cold, winter months, a battery that’s exposed to cold temperatures will see its activity level decrease and its internal resistance increase, which means the battery is easily depleted of charge. Batteries may require more frequent charging before use and before storing. Batteries should always be stored above a 70% State of Charge to preserve its shelf life, and they are best maintained when stored at an external temperature of 50°F.
Just as battery activity is affected in cold weather, it is also impacted by warm weather. More chemical activity occurs within a lead acid battery during higher temperatures, which causes it to discharge when in storage. Again, it’s most effective to store lead acid batteries at 50°F to avoid loss of charge and overall degradation of the battery. The best-case scenario is to store batteries at a regulated temperature so they aren’t damaged due to hot or cold temperatures.
If you’re taking some of your batteries out of storage, a full check-up may be in order. Check the charge of the battery and recharge it fully. Consistently recharging your battery to its full capacity helps prevent sulfation, which is a buildup of lead sulfate crystals that can reduce battery performance. You should also check the electrolyte level of the battery. The simplest way to monitor your battery’s electrolyte level is with the BWT i-LITE sensor, which alerts operators to the battery electrolyte level with an LED light.
In true spring-cleaning fashion, you may also need to manually clean your batteries to remove any corrosion or dirt from battery terminals. You can do so by gently scrubbing battery terminals with a baking soda solution and rinsing with water, but it’s better to avoid corrosion entirely. The main culprit of battery corrosion is overcharging, which causes excessive heat and electrolyte breakdown. The BWT Visual Monitoring System is an all-in-one battery sensor that confirms that batteries have been charged, cooled and watered. The indicator visually alerts operators as to when your battery is done charging, so it charges to exactly the right point every time, without under or over charging.
Any time an operator is in close contact with a lead-acid battery, like during a cleaning, they run the risk of being exposed to the sulfuric acid contained within the battery. Sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive liquid that can cause severe burns on the skin or eyes. Operators should always be outfitted in personal protective equipment (PPE) while cleaning a battery, and this includes wearing gloves, safety glasses and an apron or coveralls
Once batteries have been charged, the electrolyte level has been checked, and the batteries have been cleaned, you should do a general inspection to check for any other damage. If none is found, your batteries have been de-winterized and are ready to operate in a new season.
