Terminals on batteries build up corrosion over time. This corrosion shortens power cell life, causes skin irritation, and leads to electrical faults in the vehicles that use them. What's the fastest and most cost effective way to keep the terminals clean and extend the life of batteries?

Hand Washing

The most obvious method of battery washing is to grab some baking soda and a wire brush and scrub off the corrosion by hand. However this is a slow process and not cost effective unless your fleet has only one or two vehicles in it. Even for small fleets it's not a good idea, though. The acid reside can still irritate a worker's skin. The worker might be wearing gloves, but a little splash of acid can be a problem, especially if it gets into someone's eyes.

Even if the risk seems small, there is another problem. Battery wash water contains not only acid but small amounts of lead and other heavy metals. It is nearly impossible to recover the waste water with hand washing, so some of these metals get into the environment, leading to serious state and federal penalties for a business.

Battery Washing Services

Driven by the need for safe, environmentally friendly disposal of wastewater, there are many companies who will perform battery washing, often on your worksite. These services are convenient, workers are kept safe, and heavy metals don't get into the soil groundwater systems.

However these services have a significant drawback: they are very expensive. Clients pay for the convenience of onsite service and expert battery handling. Cleaning becomes a major expense and fleet operating costs shoot through the roof. With so many organizations looking to cut costs, the fees charged by cleaning agencies simply aren't an option for most companies.

Hand washing is unsafe and environmentally irresponsible. Professional cleaning services are expensive. So what's the alternative for cost effective fleet management? The answer is equipment designed solely for washing batteries, combining the convenience of professional services with the low cost of manual cleaning.

Battery Washing Equipment

Battery washers are designed for a single purpose: cleaning rechargeable forklift batteries in a safe, easy and responsible manner. Batteries are either loaded into a cabinet or placed into a feeder. The unit is closed and the wash cycle proceeds automatically. Operation is simple and anyone can use the units with little training.

Workers are protected from exposure to corrosive and toxic materials. Wash water is circulated in a closed loop that has two advantages. Water costs are kept low since the same water can be used over several cycles, and dangerous contaminants can't get out of the washing equipment and find their way into the drainage system. The water can then be treated to remove dangerous heavy metals for proper disposal.

Reduce costs, protect workers and equipment, and save the environment by investing in an affordable and easy-to-use battery washing system to support your forklift fleet.