1. Never smoke or have open flame or spark near a forklift battery.
2. Always wear personal safety equipment when inspecting, servicing, or working near batteries.
3. Always maintain correct electrolyte levels as specified.
4. Always maintain batteries in clean and dry conditions.
5. Always ensure no metal objects come into contact with the battery.
6. Always add distilled or appropriate water only. If spill overs occur, contact your battery expert for service.
7. Discharge batteries no more than 80% of their rated capacity. Ideal discharge / charge parameters are 6 hours use, 8 hours charge, and 4 hours cool down prior to use.
8. Never place a hot battery on charge or in operation. If the battery is hot (+115°F), contact your battery expert for inspection.
9. Always perform and record electrolyte and cell voltage readings, at minimum, on a quarterly basis or every 75 discharge cycles.
10. Remove or open all covers from batteries during charge and ensure adequate ventilation exists in all areas where batteries are being charged.

The original article titled Battery Maintenance Checklist | Battery Builders was first published at https://www.batterybuilders.com/battery-maintenance-checklist