Lesson 1Heat patterns and overheating reasons during charging: inner resistance, air flow, charger settings, surrounding temperature impactsExamines how traction batteries warm up during charging, stressing inner resistance, charger settings, air flow, and surrounding temperature. Highlights spotting unusual heating signs and establishing safe boundaries to avoid harm or heat incidents in local conditions.
Inner resistance and heat productionCharger current setting influencesAir flow and ventilation rolesSurrounding temperature and seasonal changesSpotting unusual temperature increasesLesson 2Record keeping and battery life cycle handling: serial monitoring, warranty requests, replacement planning, and value for battery swap vs. repairDeals with monitoring batteries over their life using serial numbers, records, and software. Covers noting failures, backing warranty requests, planning swaps, and weighing costs and value of new batteries against repair in Eritrean operations.
Serial number and asset ID monitoringNoting faults, tests, and fixesBacking warranty and service requestsPlanning swaps and spare groupsValue of swap versus repairLesson 3Daily and shift-level battery check list: visual looks, terminal state, vent covers, electrolyte level (if relevant), and physical harm signsOffers a practical daily and shift-level check routine for traction batteries. Includes visual looks, terminals, vent covers, electrolyte levels, cables, and casings, aiding in spotting harm or leaks before they lead to breakdowns or injuries in Eritrean sites.
Pre-shift visual walk-around stepsChecking terminals and connectorsInspecting vent covers and traysVerifying electrolyte levels safelyIdentifying leaks and case harmLesson 4Types of traction batteries used in forklifts (lead-acid, AGM, gel, lithium-ion): chemistry, standard voltages, capacities, and discharge traitsIntroduces main traction battery chemistries in forklifts, including flooded lead-acid, AGM, gel, and lithium-ion. Compares standard voltages, capacities, discharge curves, and common uses, noting strengths, weaknesses, and safety requirements for Eritrean use.
Flooded lead-acid build basicsAGM and gel sealed battery traitsLithium-ion modules and BMS roleVoltage, capacity, and pack setupsDischarge curves and use casesLesson 5Battery upkeep tasks and schedules: watering, cleaning terminals, tightening connections, charge cycle noting, calendar vs. cycle upkeepOutlines regular traction battery upkeep tasks and schedules. Includes watering, cleaning, torque checks, and noting charge cycles, comparing calendar-based and cycle-based plans to prolong life and cut unexpected stoppages in Eritrean fleets.
Watering intervals and safe methodsCleaning cases, tops, and terminalsTorque checks on lugs and busbarsNoting charge and discharge cyclesCalendar versus cycle-based planningLesson 6Handling overheating and charging faults: spotting, quick actions, charger fault codes, heat management, and cooling plansCovers spotting overheating and charge faults using sensors, charger displays, and fault codes. Details quick safe responses, lockout steps, and practical heat management and cooling methods to safeguard batteries and nearby gear in local environments.
Typical charger and battery fault signsReading and interpreting charger fault codesQuick shutdown and lockout actionsUsing fans, spacing, and cooldown periodsWhen to remove a battery from serviceLesson 7Battery specs and ratings: C-rate, ampere-hour (Ah), charge state (SoC), discharge depth (DoD), and expected run time calculationsExplains key battery ratings on forklift labels and sheets, including C-rate, ampere-hours, charge state, and discharge depth. Shows how to estimate expected run time and match batteries to truck work cycles in Eritrean operations.
Reading battery labels and nameplatesC-rate and its impact on run timeAmpere-hour capacity and sizingCharge state and discharge depthRun time estimation for work cyclesLesson 8Safe handling, spill/leak response and disposal: PPE for acid and lithium incidents, neutralization, spill containment, and local waste rulesDetails safe handling of traction batteries, including PPE, lifting, and transport. Covers acid and electrolyte spills, lithium leaks, neutralization, containment, cleanup, and following local hazardous waste and recycling rules in Eritrea.
Required PPE for acid and lithium risksSafe lifting, moving, and storageAcid spill neutralization proceduresContainment and cleanup materialsDisposal and recycling regulationsLesson 9Charging area setup and safety rules: ventilation, signs, fire suppression thoughts, separation distances, grounding and cable pathsCovers safe design and running of charging areas, including ventilation, signs, fire protection, and separation distances. Addresses grounding, cable paths, eyewash and shower placement, and keeping ignition sources away in Eritrean facilities.
Ventilation and hydrogen dilution needsRequired signs and access controlFire suppression and extinguisher typesSeparation from offices and trafficGrounding, cabling, and trip hazardsLesson 10Relevant standards and sources: manufacturer battery guides, OSHA/NFPA advice for battery rooms, and battery maker safety noticesSummarizes key standards and advice affecting traction battery rooms and charging areas. Reviews manufacturer guides, OSHA and NFPA expectations, and safety notices, showing how to find, understand, and apply them on site in Eritrea.
Using manufacturer battery guidesOSHA rules for charging operationsNFPA advice for battery roomsLocating safety notices and updatesDocumenting site compliance stepsLesson 11Handling low run time and capacity loss: diagnosing sulfation, cell imbalance, drain loads, and end-of-life standardsFocuses on diagnosing short run time and capacity loss in traction batteries. Reviews sulfation, cell imbalance, drain loads, and end-of-life signs, linking test data to practical choices on repair, reconditioning, or swap in local contexts.
Collecting run time and charge historyIdentifying sulfation and undercharge patternsDetecting weak or imbalanced cellsFinding drain loads on parked trucksEnd-of-life standards and replacement callsLesson 12Battery charging systems and safe charging habits: charger types, charge methods, float vs. quick charge, equalization chargingExplains forklift battery charging systems, including standard, opportunity, and quick chargers. Reviews charge methods, equalization, float modes, and safe habits that prevent overcharge, gassing, and early battery wear in Eritrean use.
Standard, opportunity, and quick chargersCharge stages and control methodsEqualization charge goals and timingFloat charging and storage habitsPreventing overcharge and gassingLesson 13Regular battery testing and fault finding: specific gravity/hydrometer testing, conductance/impedance testing, capacity tests, voltage under loadDescribes regular and advanced traction battery tests, including specific gravity, conductance, impedance, and capacity checks. Explains voltage under load and how to interpret results to spot weak cells, imbalance, or hidden defects early in operations.
Safe sampling for specific gravity testsOpen-circuit and loaded voltage checksConductance and impedance test basicsFull capacity and discharge testingInterpreting test trends over time
