Lesson 1Heat patterns and overheating reasons during charging: internal resistance, air flow, charger settings, room temperature effectsThis lesson looks at how traction batteries get hot during charging, focusing on internal resistance, charger settings, air flow, and room temperature. It stresses spotting unusual heat patterns and setting safe boundaries to avoid damage or heat incidents.
Internal resistance and heat buildupCharger current settings influenceAir flow and ventilation rolesRoom temperature and weather effectsSpotting unusual temperature increaseLesson 2Record keeping and battery lifespan management: serial tracking, warranty claims, replacement planning, and value for money in battery replacement vs. refurbishmentThis lesson covers tracking batteries through their lifespan using serial numbers, logs, and software. It explains recording faults, backing warranty claims, planning replacements, and comparing costs and value of new batteries versus refurbishing.
Serial number and asset ID trackingLogging faults, tests, and fixesBacking warranty and service claimsPlanning replacements and spare setsValue of replacement versus refurbishmentLesson 3Daily and shift-level battery check list: visual checks, terminal state, vent caps, electrolyte level (if applicable), and physical damage signsThis lesson gives a practical daily and shift-level check routine for traction batteries. It covers visual checks, terminals, vent caps, electrolyte levels, cables, and casings, to spot damage or leaks before they cause breakdowns or injuries.
Pre-shift visual walk-around stepsChecking terminals and connectorsInspecting vent caps and traysVerifying electrolyte levels safelyIdentifying leaks and case damageLesson 4Types of traction batteries used in forklifts (lead-acid, AGM, gel, lithium-ion): chemistry, standard voltages, capacities, and discharge patternsThis lesson introduces main traction battery types used in forklifts, including flooded lead-acid, AGM, gel, and lithium-ion. It compares standard voltages, capacities, discharge curves, and common uses, highlighting advantages, disadvantages, and safety requirements.
Flooded lead-acid construction basicsAGM and gel sealed battery featuresLithium-ion modules and BMS roleVoltage, capacity, and pack layoutsDischarge curves and use casesLesson 5Battery upkeep tasks and schedules: watering, cleaning terminals, tightening connections, charge cycle logging, calendar vs. cycle upkeepThis lesson outlines routine traction battery upkeep tasks and schedules. It includes watering, cleaning, torque checks, and logging charge cycles, comparing calendar-based and cycle-based plans to prolong life and cut unexpected downtime.
Watering intervals and safe methodsCleaning cases, tops, and terminalsTorque checks on lugs and busbarsLogging charge and discharge cyclesCalendar versus cycle-based planningLesson 6Handling overheating and charging faults: detection, immediate actions, charger fault codes, heat management, and cooling strategiesThis lesson covers spotting overheating and charge faults using sensors, charger displays, and fault codes. It details immediate safe responses, lockout steps, and practical heat management and cooling methods to protect batteries and nearby equipment.
Typical charger and battery fault symptomsReading and interpreting charger fault codesImmediate shutdown and lockout actionsUsing fans, spacing, and cooldown periodsWhen to remove a battery from serviceLesson 7Battery specifications and ratings: C-rate, ampere-hour (Ah), state of charge (SoC), depth of discharge (DoD), and expected runtime calculationsThis lesson explains key battery ratings on forklift labels and datasheets, including C-rate, ampere-hours, state of charge, and depth of discharge. It shows how to estimate expected runtime and match batteries to truck work cycles.
Reading battery labels and nameplatesC-rate and its impact on runtimeAmpere-hour capacity and sizingState of charge and depth of dischargeRuntime estimation for duty cyclesLesson 8Safe handling, spill/leak response and disposal: PPE for acid and lithium incidents, neutralization, spill containment, and local hazardous waste rulesThis lesson details safe handling of traction batteries, including PPE, lifting, and transport. It covers acid and electrolyte spills, lithium leaks, neutralization, containment, cleanup, and following local hazardous waste and recycling rules.
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, signage, fire suppression considerations, separation distances, grounding and cable routingThis lesson covers safe design and operation of charging areas, including ventilation, signage, fire protection, and separation distances. It addresses grounding, cable routing, eyewash and shower placement, and keeping fire sources away.
Ventilation and hydrogen dilution needsRequired signage and access controlFire suppression and extinguisher typesSeparation from offices and trafficGrounding, cabling, and trip hazardsLesson 10Relevant standards and sources: manufacturer battery manuals, OSHA/NFPA guidance for battery rooms, and battery manufacturer safety bulletinsThis lesson summarizes key standards and guidance for traction battery rooms and charging areas. It reviews manufacturer manuals, OSHA and NFPA expectations, and safety bulletins, showing how to find, understand, and apply them on site.
Using manufacturer battery manualsOSHA rules for charging operationsNFPA guidance for battery roomsLocating safety bulletins and updatesDocumenting site compliance stepsLesson 11Handling low runtime and capacity fade: diagnosing sulfation, cell imbalance, parasitic loads, and end-of-life criteriaThis lesson focuses on diagnosing short runtime and capacity loss in traction batteries. It reviews sulfation, cell imbalance, parasitic loads, and end-of-life signs, linking test data to practical decisions on repair, reconditioning, or replacement.
Collecting runtime and charge historyIdentifying sulfation and undercharge patternsDetecting weak or imbalanced cellsFinding parasitic loads on parked trucksEnd-of-life criteria and replacement callsLesson 12Battery charging systems and safe charging practices: charger types, charge algorithms, float vs. fast charge, equalization chargingThis lesson explains forklift battery charging systems, including conventional, opportunity, and fast chargers. It reviews charge algorithms, equalization, float modes, and safe practices that prevent overcharge, gassing, and early battery wear.
Conventional, opportunity, and fast chargersCharge stages and control algorithmsEqualization charge goals and timingFloat charging and storage practicesPreventing overcharge and gassingLesson 13Periodic battery testing and diagnostics: specific gravity/hydrometer testing, conductance/impedance testing, capacity tests, voltage under loadThis lesson describes routine and advanced traction battery tests, including specific gravity, conductance, impedance, and capacity checks. It explains voltage under load and how to interpret results to spot weak cells, imbalance, or hidden defects early.
Safe sampling for specific gravity testsOpen-circuit and loaded voltage checksConductance and impedance test basicsFull capacity and discharge testingInterpreting test trends over time
