Lesson 1Heat patterns and overheating reasons during charging: internal resistance, airflow, charger settings, surrounding temperature impactsExamines how traction batteries warm up during charging, emphasising internal resistance, charger settings, ventilation, and environmental temperature. Stresses spotting unusual heating signs and establishing safe boundaries to avoid harm or heat incidents in local conditions.
Internal resistance and heat buildupEffect of charger current settingsImportance of ventilation and air pathsSurrounding temperature and seasonal changesSpotting unusual temperature increasesLesson 2Record-keeping and battery life cycle handling: serial monitoring, warranty requests, replacement scheduling, and value for battery swap vs. refurbishingDeals 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 refurbishing in Zimbabwean contexts.
Serial number and asset ID monitoringNoting faults, tests, and fixesBacking warranty and service requestsScheduling replacements and spare setsValue of swap versus refurbishingLesson 3Daily and shift-level battery check list: visual inspections, terminal state, vent covers, electrolyte level (if relevant), and physical harm signsOffers a hands-on daily and shift-level check routine for traction batteries. Includes visual inspections, terminals, vent covers, electrolyte levels, cables, and casings, aiding in spotting damage or leaks before they lead to breakdowns or injuries in local use.
Pre-shift visual walk-around stepsChecking terminals and connectorsInspecting vent covers and traysVerifying electrolyte levels safelyIdentifying leaks and case damageLesson 4Types of traction batteries in forklifts (lead-acid, AGM, gel, lithium-ion): chemistry, standard voltages, capacities, and discharge traitsIntroduces primary traction battery chemistries in forklifts, such as flooded lead-acid, AGM, gel, and lithium-ion. Compares standard voltages, capacities, discharge patterns, and common uses, noting advantages, drawbacks, and safety requirements for Zimbabwe.
Flooded lead-acid build basicsAGM and gel sealed battery traitsLithium-ion modules and management system roleVoltage, capacity, and pack setupsDischarge patterns 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 local fleets.
Watering intervals and safe waysCleaning 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 approachesCovers spotting overheating and charge faults via sensors, charger screens, and fault codes. Details quick safe responses, shutdown steps, and practical heat management and cooling methods to safeguard batteries and nearby gear in Zimbabwean sites.
Common charger and battery fault signsReading and understanding charger fault codesQuick shutdown and lockout actionsUsing fans, spacing, and cooldown timesWhen to take a battery out of useLesson 7Battery specs and ratings: C-rate, ampere-hour (Ah), charge state (SoC), discharge depth (DoD), and expected run time calculationsExplains main battery ratings on forklift labels and sheets, including C-rate, ampere-hours, charge state, and discharge depth. Demonstrates estimating expected run time and matching batteries to truck work cycles in local operations.
Reading battery labels and nameplatesC-rate and its run time effectAmpere-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, neutralising, spill containment, and local waste rulesDetails safe handling of traction batteries, including PPE, lifting, and moving. Covers acid and electrolyte spills, lithium leaks, neutralising, containment, cleanup, and following local hazardous waste and recycling rules in Zimbabwe.
Needed PPE for acid and lithium risksSafe lifting, moving, and storageAcid spill neutralising 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 setup and running of charging areas, including ventilation, signs, fire protection, and separation distances. Addresses grounding, cable paths, eyewash and shower placement, and keeping fire sources away in local facilities.
Ventilation and hydrogen dilution needsNeeded signs and access controlFire suppression and extinguisher typesSeparation from offices and trafficGrounding, cabling, and trip hazardsLesson 10Relevant standards and sources: maker battery guides, OSHA/NFPA advice for battery rooms, and battery maker safety noticesSummarises key standards and advice for traction battery rooms and charging areas. Reviews maker guides, OSHA and NFPA expectations, and safety notices, showing how to find, understand, and apply them on site in Zimbabwe.
Using maker battery guidesOSHA rules for charging operationsNFPA advice for battery roomsFinding safety notices and updatesNoting 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 drop in traction batteries. Reviews sulfation, cell imbalance, drain loads, and end-of-life signs, connecting test data to practical choices on repair, reconditioning, or swap in local settings.
Gathering run time and charge historySpotting sulfation and undercharge patternsDetecting weak or imbalanced cellsFinding drain loads on parked trucksEnd-of-life standards and swap decisionsLesson 12Battery charging systems and safe charging ways: charger types, charge methods, float vs. quick charge, equalising chargingExplains forklift battery charging systems, including standard, opportunity, and quick chargers. Reviews charge methods, equalising, float modes, and safe ways that stop overcharge, gassing, and early battery wear in Zimbabwean use.
Standard, opportunity, and quick chargersCharge stages and control methodsEqualising charge goals and timingFloat charging and storage waysPreventing 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 read results to spot weak cells, imbalance, or hidden faults early in local fleets.
Safe sampling for specific gravity testsOpen-circuit and loaded voltage checksConductance and impedance test basicsFull capacity and discharge testingReading test trends over time
