East Penn’s Recommended Guide
to Lithium Battery Maintenance
M O T I V E P O W E R B U L L E T I N
OVERVIEW:
Over the course of the Ready Power's life, a minimum of regularly
scheduled maintenance is imperative to achieve peak perform-
ance, reliability, life, lowest lifecycle costs, and to optimize the
value to the customer. This document has been prepared to illus-
trate when and what regularly scheduled maintenance is needed,
what data should be measured, recorded, and analyzed.
PURPOSE:
By monitoring the battery for proper recharging, proper
discharging, and maintaining the battery, should any values be
out of specification, corrective actions can be implemented to
minimize any negative impact on overall battery life. This will
improve customer satisfaction, productivity, and value.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
Day 1 - Battery receipt and preparation
• Remove the protective wrap or bag from the battery along
with any banding material; place in recycling container(s).
• Visually inspect cables, connectors, tray for damage,
exposed conductors
• Inspect the Battery Discharge Indicator (BDI) or User
Interface Module (UIM) for any damage to the device or
wiring harness.
• Verify the battery weight meets or exceeds truck minimum
counterweight requirements
• Using approved lifting devices, lift the battery assembly
from the pallet, and install in the truck.
• Connect the wiring harness from the Ready Power to the
BDI or UIM (as equipped to the truck) and verify proper
operation
– The BDI or the UIM has a cable that needs to be routed in
the truck; installation of these devices are separate from
the purchase price of the battery. This routing might be
provided by the local forklift truck dealer.
– If the truck is equipped with the capability of the Battery
Management System (BMS) to communicate with the
truck's BDI, connect the wiring harness according to the
instructions in the Ready Power Installation and Operating
Manual. The truck must be compatible with the correct
software "Rev" to properly operate; this might be provided
by the local forklift dealer.
• Connect the diagnostics harness to the Ready Power com-
munication from the technician's computer and verify the
current software revision is installed and operating properly.
Day 1 - Battery receipt and preparation (cont’d)
• Review the charger's setting and validate it is to the customer
specifications with the current software package.
• Connect the battery to the charger, measuring the DC amps
output, verify it is to specification, and fully charge the battery.
FOLLOWING A PROPER
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
East Penn understands that today's battery and charger fleets are
significant corporate assets. With such an investment, ensuring
reliability is paramount. Proper initial inspection and regular
preventative maintenance will provide benefits in many areas:
• Achieving peak battery capacity
• Experiencing longer life which results in lower cost-per-cycle
and AH
• Providing the overall lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Maximizing day-to-day capacity, increasing reliability, and
value to the customer
KEY INTERVALS FOR PRACTICING
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Once the battery is in service, it is very important to practice
a routine and scheduled maintenance program at several key
intervals:
Daily Maintenance
• Visually inspect the Ready Power cables, connectors, wiring
harness, and tray for damage, exposed conductors, and
cleanliness of the battery and address as needed. Visually
inspect the truck connector and battery compartment;
cleaning or repairing as necessary.
• Verify the charger output is at specified amperage.
• Monitor chargers for fault conditions at the end of charge.
Weekly Maintenance
• Visually inspect the Ready Power cables, connectors, wiring
harness, and tray for damage, exposed conductors, and
cleanliness of the battery and address as needed. Visually
inspect the truck connector and battery compartment;
cleaning or repairing as necessary.
• Verify the charger output is at specified amperage.
• Monitor chargers for fault conditions at the end of charge.
• Verify the battery has received a full charge.