Floor care equipment is an investment. The right equipment, from scrubbers and polishers to floor buffers and even industrial vacuums, can keep floors clean and keep floor coverings like new for years.
Of course, as with any piece of equipment that gets regular - or even daily - use, you want it to last as long as possible. Proper maintenance, including the right high-performance battery, can actually extend the life of equipment.
Types of Floor Care Equipment Batteries
The type of floor care equipment will determine the best choice of battery. In general, deep cycle batteries are the best choice for this type of equipment. This is because these batteries, which are available as both sealed and flooded models, offer long-term power delivery for big projects such as those common in facilities maintenance.
Flooded deep cycle batteries offer sustained power, but require periodic maintenance to ensure reliable performance. It is recommended that these types of batteries be checked at least once a week because the electrolyte levels will be depleted as a consequence of charging service. Floor care equipment will cease to function reliably if a flooded deep cycle battery is not maintained with regular watering service.
On the other hand, sealed deep cycle batteries, also known as 'maintenance free' do not require watering and still offer the same power delivery. Because the batteries are sealed, the life of the battery can be a bit shorter than their flooded counterparts.
Both of these types of high-performance batteries can help ensure that equipment works efficiently and reliably over time, adding to overall facility efficiency as well as cleanliness.
Choosing a Battery
To choose the right battery for any piece of equipment the first thing to consider is the voltage. Most floor care equipment require a combination of 6 or 12-volt battery though some larger equipment may require steel tray industrial batteries of 24 or 36 volts. After selecting the right voltage, consumers should consider how much they want to spend as an initial investment as well as the lifecycle cost of the battery. The time it takes to maintain a flooded battery, for instance, may cut into the time a floor care specialist can put into actual floor care, which can impact a facility's bottom line.
Floor Care Battery Maintenance
Maintenance-Free batteries do not require periodic watering service – but they should be regularly inspected to ensure connections are clean and secure. Floor care batteries should be inspected and cleaned at least once per week. For flooded wet cell batteries, ensure that the batteries have the right fluid levels when inspecting. It is also essential to make sure all battery cables are secure since loose cables can lead to malfunction and can damage the battery as well as the equipment.
By choosing a high performance battery that makes sense for a specific facility and a specific piece of equipment, you will be able to not only extend the life of that equipment but also to optimize staff efficiency and facility environment.
