Winter’s Here. If You’re Cold, So Is Your Battery
Expert insight from W.D. Matthews Technician Waldo
Forklift battery care in winter is critical for New England operations, where freezing temperatures can quietly shorten battery life and disrupt daily workflows. When winter hits New England, your forklifts feel it just as much as your fingers do. While cold weather causes diesel engines to grumble and hydraulics to stiffen, electric forklifts face their own winter battle… keeping their batteries warm, charged, and healthy.
We hung out with Waldo, our resident electric-tech wizard, to get the real story on forklift battery care in winter and what New England businesses should be doing right now.
Why Charging Helps Keep Batteries Warm
Lead-acid forklift batteries naturally warm up during charging thanks to a chemical reaction inside each cell.
“It’s not like boiling a pot of water,” Waldo said, “but the reaction does heat things up enough to help prevent freezing.”
In short:
Cold weather + regular charging = a much happier forklift battery.
And if your forklift sits for long stretches between shifts?
Plug it in anyway. Winter is not the time to let a battery rest.
Equalize Charging: Your Winter MVP
Equalizing (EQ) is the slow, deep charge that balances every cell.
“It keeps the battery healthy, and yeah…it keeps it warmer, too,” Waldo explained.
An EQ cycle takes 8–16 hours, making it perfect for weekend charging or overnight shifts.
If you want maximum battery life in a New England winter?
Don’t skip the EQ button.
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Can a Forklift Battery Freeze?
Short answer: Yes…
Lead-acid batteries have a sulfuric acid mix that lowers freezing temperatures. Problems happen mainly when:
- A battery is over-watered (too diluted)
- A battery is left outside and uncharged
- A discharged battery sits in subzero temps
“A fully charged battery is much harder to freeze,” Waldo said. “Leave it dead in a snowbank? That’s when you get swelling or cracks.”
Don’t Forget Watering…Even in Winter
Charging water evaporates year-round.
If you skip watering:
- Sulfates bake onto the plates
- Capacity drops fast
- Battery life shrinks
Stick to your schedule. Winter doesn’t give you a free pass.
Quick Winter forklift Battery Checklist
✔ Charge regularly…even if the forklift isn’t running
✔ Run an equalize charge weekly
✔ Keep forklifts inside whenever possible
✔ Maintain your watering schedule
✔ Don’t over-discharge
✔ Keep battery compartments open during charging (venting = safety)
New England Winters Are Tough… Good Thing W.D. Matthews Is Tougher
Whether your forklift fleet lives in Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts, winter battery care doesn’t have to be a headache. From watering services to charger setups to on-site battery checks, W.D. Matthews has your back every battery, every brand, every cold morning.
If it charges, powers, lifts, or freezes, our techs know how to handle it.
❄️ Need winter battery help? Questions? A mysterious blinking charger light?
Forklift Repair – Heavy Equipment Repair & Service | WD Matthews
We’ll keep your forklifts warm, your batteries healthy, and your fleet ready for another New England winter.
Need service: Schedule Service – NH, ME, MA – WD Matthews
Learn More about some of the batteries we carry: NexSys®
