Top Tips To Keep Your Equipment Going This Harvest Season!
Farming is a fast-paced profession. When conditions are right, there’s only a tiny window of an opportunity to seize it. This means your equipment needs to start the first time – every time.
Whether you need to pull out the tractor, truck, or other vehicles, they must all be reliable. An often-overlooked element that farmers can forget to check is their fleet’s battery health.
Troubleshooting and solving battery problems can mean the difference between missing that tiny window of opportunity for ploughing, sowing, and harvesting a crop or any necessary job.
That’s why farmers need to prioritise vehicle battery health. But do farmers need to prioritise battery health?
Why Battery Health Matters in Farming
Getting the timing correct as a farmer can be the difference between a successful crop and one that fails. Your vehicle’s battery is the heart of all your farming equipment’s electronic systems and the spark that gets the motor turning over.
As you’d expect, farming equipment is used in conditions where they are exposed to:
- Fine dust
- Loads of dirt
- Intense weather changes
- And subjected to heavy workloads
All of these environmental factors can affect a vehicle’s battery health, which means it is vital to ensure your farming fleet’s batteries are in peak condition after a hard day of work.
We’ve compiled some tips for you to ensure that you maintain and prolong the life of your farm vehicle batteries:
Regular Battery Inspections
It might be time to schedule a time for you and your team to inspect your fleet’s batteries regularly, as this is the only guaranteed way to ensure they are all working.
When inspecting your vehicle batteries, look for:
- Signs of wear and tear (e.g. corrosion on the terminals)
- Loose connections
- And cracked casings
Your inspections will usually involve cleaning any dirt or debris that has built up around the battery compartment.
However, keeping your fleet’s batteries clean will help prevent unnecessary discharge and ensure they are correctly connected.
The best method for sticking to your schedule is to have a calendar reminder on your phone about doing a monthly check on all your farm vehicles with your farming staff.
Remember that a quick inspection can save you time when trying to meet a tight deadline.
Check Voltage Levels
The best way to check your battery’s health is to check its voltage. Knowing your fleet’s battery voltage can help you catch problems before they worsen.
It’s also a simple test to do using a multimeter to check the voltage readings. If the voltage falls below 12.6 volts, it’s a clear indication that your battery might not be holding a charge properly and could need to be replaced.
As a rule of thumb, ensure your multimeter is in your toolbox and train yourself or your staff to use it. A simple voltage check can help you prevent a massive headache in the future.
Charge Regularly and Avoid Deep Discharges
Farming life has its busy times and downtimes. During the slow season, farm vehicles may sit idle for days, weeks, and even months.
Vehicles that stand idle for an extended period will slowly discharge their batteries. A standard lead-acid battery is estimated to self-discharge at 10% or more per month.
When stored away for longer, batteries can experience a deep discharge, which is harder to recover from.
If you won’t be using a particular vehicle for a few months, remove the battery and use a smart trickle charger to keep your batteries charged and ready to go.
Proper Storage for Idle Vehicles
As we mentioned, some of your vehicles will be stored for long periods of time, so you need to store them properly.
The first step when storing away your vehicle is disconnecting the battery. Disconnecting the battery from the vehicle will prevent a slow drain from any potential parasitic draws.
When selecting where to store the battery, ensure it’s in a cool, dry place and connected to a smart trickle charger to ensure it is fully charged when needed.
Also, storing your battery away correctly will extend its life. If possible, store your fleet’s batteries in a climate-controlled environment to protect them from extreme temperatures.
Invest in High-Quality Batteries
As providers of high-quality batteries, we know from clients that investing in Willard batteries means it pays off in the long run, especially with agricultural vehicles.
Also, when purchasing a battery, consider the initial cost, its warranty, and expected lifespan. Our battery warranty registration process is straightforward.
A longer-lasting battery will save you more money over time.
Utilise Solar Chargers
As South Africans, we all know the value of investing in solar technology.
Solar chargers can be a great investment for farmers working in remote regions who need to charge their vehicles’ batteries.
Keep Your Farming Equipment Going With Willard
Making sure your farming equipment lasts throughout harvest season means paying attention to the small details and investing in quality batteries.
Regularly inspecting, maintaining, and properly storing your batteries can help you prevent headaches in the future and keep your operation running smoothly.
After all, a well-maintained battery can mean the difference between a productive day in the fields and a frustrating one spent dealing with machinery repairs.