Increase the Life of your Wheelchair Batteries and Chargers

Electric wheelchairs are your indispensable partners to increase your mobility. Whatever brand of equipment you have, all of them are quite expensive. Because of their cost, it is important to take good care of them. Since the life of your electric wheelchair depends on its batteries and chargers, it is crucial to perform routine check and regular maintenance on them. Otherwise, if you ignore them, you will lose the essence of your motorized equipment. Here are some things you can do to ensure the longer life of these parts.

Stop Charging

Since most batteries and chargers get damaged due to inappropriate charging, be sure to know when to charge and when to stop the charging. Usually, the batteries and chargers of wheelchairs have light indicators to signal you when to stop charging. When the batteries are full, you need to stop the process immediately. Otherwise, the excess power will cause the generation of heat, which shortens the life of the battery. Before you exceed the upper voltage limit and reach the critical cell temperature, unplug the chargers to avoid overcharging.

Start Charging

To maximize the life of batteries and chargers, it is often advisable to drain them fully before you commence another charging cycle. Depending on the type of equipment you have, the time requirement will vary. Fast devices can charge your equipment in as fast as one hour. The only disadvantage of fast chargers is the higher risk for overcharging. The slower types require as much as 12- 14 hours before you can use the wheelchair to its maximum again.

Never Interchange your Equipments

It is never a good practice to interchange the batteries and chargers of one device to another. If you do this, the risk of electrical shock and damage is higher. In case you cause damage to your unit due to this practice, manufacturers do not cover the repair under their warranty. To avoid problems related to this, use only the parts specific to the brand you are using.

Perform Routine Checks

Even if your batteries and chargers are in good condition, it is better to check them for any possible malfunction. Do the routine examination at least once a month. If you see any problem at its onset, you have better chances of saving your wheelchair from further damage. By using a voltage meter, you can check the power generation and input of these two important parts.