Did you know that your power wheelchairs cannot work without batteries? Well as a power wheelchair user, if you want to achieve uninterrupted mobility then you need to buy a long-lasting, safe and easy to use and maintain wheelchair batteries. This is because a wheelchair battery usually serves as a power source for your wheelchair.

Since you want to use the battery for long without any problems you need to choose the best one for your needs. Although choosing the best batteries for wheelchairs may be a bit complicated at first if you understand what you are looking for then you should not have any problem choosing the best one. If you are shopping for the best batteries for wheelchair then click here to read our detailed review about the best one.

Why you need a battery as a power wheelchair user

As a power wheelchair user, you need to know that your wheelchair cannot run without a battery. This is perhaps the main reason why you need a battery for your wheelchair. Without the best batteries for wheelchairs, your wheelchair is just as good as manual wheelchairs. For more details check out www.nationalwheelchair services.o.uk.

Facts that you need to know if you are using an electric wheelchair

• Full charge. If you are using a power wheelchair it’s very important to fully charge your battery for wheelchair scooter at night. This is because if you only charge them partially there power is likely to diminish fast.

• You need to charge the batteries for wheelchairs even when you are not using it. Even if you are not using your power wheelchair you still need to charge them as often as possible and ensure that you store them in a cool dry place.

• You need to extend the electric wheelchair battery life. As a wheelchair user, you also need to know how to extend the life of your wheelchair battery. Once the charging is complete you need to remove the wheelchair battery from the charger.

• Clean the battery. If you want to keep your lithium battery wheelchair and battery connectors in good conditions then you need to understand that cleaning then is very important

• Proper installation. If you want to prevent any eventual malfunctions in your wheelchair then you need to install it properly.

Different components of power wheelchair

In order to fully know how your power wheelchair batteries work you need to know the three major components that make it. These components are the current rating, capacity, and cell type.

Capacity

This is the part of a motorized wheelchair battery that will interest you most. The capacity of the wheelchair battery is what will tell you how long your wheelchair battery will last. Always expressed in Ampere-hours, it’s very important to know the capacity of the battery before choosing one. For instance, if your wheelchair uses 10 Amperes and the capacity of your battery is 30 Amperes then it means that your wheelchair has the capacity to run continuously for 3 hours without stop. However, if you want your wheelchair to run for more than this you need to avoid using it continuously.

Current rating

This refers to the rate of electron flow of the mobile wheelchair battery and it’s also expressed in Amperes. Higher Amperes normally affects the working of your electric chair while it runs over uneven terrains. This is according to National Wheelchair Services.

Cell type

The two major types of batteries are a gel and wet cells. Both types are normally comfortable with electric wheelchairs. Although gel cells are more recommended due to their environmental protection, and easier maintenance, wet cells are equally good.

Types of wheelchair batteries

Wheelchairs, mobility, and scooter batteries have the capacity to be used from a few times a month to many hours during the day. If you depend on your wheelchair for daily use then you need to choose the best a good quality battery that can take you for long. Since there are different types of wheelchairs batteries you need to know what you are looking for before choosing one. Here are the main types

General-purpose wheelchair battery

This perhaps the cheapest solution for your electric wheelchair battery needs. Although this type of battery is considered to be a deep circle battery, it does come with an AH requirement. Many of the GP batteries that you’ll come across will not have cycling capability that you require in a wheelchair. If you only use your wheelchair a few times per for short distances then a GP battery will work just fine. However, if you regularly discharge your wheelchair battery up to 50% of discharge then your general-purpose battery may not last long.

Gel battery for a wheelchair

Gel batteries are usually some of the best choices for your wheelchair needs. As compared to other batteries these batteries are designed in such a way that they are supposed to be maintenance-free. This is because they do not have any chance of chemicals spilling. This is why they are the types of batteries that are even allowed inside the airplanes. Unlike wet cell batteries, these ones are a bit more expensive.

Pros

• These powerchair batteries have a good life cycle

• They typically do much better than other batteries especially for discharges that are 50% and below.

Cons

• As compared to other batteries their capacities are typically less

• They are a bit more expensive than the other batteries

• They are a bit harder to find.

Wet cells wheelchair batteries

Although these wheelchair batteries for sale for wheelchairs have some issues, they often have a bigger capacity. This means that they are capable of supplying more electrical power when used well. The good thing with them is that they are also less expensive than the other batteries. Because of this, they are the battery of choice for most wheelchair users. They also come in vented or sealed types. To maintain vented wheelchair batteries you have to add some water occasionally. However, for someone who is disabled adding water to wet battery cells can sometimes be a little bit dangerous. This is because they will always be exposed to acid. On the contrary, since sealed wet cells are fully enclosed there is no need to add water. However, since both batteries can contain some chemicals they are seriously prohibited from use in the airplanes.

High cycling AGM batteries

This refers to a deep cycle battery that comes with a longer life cycle than a GP AGM battery. These batteries usually come with thicker plates with more active material on the plates to add or assist in DoD and life cycle. Here are some of their advantages and disadvantages
Pros

• They have a good life cycle.

• AH, capacities.

• As compared to the Gel batteries they typically cost less.

• They are readily available in the market.

Disadvantages

• Their life cycle is not as good as that of Gel batteries.

How to take care of electric wheelchair batteries

If you want your batteries for wheelchairs to serve you better then you must know how to take good care of them. Here are a few tips that will help you take good care of them

Make sure you charge them fully before use

Have you ever experienced the struggle when you want to use your electric wheelchair and the battery is completely dead? Even if you’ve never gone through that there are some steps that are important to take to ensure that your wheelchair batteries work well. One of these is to be very careful with new batteries. Before you use your batteries for wheelchairs always ensure that they are fully charged. If your batteries are not fully charged then reaching the maximum range will definitely be impossible. This means that you’ll not enjoy a long ride.

Make sure you drain your wheelchair batteries by only 30 percent in first 10 days

Although this might be a bit strange it’s one of the best ways to save the life of your wheelchair battery. By draining them by only 30 percent you’ll allow them to achieve full charge status.

Instead of day time make sure you charge your batteries at night

Even if you’ve not used your electric wheelchair ensure that you charge the batteries at night. By charging them at night, when they are 50% or 100% you’ll significantly extend their lifespan.

Always ensure that you use your own charger

Since using a different charger can end up destroying your wheelchair batteries always make sure you only use your own charger? It’s obvious that sometimes you might be in a tricky situation when your wheelchair battery is low and you don’t have the right charger for the battery. However, by using the wrong charger you might end up producing more severe consequences to your wheelchair. In case you are in a convenient situation you need to try and contact the manufacturer who will ask.

Temperature

When you want your wheelchair batteries to last long then you need to charge the battery at the right temperature. If you charge your wheelchair batteries at a very low temperature then you might end up destroying them.

Tips on how to extend the lifespan of your wheelchair batteries

Since there is nothing like a calculator no one knows the lifeline of batteries. However, the lifespan of a battery is always dependant on many factors. Which may vary from one person to another? If you tend to go to many places in one day then your battery always needs more power. More so if you normally transverse rocky and narrow terrains then you’ll require more power hence you must have strong batteries. In case you don’t have to go along rocky terrain then you should choose flat ones as this will extend the lifespan of your battery

You also need to bear in mind that your weight ill affects the endurance of your battery. The lighter you are the less power the battery of the battery that you’ll need to use. On the same not you also need to avoid carrying heavy items on your wheelchair also as this can only add more weight. As you already know the way you charge your wheelchair battery will really have a real effect on your wheelchair.

More so, if you leave your wheelchair battery to charge overnight then you can always expect the wheelchair to have a full lifespan. However, it would be great to wait a bit and allow your battery to go to zero and then charge it fully again. Otherwise, if you charge it partially you also need to settle one driving pattern and ensure that you stick to it.

FAQs about batteries for wheelchairs

How long does it really take to fully charge an electric wheelchair battery?

It generally takes around 8 hours on one full night to charge batteries for wheelchairs. If you just recently got your wheelchair batteries then you need to charge them for at least 10 hours in the beginning. You can even get specially designed wheelchairs that prevent overcharging. This means even if you leave them to charge for a bit longer there are no problems that will take occur.

How long do the batteries take when they are fully charged?

Well, this generally depends on the quality of the battery. However, you can still expect most batteries to have a range about at least several hours if you want your batteries for wheelchairs to last longer than it would be great. It would also be a lot wiser to purchase lead-acid batteries as this type of batteries is perhaps the most durable in the market.

What’s the right time to replace your batteries for wheelchairs?

Typically your batteries for wheelchairs have battery lights. These are usually located on the controller of the wheelchair. On the same note if you realize that your wheelchair batteries are losing their power quickly then you should replace the batteries. However, if you realize that this option is a bit expensive then you need to buy a portable wheelchair