How To Maintain Your Power Wheelchair's Batteries

Mobility power wheelchairs are one of Active Mobility’s core products and one of the main ways that people who live with disability become independent once more. However, like all electrical equipment they require the use of batteries and they need to be maintained to ensure optimal performance.

Generally the batteries used in wheelchairs are different from those used in a car. Car batteries are designed to release a large amount of energy in a short period of time; however batteries for wheelchairs tend to release the energy over a long period of time.

But you may be asking ‘what’s the best way to take care of them then?’. Well today we’ll give you some tips on how to best maintain your batteries.

Firstly it’s best to recharge your batteries every night regardless of how much you’ve used it, even if you haven’t used it at all. Never interrupt the charging cycle; instead wait until night to proceed with a full recharge. One thing to keep in mind is that gel-batteries take longer to recharge compared acid led batteries.

Secondly if you’re not planning on using the chair anytime soon then it’s best to keep it plugged in and charging until you’re ready to use it. This won’t harm the battery as long as the charger is connected to the power otherwise it may run the battery down. On the other hand if you’re only going to be using your wheelchair to go outside and then don’t use it for more than 15 days then it’s best to disconnect the cable that connects both batteries. In this case, however, it’s still recommended to fully charge the batteries once a week so that it continues to run well.

Regularly check the battery terminals to see if they show any signs of corrosion. If there is then clean the terminals completely using a wire brush and re-grease the terminal with petroleum jelly. Otherwise call our excellent service team on 02 9649 2111 or email them at repairs@activemobility.com.au.

Other tips include avoiding deep discharge as well as ensuring that, if need to be stored, they’re kept in storage at cool temperatures; but still monitor it once a month to make sure that it’s still working correctly.

Hopefully these couple of tips will help ensure that your wheelchair is running smoothly and won’t suddenly stop when you least expect it. As always if you’re ever unsure whether your battery needs to be replaced, or simply have a general repair and maintenance question, then give us a call and we’ll be happy to assist you.