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Your Scooter Battery Care Guide

Your Scooter Battery Care Guide
August 16, 2016

Batteries are an essential component of your mobility scooter or electric wheelchair. As with any battery-powered product, the performance and longevity of your battery is subject to a number of different factors.

Batteries are an essential component of your mobility scooter or electric wheelchair. As with any battery-powered product, the performance and longevity of your battery is subject to a number of different factors.

We’ve tried to condense the most useful of this information in this handy guide, to make sure you’re getting the most out of every charge.

 

general tips

 

Charging Your Batteries

Charging your battery correctly is one of the most important procedures to ensure long life and maximum range.

  • When you receive your scooter or wheelchair, be sure to fully charge the battery for a minimum of 12 hours before use.
  • Take care not to overcharge the batteries. Frequent overcharging changes the chemical composition and will reduce the life of the battery.
  • Only use the approved battery charger compatible with your scooter or wheelchair.
  • Vehicles in constant use should be charged daily. Frequent charging helps to prolong the life span of the batteries.
  • Keeping the batteries topped up is the best way to ensure that they are healthy. If drained to 0%, there is a chance that their maximum capacity will be affected.

General Tips

  • Store your scooter and battery in a cool dry place if possible. If exposed to damp, it can cause damage to the battery.
  • If replacing the batteries, be sure that they are from a reputable supplier. At Fenetic Wellbeing we only sell MK Power brand batteries - largely regarded as the highest quality and most environmentally responsible wheelchair and scooter batteries.
  • Always dispose of old batteries through an approved source. Get in touch with your local authority to find out how to dispose of your batteries responsibly.

Other Things to Consider

User weight

The weight of the user has a substantial effect on the performance of the battery.

The heavier the user, the harder the electric motor has to work to get going. This results in a heavier drain on the batteries of your mobility scooter.

To get the best performance out of every charge, the recommended user weight should not be exceeded.

Terrain

Similarly to the user weight, the steeper the incline, the harder the electric motor has to work, and the heavier the drain on the batteries will be.

It always pays to have an idea of the terrain you will be travelling on when preparing for a new journey, to make sure your batteries are up to the task.

Tyre Pressure

Poorly inflated tyres cause drag and force the electric motor to work harder, increasing the drain on the batteries of your mobility scooter.

Make sure all four tyres are kept at the recommended pressure to get the most out of your batteries.

If you’re unsure what tyre pressure will work best for you – get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Speed

The electric motor in your mobility scooter has to work harder when travelling at full speed than it would at a slower speed.

To achieve the distances claimed by your electric wheelchair or mobility scooter, limit how often you travel at maximum speed to conserve battery power and extend your range.

Temperature

The outside temperature can affect the working efficiency of your batteries significantly.

When temperatures drop below 10ºC, your batteries may not perform to their full potential. Please bear this in mind if you are receiving less mileage from your electric wheelchair or mobility scooter.

Try to store your batteries in a warm place when the temperature is likely to drop.

By understanding more about how the batteries in your mobility scooter works, the better you will be able to care for them and keep them working better for longer.

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