How to extend the lifespan of an electric wheelchair battery
Electric wheelchairs are the best invention for easy and comfortable mobility that makes a person self-reliant and more accessible.
Making a decision to buy an electric wheelchair is a one-time investment that has to be made right.
Maintenance of electric wheelchairs starts with taking care of batteries as a priority. Well-maintained batteries are the only way to keep your electric wheelchair conditioned.
Now that you’ve got an electric wheelchair that made your life easy, here are a few tips that can help you extend the lifespan of an electric wheelchair battery making it long-lasting than the usual lifespan.
Do not rely on the 2nd quality battery chargers
The one major mistake we do while charging batteries is replacing the original chargers with random ones. Every electric chair is delivered with a specific charger and by using it for months and years, we somehow do not maintain the chargers the right way
Many a time during our busy schedules, we forget to carry the chargers and end up using different quality chargers other than the original one. This will affect the battery ultimately leading to low performance.
Avoid plugging in the cheap, non-compatible chargers, and in case the charger is lost, initiate buying the original charger from the manufacturer. While you are thinking to save money by buying a cheap charger, you end up harming the working and performance of your wheelchair that indeed is the biggest loss.
Follow the charging and discharging rules
It happens that many a time we do not use electric wheelchairs continuously during the day. Therefore, the battery will be left with some percentage and we do not bother charging it again until the next use. This decreases battery life. So do not allow the battery to completely deplete to 0% hence, charge before it drains out.
Also, charge the battery even when not in use. Using the battery-led electric wheelchair is the same as using any other electric device. Not using or not charging the battery from hours to days will lower the battery lifespan gradually.
After every use, make sure to charge your battery to 100%, which helps your wheelchair run longer, and protects the battery life from deteriorating. But also, do not overdo it. Avoid plugging in the batteries for more than a day continuously. It should be done as and when needed.
Keep in mind the driving rules
Yes, driving patterns too affect the battery life.
It is important to run your electric wheelchair consistently at an unchanging speed. Avoid taking your wheelchair into speed adventures by making it too fast and low at a single stretch of the ride. This imbalance of power supply results in lower battery performance.
Running your chair at curves and straight paths needs consistency. High-speed and sudden-controlled low-speed fluctuations should be avoided to sustain the charge in the battery.
Grease the charging terminals and avoid oxidization
We often fix the charger at a point for days and do not bother to unplug it. By constant plugging in there are chances of the nuts, and screws getting affected by corrosion
Do not let the charging terminals and plates corrode. Electric devices should be taken care of to avoid rust that affects the working of the battery.
For better managing, the electric wheelchair batteries, grease the terminals with petroleum jelly and keep them protected against dirt and dust by regular cleaning.
Room temperature matters!
It is recommended that charging your batteries at low temperatures should be avoided. The batteries tend to lubricate and loosen if charged at low room temperature and stimulate viscosity.
The normally used temperature for charging the batteries is between 18°C to 37°C (room temperature) because low temperatures slow down the charging capacity of the batteries.
The lighter the chair, the lesser the energy consumed!
Yes! The weight you carry while riding is also an important factor to maintain the battery life of your electric wheelchair. Burdening yourself with unnecessary loads while you’re in the wheelchair consumes a lot more energy than required. Air pressure also needs to be monitored while you’re on the move. These balanced riding practices can help with prolonged battery life as well as the life of the wheelchair.
Wrap-Up:
Mobility essentials like an electric wheelchair with lithium battery are a one-time investment but we often overlook even the simplest of things when it comes to maintenance. These are the simple steps to be added to our routine that increase the lifespan of your batteries. Prioritize connecting back to your manufacturer in case of maintenance and avoid relying on imitation chargers.
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