Correctly charging the wheelchair battery can make a difference in its lifespan, so how can you charge wheelchair battery?
In the first few months, when I had my wheelchair, I used to charge a wheelchair like any other electric device. But I ended up damaging its battery and had to replace it. To avoid this, the next time, I researched and consulted with wheelchair manufacturers to find the best practices for charging and maintaining batteries properly.
Here I’m sharing how to charge a power wheelchair correctly and practices to follow for battery longevity. If you want to know, then you should continue readings this article.
How to Charge Electric Wheelchair Battery?
There could be some exceptions in the charging process of a few wheelchair models. In such cases, it is better to discuss with the manufacturers or wheelchair providers about the charging process.
However, we will discuss the general process that works perfectly for any model.
- Bring your power wheelchair near the charging outlet
- Turn off the wheelchair power button
- Put the wheelchair in driving mode
- Plug one end (three-pin plug) of the charger into the port located below the joystick or controller and the other end into the power outlet.
- The red/orange light indicates charging has started
- Leave the wheelchair on the charge for the next 8 to 14 hours until it is fully charged
- The green light indicates a fully charged battery or the digital display shows “charging complete.”
- Unplug the charger from the outlet and also from the wheelchair controller
Note: There could be a difference in the charging process of some wheelchair models. So, you can ask the manufacturer or read the manual guide of the wheelchair.
How to Charge New Wheelchair Battery?
Usually, people are not aware of the process of charging a fully new wheelchair battery. A new wheelchair battery usually takes almost ten cycles to reach full capacity of 100%. If you own a new wheelchair and it stops at 90%, don’t get frustrated because it happens with a new battery.
Just use the wheelchair and deplete two-thirds of the battery. Avoid draining the full battery (0%). Again charge the battery and repeat the process. After a few cycles, the new battery starts reaching 100% capacity. Then you can follow the normal process.
Best Practices That I Follow to Increase Battery Life
Here I will discuss a few practices I have encountered over time that help me increase wheelchair battery life. Follow these tips to enhance battery life.
1. Charge Daily
Charge your wheelchair daily if you use it regularly. Instead, you keep driving the wheelchair until it gets fully low. You can charge it at night time after using it the whole day.
If you’re not a regular wheelchair user. Then you should charge it once or twice a week.
2. Avoid Drain Full Battery
As discussed above, charge the batteries daily if you use the chair every day. The reason for telling this is to avoid the drainage of the complete battery.
Most users will only charge the battery once it depletes completely and reaches 0%. Honestly, I’m telling you, it is not good practice. Even draining 80% battery before the charge is not recommended.
You should charge your wheelchair battery when its percentage falls to 40%.
3. Use Own Charger
One main reason for wheelchair battery damage is using other chargers to charge the batteries. Using a charger other than its own can harm its life because it can overcharge the battery.
Using the charger that comes with the brand-new charger is recommended. In case your charger has been damaged, lost, or stop functioning. Buy the same new charger. In case of replacement, consult with the manufacturer or wheelchair electrician and get suggestions to match another type of charger.
4. Fully Charge Battery
When you put the wheelchair on the charger, keep charging until it reaches 100% capacity. Avoid using the wheelchair before it comes to its maximum capacity. Otherwise, you can affect the battery, which ultimately reduces its longevity.
5. Don’t Overcharge
Some articles suggest charging the battery for 1 to 2 hours after reaching 100%. I disagree with this hypothesis and suggest you avoid overcharging. It badly affects the battery and reduces its life.
Instead, modern wheelchair chargers have built-in features that automatically disconnect the current flow once the battery reaches its maximum capacity.
What to Do if Wheelchair Battery Not Holding Charge?
If your wheelchair battery is not charging, there could be a few reasons. Below we discuss the main things that could be the cause of your wheelchair battery not holding.
- Carefully check the cord at different connecting ends and see if any connection is loose and hardening the smooth flow of the voltage.
- Look for any damage to the cord. There could be any affected cable area that does not allow the current to the battery.
- A very solid reason could be a battery. Your battery could be too old or damaged and not hold the charge.
- Another reason could be the charger that must properly supply the current.
- The wheelchair’s electric system has stopped working and lost its battery charging efficiency.
Solution: First, discover the problem causing the issues, like replacing the damaged cord, charger, and battery. If you cannot find the reason that caused the wheelchair battery not to hold the charge, then you can consult a professional technician to diagnose the problem.
Safety Measures to Charge the Wheelchair Battery
Here are the safety precautions you should follow to avoid any mishap.
- Keep the charging cord safe and secure
- Avoid getting it wet
- Look for any damage to the cord
- Don’t use a damaged cord
- Avoid smoke or fire near the charger
- Don’t sit and drive a wheelchair during the charge
- Avoid touching the charger with wet hands
- Charge the wheelchair in ventilated space
- Charge your power wheelchair at room temperature
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you overcharge a wheelchair battery?
Many maths claim that you should overcharge your wheelchair battery. But I disagree with them and suggest you unplug the charger when it reaches 100%.
Like any other electric device, you can’t overcharge it. The new wheelchairs have a feature that stops the overcharging of the battery.
How many hours does a wheelchair battery last?
Typically a fully charged wheelchair battery lasts for eight hours because it is the peak time of the brand-new battery.
You can expect this timing for a 1.5-year-old battery. After that particular time, the battery starts depleting fast. Usually, it needs to replace after 18 to 24 months.
How long should I charge my wheelchair battery?
Mostly the wheelchair charging time ranges between 8 to 14 hours. However, a few models take only 8 hours to charge fully, while others can take 12 to 14 hours.
You can charge your wheelchair overnight if you continually use your wheelchair during daylight.
To Summarize
This is how you can charge a wheelchair battery. Simply bring your chair near the wall socket and plug one end of the charger into the wheelchair port and another into the outlet. It will start charging the battery. I suggest you follow the best practices discussed in the article for increasing the wheelchair life and necessary safety precautions.
