How long does an electric wheelchair battery last?
Electric wheelchairs are a great option for people with disabilities. They’re easy to use and can provide assistance to people who need it. Plus they let users remain independent while they’re in a wheelchair. However, batteries are the limiting factor when it comes to how long an electric wheelchair will last. Plus, limiting how often you charge your wheelchair’s battery can extend its lifespan.
Most electric wheelchairs use sealed lead-acid batteries for power. These batteries are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. However, they’re not designed to last very long. The average lifespan of a lead-acid wheelchair battery is 3 to 5 years. After that, they stop holding a charge and need to be replaced. To avoid this, you can recharge old batteries so they can hold a charge again. This extends the life of the battery enough to be useful again. Alternatively, you could buy new batteries and swap them in before the old ones die completely.
There are other types of batteries available for electric wheelchairs if you want something longer-lasting. Lithium-ion is one of the better options here— these are more expensive but last much longer. You could get upwards of 10 years out of one of these batteries with proper care. It’s also much easier to recharge lithium-ion batteries than older models so you don’t have to worry about replacing them after a few years. Plus, you can get replacement parts for lithium-ion batteries — this makes it easy to service your wheelchair even after several years of use.
Limiting how much you use your wheelchair while its battery is charging is another good idea. Doing this limits how much wear and tear the battery goes through over time. Instead, wait until your battery has run out before plugging it in again. This ensures that you only charge when the battery needs it — preventing damage over time. The same goes for limiting how long the wheelchair runs at a time, to reduce wear on the motor and other components over time. In this way, you can extend the life of your wheelchair far beyond its initial battery life expectancy without much effort on your part.
Electric wheelchairs are great for people with disabilities— but their batteries aren’t quite as good as advertised. You should limit how often you charge them or risk damaging their batteries over time. Limiting how much you use your wheelchair will also extend the life of its internal components without much effort on your part. Taking these steps will help ensure that your electric wheelchair lasts for years without needing repairs!
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