It's possible that you've used a manual wheelchair for a number of years now, and you've always been very comfortable with your selection. Unfortunately, as you age or your disability advances, you may get to a point where your favorite wheelchair is just too much for you, and you need to change to a powerized chair.

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Even though there are some really nice electric wheelchairs on the market, they all have a hefty price tag. In addition, no new chair will ever feel quite like your comfortable old manual chair does, and you'd hate to give it up for a larger, heavier model. Those are reasons why companies have developed conversion kits that will change your old manual into the power chair you need.

The PP-105 power pack for manual wheel chairs is an easily-detachable unit that works to turn a manual wheelchair with a seat width of 16" to 20" into a motorized wheelchair. The power pack comes with a tool kit for easy installation. By moving the PP-105 controller from front to back, the chair can be changed from self-operated to caregiver operated. Another advantage of using a PP-105 to convert your manual chair into a power chair is the fact that this particular power pack will allow you to turn a full 360 degrees as opposed to the limitations of other power packs on the market.

Another inexpensive suggestion for converting your manual wheelchair into a power one is to purchase a used power chair on eBay and then have the motor fitted to your chair. There is a surplus of used wheelchairs, because most people want to go through their insurance company to get a new one. In addition, people prefer to have a chair that was designed just to fit their needs instead of the needs of someone else. Therefore, it's difficult to sell a used motorized wheelchair even though it has only been used a short time. You should be able to find a pretty decent bargain.

Changing your wheel chair from a manual to a motorized model isn't something to be taken lightly and must be done with care. Many manual chairs are too lightweight to carry the load created by the motor, and the extra weight may limit the amount of durability, ease of propulsion, and stability of the chair when it's being used in manual mode. You need to realize that a power wheelchair is going to drive differently than a manual chair does, too. Even if you are a very experienced manual chair operator, you might need a little training before you take off in your new powered chair.

As long as you are aware that you will be trading off certain features you may like about your manual wheelchair in order to add the features of a power one, a conversion may be the right route for you to take. If your doctor is recommending you change to a power chair and is willing to fill out the forms so that your insurance company will pay for your new chair, you may want to go ahead and keep the old manual chair just as it is and and become a 2-wheelchair owner.