Batteries are in important component of power wheelchairs as it basically powers it and without these to start the motors, users will have a torrid time. Henceforth,it is recommended that we regularly check the status of the batteries and ensure working conditions and, if necessary, replacement. One should have a good knowledge of how the battery works so as to choose the suitable battery to replace old or empty power wheelchair batteries. Power wheelchair batteries are developed using deep cycle lead acid batteries and they discharge the full capacity of the battery, that means continuously discharging the battery when in use. Due to this deep cycle, users have to recharge the battery everyday after use.
Deep cycle batteries for power wheelchairs are usually characterized using 3 points: Cell t ype, current and capacity.The capacity of lead acid batteries will be between 25 to 95 ampere hours meaning the power wheelchair can be used continuously for 3 to 8 hours. The value of the current rating will determine the ability of the wheelchair to travel on uneven surfaces. This is simply determined by the physics formula of Power = Voltage multiply Current. The higher the current the greater the power of the vehicle.
Lastly, the cell can be wet cell or gel cell. The former has a higher capacity than the latter because it has more power and cost less. Because of the conditions of the wet cells, they are usually sold in sealed or vented containers to prevent contamination from being in contact with the air.We should add water to the wet cell batteries as it might lose its liquid through vaporization. However, environmentalists will not like users of wet cell batteries because it pollute nature. The acid within the batteries also pose a danger to users trying to do maintenance. An important note about wet cell batteries: They cannot be brought onboard the plane because of its corrosive nature.
An alternative to power wheelchair wet cell batteries is gel cell batteries. They are an improvement over the old and anti-environment wet cell batteries. The key selling point of gel cell power wheelchair batteries is that they are maintenance free. They can also be brought onboard the plane, hence, gel based batteries are the preferred choice for travelling users of power wheelchairs. Its con point is they have 10% lesser capacity than the traditional wet cells. Nowadays, gel based cells are sold in travel friendly pack and it is advisable to bring some spare packs when power wheelchair users travel.

With the discussion about wheelchair batteries, how about the charger? Most users will tend to forget this small but integral component in enabling a power wheelchair. First we have to check the suitability in terms of voltage and current match. You will not want your wheelchair to light up in fire. Wrong charger for power wheelchair batteries can even cause unseen damage to the batteries. Please check that the power wheelchair batteries are near empty before charging as the typical lifespan of battery is 250 charge before losing its storage ability.