Wheelchair Battery Chargers
The lifeline of your powered wheelchair is its battery. Making sure you have the right battery charger will extend the life of your battery and increase its performance. Wheelchair batteries are referred to as "deep cycle" batteries because they are designed to drain completely, take a charge, and are ready to run again. A typical battery can be recharged up to 300 times before losing capacity to hold power.
There are currently 3 types of wheelchair batteries available on the market. The first is a wet battery; which uses the chemical reaction between lead and sulphuric acid to create the electric charge. This battery type is filled with distilled water so it can be prone to leakage. Wet batteries are often cheaper, but they may require occasional maintenance.
The second type of wheelchair battery is a gel battery; which contains a mixture of sulphuric acid, fumed silica, pure water, and phosphoric acid (this forms the gel). Gel batteries contain no liquid, but they can be a little pricey and their heavier than wet batteries.
Finally, there is the AGM battery. This type of wheelchair battery has an absorbent glass mat in between the plates and it's soaked with acid electrolyte. AGM batteries are shock resistant and they have a long life, but they're also the most costly of the 3 since they are recent advanced developments.
To accommodate the 3 battery types, you can purchase 3 different battery chargers. It's very important to line up the right charger with the right battery. Some chargers offer dual modes allowing you to charge either a gel battery or a wet battery.
You should consult with your battery manual or your local dealer to find out which charger is best for you. Keep in mind that buying a new chair may require a different battery than what your old chair required. If you are reluctant to buy a new charger, inform your wheelchair manufacturer what type of charger you already have and ideally you can buy a new chair that will work with your old charger.
It's also important to keep in mind that you shouldn't run batteries until they're dead. Do, however, remember to charge your battery as soon as possible after each use because you should never let a dead battery go longer than a day before recharging it.
