Drive Medical 19 Aluminum Transport Chair Logo
Posted on Sep 14, 2008
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Wheelchair battery Question

What are the differences between wet and gel batteries for use in my electric wheelchair?

  • la10615 May 11, 2010

    cant find 10 amp fuse for the battery charger

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  • Posted on Sep 14, 2008
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Wet batteries will require you to add distilled water about once every two months. Wet batteries can be damaged permanently if the water level falls below the level of the battery plates. Adding water is quite difficult for the wheelchair user because wet batteries are heavy and difficult to reach, so it usually requires the help of a second person.

Gel batteries don't require water, so they eliminate corrosion. The main disadvantage of gel batteries is that they usually cost more and have about 10 to 20% less capacity than wet batteries do.

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  • Posted on Jun 24, 2009
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To add to the solution, You should get sealed batteries to prevent the " water " level problem, and the sealed batteries vs the Gel batteries? Gel is more for approved for airports etc. They have been approved by HomeLand Security as not being a risk to travel by commercial means.

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  • Posted on Sep 14, 2008
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  • Posted on Jul 12, 2009
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Gel batteries are sealed batteries that have a gelled acid instead of a non-gelled acid. This is for the safety of the user, as well as a requirement for taking the chair on public transportation such as an airplane. If the chair is upset, the battery acid won't leak out which could prove disastrous to navigation and wiring systems in an airplane. By the same token, if you were to somehow flip your chair in your home and it landed atop you, the acid won't leak out onto your person.

The batteries take longer to make as the casing must be sealed air-tight, then a vacuum is applied to the casing and the gel-acid is injected so the casing is at normal pressure inside and out. That's why they cost more than non-sealed deep cycle batteries.

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You should never use wet cell batteries, repeat never! only deep cycle glass mat or gel, interstate and MK both manufacture good batteries. my opinion is MK batteries are the superior by far. get the right battery for your chair. acid from a wet battery will eventually corrode the electronics and you can get in the thousands of dollars for that kind of repair, secondly deep cycle batteries charge differently and DISCHARGE differently than wet cell, depending on your usage you'd waste money, i have been doing repairs for 15 years now and NEVER put wet cells in a chair, not to mention the minor risk of explosion, minor risk, but still a risk.

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  • Posted on Sep 14, 2010
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It's 50/50 gel is better in getting on a plain and water has more power whatever your life needs is what you should grt

1 Related Answer

wcdoc1953

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  • Posted on Dec 26, 2010

SOURCE: My Drive Cirrus Plus power wheelchair doesnt move,

The Drive Cirrus Plus power wheelchair is a folding frame chair with a VSI controller. The VSI controller (joystick) will indicate a fault code when it detects a problem with your power chair. It is manufactured by a company called Penny Giles Drive Technology. An LED flash code of 2 on the battery display indicates that the left motor is disconnected. There may be a brake fault also.

The left motor can be disconnected at the plug where the VSI harness plugs into the motor plug. The pins for the motor or VSI output may be pushed back in the connector or not making contact due to corrosion or dirt. Unplug this connector and inspect the pins and make sure they are making good contact and are clean. Spray contact cleaner on the contacts to clean or re-orient the pins to make better contact. The folding frame of the chair may have dislodged the connector. The wiring harness from the motor may be pinched or cut. The brake wires and pins may have become disconnected also. The brake lever may be in the disengaged freewheel position causing a fault, so put the brake lever in the correct position. Strictly speaking, this fault code is for the motor only, but always check the motor/ brake assembly since the wiring runs from the same plug.

A certified technician will have a hand held programmer to read the computer (VSI) fault log and determine the number of error codes for the various components.

Using a digital voltmeter you can check the motor at the plug. The two large wires on this 4 pin plug go to the motor; the two small wires go to the brake. On the resistance scale the motor should read between 0 and 1.6 ohms. The brake should read between 30 to 60 ohms.

There is a chance that the output of the VSI controller is bad. To test this swap the left and right motor output connectors from the VSI. If the error code now indicates right motor disconnected (flash code 4) you have a good VSI and bad left motor. Swap the leads back after you are done with this test.

Try blocking up the chair and see if the motor runs with no load on it or after spinning the drive wheel by hand. You can also inspect the motor brushes for burning and wear. If you pull the brushes, do this carefully and blow out the dust from the motor armature. This may allow the motor to work again for a short time.

You will probably need to hire a technician if, after checking for bad connections and the brake lever in the wrong position, you still have problems. I like to replace the brake/ motor/ gearbox as a complete assembly to avoid future problems. Labor for the diagnosis and reading the fault code log with a hand held programmer should be under 1 hour. A return visit to replace the motor brake gearbox is under 1 hour. Hope this helps.

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Related Questions:

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How many batteries does a pronto electric wheelchair use

The Pronto M51 takes two batteries. It takes what is called a U1 size battery.
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Will not charge when plugged in to electricity

1) Order a new charger. 24 volt 3-amp.
2) Replace the batteries if they are over a year old. Usually two each size U1 gel\AGM or SLA 12volt 34amp-hour.
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Does battery need water in it

Most wheelchair batteries are sealed gel type medical grade batteries and do not have any serviceable parts.
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If my battery failed on my 1120 jazzy chair can it be pushed maually to get home or not

There should be a lever on the back rear to put the device in neutral. On the other hand, gel cell batteries are generally available at auto parts stores. Why not just get two new ones and replace them if they are done for?

Just a thought.
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Typ of battery

Mine has 2 12 volt 12 ah agm batteries model ub12120 if that helps>
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Will higher amp hour batteries damage the motor on my CTM HS-2800

Absolutely not. Higher amphour batts don't put out more voltage, just more voltage longer.
The 2800 takes U-1 gel cell batts that run about 33 amphours...good for about 12-16 miles. You might be able to fit bigger batts in it, but measure first before you buy...gel batts are pricey.
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Can I recharge a 24v gel battery with the automotive battery charger?

 yes. only if the volts have fallen below 24VDC. I would`nt make a habit of it though
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Wheelchair tips

Here are some tips

  • When booking your flight: Use a travel agent who is experienced with planning trips for travelers with disabilities.
  • Make your reservation far in advance.
  • If possible, choose an airline with planes that have 30 seats or more - larger planes offer more accessibility.
  • Pick a flight with no changeovers. Call ahead to alert the reservation clerk that you will be traveling with a wheelchair.
  • Arrange for boarding assistance or an aisle chair to get to your seat. And if you can't walk, request an aisle chair during your flight for bathroom use.
  • You should arrive at the airport At least an hour in advance so you can store your fold-up wheelchair on-board. (There is usually room for one wheelchair on a first-come basis).
  • When possible, use gel batteries, as wet batteries must be removed and stored in a separate sealed container.
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