Bought SWMBO a little powered wheelchair last year, which helped enormously.
As instructed it was kept on charge when not in use.
Expect when it was put away for 4 months (grrrrrrrrrrrr!)
Batter(ies) went completely flat.
Managed to recharge, and it works, but with a range of 200m, rather than
4-5 miles.Is there anything to be done, or are they ****ed ?
They're probably dead though a really 'intelligent' charger *might* improve things a bit by doing equalisation and/or de-sulphation. To some extent what can be done depends on the battery type - is it a sealed lead-acid battery of some sort? If it's sealed then the possibilities of resuscitation are rather limited.
Any lead-acid battery left discharged dies quite quickly.
If they are the common SLA types, likely fooked. This type of battery doesn't like being fully discharged.
If you can find someone with a decent SLA battery tester - like the ACT - and they use it honestly, you can get a pretty good idea of their condition.
They can bee a real life changer.
Depending on the battery chemistry and charger, that may or may not be a good thing.
Ok ...
Hmm, assuming no parastatic load, that does seem a bit of a short period from fully charged to flat? ;-(
Assuming sealed lead acid, probably sulphated. Any signs of bulging in the battery case itself?
Before writing them off completely (and the still have scrap value, even if they are dead), I'd be tempted to pull them out and charge / test each separately, as 2 x 12V instead of 1 x 24V etc (assuming that is the geometry).
Not that it makes much difference to the final outcome, it may be that one battery has gone 'bad' and the other is still fine but because of the bad battery, the good battery isn't getting charged properly.
I get given a lot of bad / old batteries and quite like to test / play with them before (typically) scrapping them.
Sometimes you will get one good battery (from say a pair) that could be used as a solar PV store for a shed LED light or test supply or even a small jump starter battery.
It's funny, whilst I was typing this the new / replacement little
1.2Ah 12V SLA battery for Mums house alarm has finished being tested / charged and it seems to be on spec (for an un-cycled LA etc). ;-)Cheers, T i m
Cheers for all that ... I'll dig deeper.
The main reason for a power*chair* as opposed to SWMBOs mini-scooter was the ability to rotate the seat - made car transfers possible.
Now SWMBO has had her operation, that's not needed - we can go back to the mini scooter. Which means it's a PITA trying to keep the chair operational "just in case" ... buying new batteries for example, which may never be used.
With a good charger lead-acid batteries will last a *long* time if they are not used but just kept at the right 'float' voltage by the charger. It's discharge/charge cycles that actually wear a battery out.
Make sure you replace with deep discharge or cyclic batteries NOT the type designed for alarm systems/UPS/ back up applications
TAYNA seem to have a good reputation as a supplier of all types of LA batteries.
Well these will be the batteries that were supplied with the chair ...
Point taken, I've been caught that way before.
You are welcome. ;-)
Could be handy.
Ok. Dads Mini Scooter (3 wheeler) had a seat that could rotate either way 90 degrees so that sounds like it might have also done the job? (TGA Superlight (fwd model)).
Excellent (that the op has helped?). ;-)
Well, it needn't be, depending on if you are willing to either spend some money or time yourself?
Whilst lead acid batteries have less issues being held fully charged than say some Nicad or Lithium cells, they still don't particularly like being charged all the time either. So, if you can put the batteries somewhere in the dry and not too cold (understairs cupboard?) and a note in your diary to clip them onto a good quality charger (Optimate 2?) once every month or so, they should be good (and ready) for years. I am still concerned your have gone flat (to a point beyond recovery) in just 4 months. Is there any way a light could have been left on etc? [1]
Since I bought the 3 x LA batteries for use on the electric outboard at the end of the last season I've not really touched them but they are still holding a good charge (27Ah & 12.6V at 10 DegC).
You have reminded me though that mum still has a pair of fairly unused batteries in Dads old scooter that I really should bring home and charge / test for her (again, individually, rather than in series with the scooter charger).
Cheers, T i m
[1] An elderly neighbour we help and 'keep an eye on' decided she wanted to go out on her big mobility scooter after it had laid unused in a shed for at least two years (could be 5) and it still had sufficient charge in it to take me round the block and have been used a few times since for fairly long trips out with the Mrs (walking beside). Now it's quite possible one of her children put it on charge now and again but I doubt it (but I'm also unsure any LA would retain a good charge for that length of time)? ;-(
And if SWMBO is registered disabled I believe you can get the Vat off the purchase of any new batteries?
Cheers, T i m
She is, and we do - if we buy them from specific suppliers where the price is more than 20% when compared to non "disability" suppliers.
I think they're better off with a charger that drops to 'float' voltage when fully charged. I've got batteries that are still good which have been kept this way rather than disconnecting completely. If the batteries *are* damaged/worn out by being left connected to the charger then it's not a very good charger IMHO.
Some specialised battery suppliers operate the VAT exempt scheme. Ask before purchase.
Bill
Agreed. They are better on a 'Smart Charger' than one that just drops to a trickle etc.
However, reading the long term storage instructions for my MK Gel traction batteries it suggests they *aren't* best left constantly on a charger (even a smart charger) but allowed to just sit and just be charged before use (the OP's scenario).
Of course if you are using the batteries regularly / daily and or need them ready for use with no notice then leaving them on a smart charger
24/7 may well be the best solution.I think the logic is that even a smart charger will hold the battery at very high levels of charge (duh) and in that state the electrolyte will be at the highest level of acidity and therefore more corrosive to the grids / plates etc. So, by allowing the battery to sit / self discharge over time (within safe levels) can improve the life span of any battery that isn't required to be 'online'.
It could also however be a good idea to keep a 'Smart charger' connected all the time if you do intend or think you may need to use the battery at short notice, rather than say putting it on a once-per-month time switch, as that saves them from going though their startup / test phase each time (that could increase the level of charge above that when left in maintain mode (dependant on the charger etc)).
I have a 60A MK Gel Traction battery that has only been checked / re-charged once every few months when not being used and is also giving full capacity at over 10 years old. ;-)
Agreed. What I am suggesting here is that *if* the battery is going to be left in store for a pre-determined period then reducing the strength of the acid can help the internals. I also accept that there can be a gamble between the battery being over-charged (for store) or left uncharged and become damaged etc.
I built one of these:
It switches a single charger around up to 4 batteries and whilst I would / will use it on the motorbikes (that are left outside, may have small parastatic loads and are often in the cold etc), I wouldn't use it on my 3 small new Gel batteries, bought for use on the electric outboard motor (for the above reason).
Cheers, T i m
Hmm, a mate got a couple of pairs of batteries from an online general purpose battery (not disability particularly) battery supplier *and* got his Vat off (had to supply a copy of some specific paperwork or Blue Badge or some such)? He was very vary happy with both the batteries and the price. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
For what it is worth... the one used on our old power assisted wheel chair is a gel battery. Chair due for scrap (tyres, arm rests etc. perished) motor driver assembly and battery charger OK but battery has had no attention for several years:-(
>
The application is too critical mess about. Buy two new batteries. Get decent quality ones, Camden or whatever. One way of giving them the occasional maintenance charge that they need when not used for a long period is to get a decent intelligent charger and power it from a circuit that is only live occasionally (use your lateral thinking ability for this). However a good intelligent charger will only trickle charge at a few mA and to be honest I don't think that does any harm.
Are you sure the batteries were not either left in a discharged condition or were slowly discharged by some sort of power leakage whilst left?
Bill
Hmm, would there be room for that and the XP box in the boot of the Meriva (when my Mrs is looking ....) ... ;-)
Cheers, T i m
I'm afraid, if they are one of the standard ones, its knackered, but on the other hand being on charge for four months without a discharge is not a good thing either. Brian
isn't that ever the way
Ebay has some suppliers that know what they're doing - and some I'd not buy from. Some do vat exemption.
NT
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