Archive for the ‘Scooter Accessories’ Category

Stressing the Importance of Mobility Scooter Parts

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

When a car breaks down, the driver can normally walk to a service station. However, when a mobility scooter malfunctions, the rider cannot walk anywhere. That is why every scooter owner needs to have access to a ready available supply of mobility scooter parts.

Today, a scooter owner can go online and order a needed part. Posted information indicates that battery packs and chargers represent the most frequently requested parts. Still, a typical scooter relies on several moving and stationary parts, any one of which could need to be repaired or replaced.

Online stores must adhere to certain regulations, when they ship a battery pack. A supplier within the United States cannot ship a battery to a country beyond the U.S. borders. Yet that is one of the few scooter parts that has been linked to such restrictions.

A motor can be shipped to a needy scooter owner. The motor provides the scooter with the needed power. The gearbox contains a computer program. That program “tells” the scooter what operations it is expected to perform. That program allows the scooter to go backward as well as forward.

Sometimes the owner of a mobility scooter wants to have a joystick extension. Such extensions come in different shapes. There are those that look like a U bar; those that resemble a brake tip; and those that are described as a “ball type knob.”

Sometimes a deflated scooter rider needs a new set of tires. There are three kinds of scooter tires on the market–pneumatic tires, flat free tires and solid tires. The tires fit on a wheel axle and wheel bearing. On occasion, those specific wheel parts need to be replaced.

At times, the upholstery on a scooter wears out, and needs to be replaced. There are online suppliers that can furnish a scooter with new upholstery. The scooter owner gets to select the desired color from more than 20 different hues. While not as important as the motor or wheels, good-looking upholstery can boost the spirits of a scooter rider.

Changes in upholstery underscore the pleasures associated with many new parts. However, some parts, like the belts and drive never “see the light of day.” Because no one sees such items, it can be difficult to estimate the wear and tear on such a piece. The absence of a decent estimate makes it hard to schedule the best time for replacing one of those two items.

Choosing Mobility Scooter Batteries

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

The explosion in popularity of mobility scooters for elderly or infirm customers has created a side along business of battery replacement and chargers. Companies that previously manufactured car or motorcycle batteries have rushed to put new designs on the market in the hopes of attracting customers looking for better options for their scooters. Many of these companies have particular deals for purchases in bulk, saving considerable amounts of money on batteries than normally cost upwards of fifty dollars. It is difficult to find mobility scooter batteries in stores, so direct ordering from online catalogs is the best means of finding the best deals.

When looking through scooter batteries, there are several things to consider before purchase. The battery discharge is an important function, as all batteries have a certain life span and capability during peak cycles. A gel cell battery — meaning one that is more expensive, but does not degrade quickly — is the best option for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Gel cells have excellent cycle life spans, outlasting a wet cell (the cheaper equivalent) considerably. An AGM battery, another higher quality option, works nearly as well as a gel cell if the rate of discharge does not drop below fifty percent efficiency.

Range and use of a battery are determined by size. The amp hours of a battery will be the effective gauge for how far a scooter can travel before needing to be repowered; a thirty amp hour battery will go no further than ten miles, while a one hundred amp hour battery doubles that range. Size and weight of the wheelchair will similarly affect total distance, but battery power is the main component of extending the travel cycles. Physical size is also important as some wheelchair casings are not meant for certain battery models whether small or large; make sure that the battery is compatible with whichever model purchased — the company will often have a list of which batteries will fit.

Lifespan of mobility batteries depends mostly upon how heavy the model (and user) will be and thus what physical strain the battery will be under. Just like car batteries are not transferable to different engines, so too are scooter batteries often manufactured for single design use; at the same time, however, third party battery manufacturers have many options on the market for one size fits most scooters. Check online sites for product availability; if you believe a certain battery fits your needs best simply check to make sure it is compatible with the particular brand of mobility scooter.