Electric
Wheelchair
Guide
A
Wheelchair!
Choosing
a new
wheelchair
Weight
and size
of user.
This is
important
since
the
range of
the
powerchair,
speed,
size and
weight
are all
affected
and
determined
by user
weight.
The more
your
weight
the
slower
it will
go and
less
distance
it will
travel.
If you
weigh
200 lbs
you will
get
much
less
than
half of
the
range.
If you
are a
skinny 6
year old
then you
may even
get a
little
more
range
then
they
specify
as long
as its
on a
flat
smooth
surface
(not
carpet,
grass
etc) and
go in
perfectly
straight
lines...
Your
Weight
directly
effects
which
powerchairs
are
suitable
for you.
The
chair
opposite
with its
plastic
small
skinny
wheels
and
small
batteries
(less
than say
40amps)
and 4mph
top
speed
and a
"small
amperage"
control
system
is a
typical
example
of a
folding
powerchair.
As such
if you
are
heavy
this
chair
will be
very
underpowered
and
short of
range.
And
suitable
only
really
in flat
areas
like a
shopping
centre
because
of its
motor/speed/battery
size/controller
as well
as its
small
wheels
and very
nose
heavy
layout.
The sad
thing is
that
this one
is
typical
in that
even
with its
small
motors
and low
speed
and
small
lighter
batteries
its
actual
overall
dimensions
are
bigger
"full
size",
full
speed,
all day
long,
indoor/outdoor
powerchair!
The only
thing it
does
better
is weigh
less and
fold up.
Everything
else is
compromised.
So if
folding
is
important
to you
understand
then
understand
the
trade
offs.
The
problem
here is
that if
you want
a small
light
powerchair
or a
folding
powerchair
for
travel
it will
have
small
batteries
by
definition
(because
the
bigger
ones are
very
big/heavy)
and a
low top
speed
because
small
batteries
demand
this. So
if you
are
heavy
its not
going to
have
much
range or
performance
at all
and you
will be
sadly
disappointed
You need
to
consider
how all
of these
various
things
effect
your
final
choice.
If you
are
heavy
for
example
a
folding
or small
shopper
type
powerchair
may not
be a
good
idea at
all in
your
case.
This
then
means a
bigger
non
folding
or heavy
wheel
chair
that
needs a
different
vehicle
to
transport
it since
it
doesn't
fold. In
addition
folding
chairs
tend to
be a bit
flexible
and
don't
feel too
good on
our
rough
pavements
either.
Life's
never
simple.
It means
you have
to make
decisions
about
which
way to
go,
especially
if you
are
heavy.
No
Occupational
Therapist
or
Physians
seems to
quite
"get
this"
kind of
thing at
all
because
its
engineering.
They
just
look at
the
"weight
limit"
in the
brochure
as if it
actually
means
something
that
they
understand
Range
Depends
on,
pattern
of use,
how much
indoors
or
outdoors,
if you
live in
a hilly
area or
a nice
flat
one, if
you
drive on
thick
carpets
and
grass,
user
weight
(hugely),
and a
bunch of
other
smaller
considerations.
There
are no
rules
here
other
than
ignore
the
salesman
and the
brochure.
Its like
this.
You want
the
biggest
batteries
you can
find in
any
powerchair
you are
looking
at.
Batteries
are
ALWAYS
the weak
point if
you
intend
to use
your
powerchair
a lot.
Battery
technology
isn't
really
good
enough
yet,
that's
why all
the
powerchairs
with
"full
all day
range"
and a
barely
usable
6mph top
speed
are so
big. The
batteries
are huge
and
heavy. A
full
size all
day
powerchair
has 55ah
to 75ah
batteries
or in
some
cases
bigger
still.
Even at
that
size
they
don't
last all
day if
you go
far, are
heavy,
or you
live in
a hilly
area or
drive on
grass...
If
battery
technology
was
good
enough
powerchairs
would
all be
smaller
lighter
so great
indoors
and all
be
capable
of 8mph
with a
fat
bloke on
board
all day
long.
But they
are not
and
that's
why.
Consider
the
battery
issue
carefully.
Assess
your
weight,
your
needs,
the
chairs
length
with you
in it,
and you
need to
measure
its
width
with it
adjusted
for your
seat
cushion
size.
And then
consider
speed
and its
detrimental
effect
on
torque
and
range
and
battery
longevity..
Earle
Thanks
to earl
for the
excellent
tips |