Battery operated mobility scooters are a lifeline for many people. If you want to make sure your scooter is always working and available, it’s important to take good care of the battery. This means recharging it at the right time and for the right length of time. Follow these tips from Mobility Giant to get the most out of your scooter batteries.
Get a Full Charge When You Can
Batteries are designed to have a certain number of charging cycles in them, and different types of batteries have different optimal charging levels. With mobility scooters, it’s best to try to keep them fully charged, and to recharge them whenever they’re used. Letting the battery discharge too much, or not topping it up between uses, can diminish the performance.
Most mobility scooter batteries need to be recharged for 12 hours to ensure they get a full charge. If you charge them for shorter time periods than this, it may diminish the performance of the battery.
Counterintuitively, many mobility scooter manufacturers show a green battery light far too early, leading users to believe their scooter is charged when it is not. While it’s true the scooter can be used with less than a full battery, it’s better to charge it fully between uses whenever possible.
Try to always store the scooter with a full battery. Don’t take it off charge early unless you have a good reason for doing so.
How to Store Your Scooter
If you’re putting your scooter in storage and won’t be using it for an extended period, you’ll need to follow some slightly different rules of thumb. Once every two weeks, charge the scooter for 24 hours. Again, the green light may come on earlier than this, but do not remove the scooter until the 24 hour charging period has elapsed.
Follow The Manufacturer’s Instructions to Protect Your Warranty
Battery manufacturers have advanced diagnostic tools that can detect whether or not a user has been following the required charging schedules. If it’s obvious that the manufacturer’s instructions were not followed, the manufacturer may void the warranty.
If you don’t understand the instructions or need some advice about how to take care of your mobility scooter battery, contact the manufacturer as soon as possible. This will help prevent accidental damage to the battery, and ensure your scooter performs at its best for many years to come.
If a battery is properly cared for it should retain its performance for a long time, giving you many years and many miles of effective use. In addition, if you do have issues with your battery but you’ve taken good care of it, the manufacturer will be able to help you more effectively.
