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Mobility Scooters

Mobility Scooters

Do mobility scooters need maintenance - a DEFINITE YES

We care about our customers safety and the equipment they purchase. The Gympie home health care equipment website provides a regular source of information, expert knowledge and recommendations. All will save you money, inconvenience, and provide trouble free operation of equipment.

Some sales focused companies claim that their scooters requires no maintenance. It is our view that this is nonsense and is a self-serving claim designed to generate future sales by encouraging people to wear out their scooters faster.

Do Mobility Scooters need Maintenance

To increase its life all equipment needs care, servicing and repair to increase its lifespan and provide adequate safety for the user.

Regular simple things you can do to save inconvenience and money before you leave on your scooter:

  • Battery charging after every use
  • Tyres – check they are inflated
  • Are the brakes and all safety feature working
  • Are you in a fit state to drive

To keep your scooter running for many years you need to seek the assistance of a qualified service person. We check and service your scooter every 12 months for moderate users or every 6 months when your scooter is being used most days.

Batteries.

Arguably the most critical part of a mobility scooter is the battery.  The most important points.

All batteries should be recharged after every use or at the end of the day to maximise the life of your batteries.

The most common type of batteries in mobility scooters are;

  1. Sealed lead acid type
  2. Newer Lithium batteries

1. Sealed lead acid type, AGM (Aluminium Glass Matting) or Gel either type will give good service if regularly charged AND ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED to be used where a steady heavy drawing of current is required on a regular frequent basis.

It is recommended that for people who frequently use their scooter or go on long journeys that the Gel type battery be used. A good quality AGM battery is very close to the performance of a Gel and is less expensive.

A third type of battery exists which appears to be the same as AGM, but is not designed for high use in a scooter and will last less than a year.

With either type given that correct re-charging is done the user can expect about 3 years use from their batteries. This is dependent on many factors including terrain, tyre pressures, weight of user and driving style. During your yearly service request the batteries be load tested.  A load test showing less than 60% capacity suggests the user start saving for new batteries.

Note – modern chargers switch off and on automatically and once the battery has reached its nominated voltage.

2 Lithium batteries are becoming more common

Used in small scooters where they can be installed for a reasonable cost, it is essential that the battery pack and charger meet Australian Safety Standards. I strongly recommend that lithium battery chargers be turned off once the charging is complete and the battery removed from the charger. Never leave a lithium battery on charge overnight.

Tyres.

mobility scootersThere are basically two types of tyre,  Pneumatic or Flat free.

1. Pneumatic tyres are much like a car tyre and require regular pumping up with air.

The benefits are a better, more comfortable ride and the ability to adjust the pressure

  • High pressure of 50 PSI will bounce the user around a bit but give the scooter maximum speed and range.
  • A common pressure of 35 PSI gives a softer ride, reasonable range.
  • Minimum pressure of 30 PSI gives a soft ride but minimizes the range.

Also with pneumatic tyres it is wise to change the tyre when the tread is less than 2mm otherwise punctures will become more frequent as the inner casing is a softer compound than the tread compound.

We recommend a once a month check of tyre pressure.  Alternately most tyre shops have nitrogen re-fills usually for around $5 per tyre,  This reduces the need for pressure checks to twice a year but once you start with Nitrogen, you need to stay with it.

2. Flat free tyres are either tyres filled with a rubber like compound or a one piece moulded tyre.

Either type require no maintenance and do not puncture, however their big drawback is a very firm ride and the transfer of vibration up the steering column, if you have a weak back these are not suitable for you.

Note all mobility scooter tyres tend to perish with age regardless of usage and may be require replacement after two years.

Your Regular Maintenance of Body and Seat.

Regular cleaning of mobility scooters is strongly recommended, for apart from the appearance the regular cleaning allows for detection of damage or unusual wear and tear.

It is important to only wipe down the scooter with a damp soft cloth with a dash of dishwashing detergent, NEVER USE A HOSE OR A BUCKET OF WATER. Never allow the underside to get wet, as this is where the electronic equipment is located and water will destroy electronic components.

A twice a year application of something like Armoural to the body and seat as a preservative from sunlight is suggested.

Servicing or Repairs by a Qualified Service Personmobility scooters

To keep your scooter running for many years you need to seek the assistance of a qualified service person to check and service your scooter every 12 months for moderate use or every 6 months when your scooter is being used most days.

Gympie Home Health Care Equipment do provide a repair and preventative maintenance program that increases the life and reliability of your equipment. It also saves you call out fees.

We use the manufacturers maintenance guide for any servicing which includes the dismantling of the scooter, inspection of parts, cleaning of electrical connections, lubrication of bearing and transmission, tyre pressures and battery tests followed by a thorough test drive.

In Summary Do mobility scooters need maintenance?

I do hope the above information is useful to you. Happy Scootering to you all!

Do mobility scooters need maintenance. The answer is – For your personal safety and extending the scooters life it is a definite YES.

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