For most of us, preparing to go on holiday can be a stressful experience.
Between sorting accommodation, packing clothes and finding travel documents; there are plenty of potential headaches to contend with. But testing the batteries on your mobility scooter needn’t be one of them.
Ensuring they’re in top condition before the trip should be an essential check on your pre-holiday to-do list. It’s a quick and simple process and one that could prevent a tricky situation while you’re away.
Testing Mobility Scooter Batteries – Your Quick Guide
Your scooter’s battery indicator can be a helpful tool for checking more than just its current charge level. Typically, these take the form of a set of LEDs or a needle indicator, and will vary in location depending on your scooter’s model.
With the batteries fully charged, press or push the levers that make the scooter run. If the indicators decrease immediately, this could mean your batteries are weak and in need of replacement.
Another method for checking is to drive your scooter up a gradient equal to around 75% of its capability. Take a look at the indicator’s level as you begin to move up the slope. If it drops from full to around the halfway mark (or lower), this is another indication that the batteries may need replacing.
If everything’s in working order, then great! Your batteries are ready for the trip. The next essential check on your list should be the battery charger.
Testing your battery charger
Firstly, you’ll need to know your scooter’s maximum drive distance, which can be found its manual.
Plug your charger in overnight, and the following day, take your scooter for a ride. Drive until the scooter’s drained and make a note of your travelled distance. Now charge the batteries again overnight and repeat. So long as you reach approximately the same distance each day, then you know the charger is working effectively. If you find that you’ve not been able to go as far from one day to the next, the charger may be faulty and in need of replacement.
If you suspect a fault but aren’t certain, we’d recommend getting in touch with your nearest mobility retailer, where they can offer professional testing.
If there are no issues with either your batteries or charger, you should be good to go. Bringing spares is always a sensible idea (especially for longer trips.) And remember that if you’re flying abroad, you’ll need to notify your airline of the equipment you’re travelling with ahead of time.
If you need any extra help with testing mobility scooter batteries, or are in need of new ones, you can get in touch with the experts here at Ivanhoe.
With over 15 years of direct experience with battery power, our knowledgeable team is happy to assist in choosing a reliable, long-lasting product.
You can call us directly on 0845 555 5511, or get in touch via the contact page.