The 7 Essential Rules for operating Mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs
If you are new to mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs – or a family member or close friend is just about to acquire one – here is our quick 7 essential rules for legally and safely heading out and about.
Rule #1 – You may need to register your scooter
Whilst you don’t need a driving licence to drive a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair, you may well have to register it. Broadly there are two categories:
- class 2 invalid carriages – which cannot be used on the road (unless there is no pavement). These have a maximum speed of 4mph.
class 3 invalid carriages – can be used on the road, and have a maximum speed of 4mph off the road, and 8mph when driven on the road. You must be 14 or over to drive a class 3 invalid carriage.
You don’t need to register a class 2 invalid carriage.
You do need to register class 3 invalid carriages.
Rule #2 – Make sure your class 3 invalid carriage has the following:
- maximum weight (unloaded) of 150kg
- maximum speed of 8mph and a device to limit its speed to 4mph
- maximum width of 0.85 metres
- working and efficient brakes
- front and rear lights and reflectors
- hazard warning lights function
- horn loud enough to be heard clearly
- rear view mirror
- an amber flashing light if it’s used on a dual carriageway
Please make sure you have all of these as the police could stop you if your class 3 scooter or powered wheelchair doesn’t have these features.
Rule #3 – What to do/not do when driving on a road
First, remember that you can only drive on the in a class 3 invalid carriage and that the maximum speed is 8mph. Follow the Highway Code at all times.
You can’t drive on bus lanes, cycle lanes or motorways.
Don’t use dual carriageways with a speed limit of over 50mph. If you go on a dual carriageway use an amber flashing light for visibility.
Rule #4 – Freedom to drive on footpaths and parking
All mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs can legally travel at a maximum of 4mph on footpaths or in pedestrian areas.
Please keep off cycle paths marked ‘cycle only’.
Rule #5 – Considerate Parking
Consider your scooter or powered wheelchair as you would a car. All normal parking restrictions apply.
Your vehicle shouldn’t be left on a footpath or pedestrian area on its own if it gets in the way of other pedestrians, including wheelchair users and people with prams or pushchairs.
Rule #6 – Who can use a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair
- anyone who has trouble walking because of an injury, physical disability, or medical condition
- if you are demonstrating the vehicle to a potential buyer
- if you are conducting training for a disabled user
- if you are taking the scooter or wheelchair to or from maintenance or repair
Rule #7 – No vehicle tax but remember registration and insurance
You’ll be glad to hear that there is no vehicle tax for any mobility scooter or powered wheelchair. Do see rule #1 about needing to register class 3 invalid carriages.
To register a class 3 invalid carriage, complete form V55/4 for new vehicles, or V55/5 for used vehicles. Download either of these forms from the DVLA’s online ordering service. Follow the instructions and return the form by post (currently the only option).
Insurance: Whilst you don’t actually need insurance for a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair, it is strongly recommended in case of any accident.
Maintenance
In addition to all this great guidance, do please keep you Mobility Scooter well maintained. If you are looking for new batteries, chargers or tyres for your mobility scooter, take a look at our catalogues page. Click the image below to take you there.
12v 34ah mobility battery – the UK’s most popular?
As we near the end of the year, we will now start to see all the lists of “top things in 2016”. So, we are going to strike first and declare the 12v 34ah mobility battery THE most popular battery for the mobility vehicle market.
Whilst we won’t pretend to have done a statistically representative poll of the whole market, we have seen the 12v 34ah battery consistently be our best seller through our large network of mobility distributors. So why is this?
First of all due to Scooter Manufacturers
The first simple reason for this high demand is that the 12v 34ah is one of the most popular industry standard batteries that mobility scooter manufacturers put on their vehicles. They specify such a deep cycle rechargeable battery to match the typical pattern of use that a mobility scooter gets.
Secondly - The balance of power output and length of operation
If you think of the contrast between a car battery and a mobility scooter battery, the car battery is used predominantly for a short burst of high energy to start the car. This kind of battery is never propelling the car!
A mobility scooter, however, has a different requirement and the battery is typically going to be for a more constant use e.g. driving the scooter from a house to local shops or for a visit to friends and family. The battery is, of course, propelling the vehicle, which takes a certain amount of energy to achieve.
For the average user weight and travelling distance required, the 12volt battery rated at 34 amp hours (AH) would suffice in the majority of applications
Performance vs Budget
Finally, we believe the popularity of this 12v 34ah battery is due to the match between performance and cost. There are always more powerful batteries but costs start to rise. Cheaper batteries either don’t hold the charge or don’t deliver enough operating time to make them a good choice. So the 12v 34ah does seem to be in a good price/performance place for the average scooter.
Why use Strident’s 12v 34ah mobility battery
Take a look on our batteries page to see an outline of the key features of our batteries that make them work so well with mobility scooters, our range of high performing medical batteries extends to other medical devices like patient hoists. There are a few things in our design that optimise battery performance and life.
Specific details of our best seller can be clicking the image below:
12v 7ah Battery Product Review – for Mobility Applications
If you are looking for a 12v 7ah rated AGM Battery for use with a Mobility Scooter or Medical Hoist, then here is a review of the Strident Batteries AGM GP12-7. This is one of the best selling batteries in the Strident range and recognised by mobility and disability equipment installers and maintenance companies for some industry leading features.
But all 12 volt batteries are the same…aren’t they?
What is the purpose of a review if every battery is the same? Well, if you consider that these standard valve regulated lead acid rechargeable batteries were first launched in the 1970’s, you won’t be surprised that there design and performance has evolved somewhat since then.
What does a 12 volt rechargeable battery need to offer in a mobility or medical setting?
There are 3 main factors that feature in the requirements for mobility and medical batteries:
1. The ability to sustain high demands of constant use
2. Being able to perform a high number of operational cycles
3. Trust from dependent users that it will perform when and where it is needed
How does Strident’s 12v 7ah battery meet those requirements?
- Valve Regulated. The performance of the valve equipment is to key to the effectiveness and longevity of a battery – particularly when it comes to charging. Strident use the highest specification for optimal venting.
- Quality Control. A stringent testing procedure at both point of manufacture and point of despatch is essential. The second check is as crucial as the first and so Strident test each battery going out of its automated central warehouse.
- Plate Separator. All high performing batteries need to have a plate separator system for increased efficiency and longevity. Strident use a superior quality glass matting separator in all AGM batteries and high performing polymer in Gel battery range.
- Plate Composition. To give maximum performance during both cyclic and standby applications, Strident use a purified lead blended with critical conductive properties.
Strident Service on top of the technology
If the technical review of our 12v 7ah battery is not enough information, then we can also share this review of the whole Strident experience from a recent customer.
I chose this mobility battery for 3 reasons. Reasonably priced, fast delivery (also here when they were meant to be), and finally – VERY good quality! No problems with recharging them and they are fully charged in about 3 hours.
Thanks so very much.
AS June 2016
Please visit our Product page for details and enquiries or in order to arrange a callback.
What Makes a Quality Valve Regulated Lead Acid Battery?
When looking to purchase a power supply for vital (or even life-critical) equipment, quality and reliability are essential characteristics to look out for. But with so many choices on the market, it can be difficult to differentiate between a quality product and a potentially inferior one.
So how exactly do you identify a quality valve regulated lead acid battery?
While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to every type of power requirement, there are specific features to look out for which provide an excellent idea of where to start.
Valve Regulation
Valve regulated batteries allow the required level of venting, both in-use and more importantly during the charging process. This means excess gases can safely escape the battery, preventing swelling and damage to the product. Valve regulation is key to both Lead Acid and Gel technology, however, due the nature of the technology, venting is most critical with Lead Acid.
Plate Separators
A critical component of high performing batteries – plate separators ensure consistent spacing between plates, resulting in increased battery efficiency and longevity. Lead acid technology requires high-quality absorbent glass matting otherwise known as AGM. The quality of this matting is important to ensure correct porosity, which influences the contact of active electrolyte to the plates. Purity is another important factor in the separator to ensure no contaminants are introduced causing impedance to the battery efficiency.
In the case of Gel technology, the separator needs to be a high performing polymer which acts to retain the gelled electrolyte between plates. A poor quality polymer separator can result in crystallisation of the electrolyte leading to underperforming battery and premature failure.
Plate Composition
Purified lead, specifically blended with critical conductive properties are essential to quality performance in both cyclic and standby applications.
Quality Assurance
To ensure the highest performing products, there are a number of internationally respected standards that you should look for on any brand. The minimum level would be ISO9001 which monitors consistent quality. ISO14001 ensure the manufacturing facility operates to highest level of environmental standards.
All Strident batteries undergo stringent quality control both at the manufacture stage and pre-dispatch. This ensures our customers only draw the most reliable source of power. Be sure to ask your supplier about their quality assurance process for complete peace of mind.
For over 15 years Strident has invested large amounts of time and money in research, development and innovation in battery power, to ensure our products are suited to the high demands of the medical sector, demands that will sustain deep discharge and cyclic applications.
Our team have gained a vast knowledge of the requirements in the medical market and are always happy to assist with any queries you may have
You can contact us by phone on +44 (0)1362 300102, email us at sales@strident.uk.com, or reach us via our contact page, and we can arrange an inspiring presentation at a location and time that’s convenient to you.
For more information on our products, including batteries, charging accessories, and tyres, you can download one of our brochures, here.
From Ivanhoe to Strident
Last month, the team here at Strident enjoyed a highly successful exhibition at ‘Trade Days’ in Birmingham’s NEC.
In fact, the show was our first public event since rebranding from Ivanhoe to Strident earlier in the year; and presented a great opportunity to introduce customers to a new, professional trading experience.
When Ivanhoe was established in Doncaster back in 2002, we chose the name because of the area’s historic reputation for distinctive leadership in battle. It was a name that embodied power and strategy at every move.
With such a prestigious name on which to build, Ivanhoe successfully grew and expanded, but it was six years later (in 2008) when we introduced the Strident brand to the market. Our premier line of products deserved a title worthy of their innovation and quality, so Strident was chosen to represent the product’s powerful nature and reliability in the very toughest of environments.
True to its name, the Strident brand gained tremendous respect in marketplace, allowing the company to relocate to new, larger offices in Doncaster. Its unprecedented success resulted in the name’s international recognition, and subsequently, it made sense to rebrand Ivanhoe. In doing this, we could build on the success of our Strident products even further. So in July of this year, that’s exactly what we did.
This exciting move forward is the result of 15 years of continual improvement, and today, we continue our commitment to providing excellent products with unrivalled customer service.
In reintroducing ourselves to the market as Strident at Trade Days, we consider our public rebranding complete, and will continue supplying innovative, ground-breaking products to the medical sector.2016 has been a year to remember for us at Strident so far, and we want to make it a year for you to remember too. The team here are true experts in the field, and are always happy to help with any enquiries you might have.
2016 has been a year to remember for us at Strident so far, and we want to make it a year for you to remember too. The team here are true experts in the field, and are always happy to help with any enquiries you might have.
You can contact us by phone on +44 (0)1362 300102, email us at sales@strident.uk.com, or reach us via our contact page, and we can arrange an inspiring presentation at a location and time that’s convenient to you.
For more information on our products, including batteries, charging accessories, and tyres, you can download one of our brochures, here.
Another Successful Year At Trade Days
2016 is the third year in which Strident has exhibited at the UK’s premiere medical trade exhibition, ‘Trade Days’ at Birmingham’s NEC. The team were eager to display the power behind the brand and offer an inspirational service to those visiting our stand.
Building on previous success, Strident was proud to hold a high profile at this year’s event giving a quality brand presence throughout the show enabling us to welcome a substantial number of quality leads who were inspired by the professionalism promoted across the event.
Through a deep commitment to continual development and constant innovation, Strident has been able to combine knowledge, experience and expertise to bring cutting edge solutions in power to a critical market.
Overall, we felt the event was a true success, as it enabled us to display our genuine values and connect with our essential distributor network. Over the two days, we were also able to build on our relationships with key influencers in the medical world, as well as connect with leading groups of independent retailers.
Our recent rebrand from Ivanhoe to Strident enabled us to strengthen our innovative culture and reinforce the trusted and proven long-established brand. As a result, our visitors recognised us as not simply a product supplier, but a supplier of expert trade solutions and quality service.
We would like to thank everyone who attended our stand this year, as it was a true pleasure to meet so many valued clients. For any who were unable to attend Trade Days 2016, we’re sorry that you missed out on the incredible atmosphere, but we look forward to welcoming you to our stand in 2017.
You don’t need to wait to 2017 to join us on our exciting journey, the Strident team is always ready to talk. Please feel free to contact us on 44 (0)1362 300 102, email us at sales@strident.uk.com, or reach us via our contact page, and we can arrange a presentation at a time and place that’s convenient to you.
Alternatively, for more information on our products (including batteries, charging accessories and tyres) you can download one of our brochures, here.
Strident at Trade Days 2016
Later this month on the 25th and 26th of September, the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham proudly plays host to ‘Trade Days 2016.’
This dedicated trade-only event is free to attend, and is the ultimate UK exhibition for anyone involved in the manufacture, supply and retail of homecare, independent living and assistive technology products.
If you’re interested in attending, there are still tickets available. You can secure your place at the show through the link here.
As with previous years, our team will be available for you to reach out to and discuss your exact requirements, answer any questions you may have, and further enhance every connection we have within the medical market.
Trade Days 2016 is a fantastic opportunity to present to you the innovations we’ve been working on in recent months. Innovation together with constant research and development enables us to bring to you a range that’s designed and manufactured with the discerning buyer in mind.
Through constantly challenging the status quo, Strident energises the marketplace and inspires those around us by providing a cutting edge experience
We’ll be available to chat on both days of the show, so please do come and visit us at stand TH135.
2016 is a year to remember for Strident and we want to make it a year for you to remember too – if you are unable to join us in the excitement at Trade Days this year, please contact us on +44 (0)1362 300102, email us at sales@strident.uk.com or reach us via our contact page, and we will arrange an inspiring presentation for you at a location and time that is convenient to you.
For more information on our products, including batteries, charging accessories, and tyres, you can download one of our brochures, here.
Mobility and Medical - the Best Battery Types
At Strident, we specialise in batteries for a range of applications in the medical market.
From mobility scooters to power chairs and life-critical support, it’s essential that we supply the right type of battery to meet our customer’s specific needs. So what’s the best type of battery to use with these devices, and why?
Most devices like these rely on either AGM (absorbent glass mat) or GEL batteries. The chief benefit of these battery types is that they’re sealed, and therefore unlike some older types of lead acid batteries, are maintenance free and won’t spill or leak when installed under normal operating conditions.
As well as being very low maintenance, these battery types are also ideal for repeat cycling and daily use. Which in the context of mobility devices, is an absolute must. Furthermore, their limiting design results in a much longer cycle life than conventional lead acid equivalents.
Between the two, AGM batteries tend to be cheaper than their equivalent power GEL types. However, GEL batteries boast a greater expected lifespan. As a general rule though, you should always use the battery technology that’s recommended by the manufacturer for your mobility device. Some manufacturers even offer upgrade packages to enable differing technologies to be used.
If you’re unsure as to what the best battery types are for your product or application, get in touch with the knowledgeable team here at Strident.
With over 15 years of direct experience with battery power, our expert staff are happy to help you make an informed decision.
You can get in touch with us directly on 01326 300 102, or message us via the contact page. For more information on our products, including charging accessories, you can download one of our brochures, here.
Which? Publish Their Latest Best Buy Guide to Mobility Scooters
If you are currently exploring the purchase of a new mobility scooter or looking at a replacement or upgrade, take a look at Which?’s latest best buy guide.
Like many of their excellent reports, they point out that it is not always the most expensive mobility scooter that gets the top ratings from experts and consumers.
Experts and Users involved
For this new review, Which? has had an independent expert panel of ergonomists, occupational therapists and disabled scooter users test a series of mobility scooters. The panel has tried to include everything you would be likely to do with the scooter in real life use whether that is moving around obstacles or getting up slopes. In particular, they have been looking at:
- Ride quality
- How easy a scooter is to fold or dismantle
This reflects the frequent challenge to get the balance right between these 2 essential elements of scooter use – weight and comfort. In the tests, they have including the process and effort involved in getting scooters in and out of cars.
Considerations when comparing Mobility Scooters
They have also rated some of the other key considerations that relate to the purchase and use of Scooters.
- Preparing to ride. Which? has looked at how you can adjust parts of the scooter (e.g. seat, armrests etc.) to make the scooter as comfortable and supportive as possible.
- Setting off. How easy is it to start the scooter and pull away safely and with the least amount of fuss
- Indoor riding. How manoeuvrable are the scooters indoors
- Outdoor riding. Can the scooters cope with slopes, rough surfaces and kerbs
- How easy it is to pull the scooter along when not in use
Strident offers support for all brands of Mobility Scooters
Whichever mobility scooter you end up with, the battery, the charging process and tyre maintenance will be key elements of long-term ownership. Strident are leaders in Mobility Scooter batteries, chargers and tyres.
Strident’s battery technology combines performance with dependability and we can answer any questions you have regarding the replacement or upgrading of a battery on your mobility scooter.
We also carry an extensive range of battery chargers and specialist mobility scooter tyres in our ‘Traction’ catalogue.
GEL Batteries – Continuing to Innovate
It’s sometimes strange to think that products as everyday as batteries could still be being innovated and improved upon. But ever since their conception in the 1800’s, battery technologies have evolved tremendously, and are continuing to do so.
Here at Strident, we’re always working on our battery technology in order to deliver the finest service and greatest reliability to our customers.
One of our most popular types of product is our line of GEL batteries, as these are used in a variety of applications - from mobility scooters to life critical support units.
So how are Strident GEL batteries innovating, and making themselves attractive alternatives to conventional sealed lead-acid technology?
- The Strident range of GEL batteries is designed to resist deep discharges and recovery after heavy usage, even when they’re not recharged immediately
- They provide excellent performance over long discharges
- They boast outstanding tolerance to higher temperature applications (-25 - +55C)
- Their limiting design protects the positive plates to greatly improve their cycle life
- They can be discharged even when full recharge has not been achieved, without loss of battery capacity
- They use thicker plates for reduced grid corrosion and increased cycle life
- They also boast an extended shelf life, and are designed to last for over ten years
Our GEL batteries are even tried and tested in rugged environments, in order gauge their performance in extreme circumstances.
Here at Strident, these are just one of the product types we’re continuing to improve every day.
If you think GEL batteries might be the perfect choice for your application, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team here at Strident. With over 15 years of direct experience with battery power, our knowledgeable staff are happy to help you make an informed decision.
You can get in touch with us directly on 0845 555 5511, or message us via the contact page. For more information on our products, including our selection of innovative battery types, you can download one of our brochures here.