What is the Best Charger for my Mobility Scooter Battery? Do you have an ongoing issue with your Mobility Scooter Batteries? Do they keep failing prematurely?
In this blog, the experts at Valen will highlight a few things that will help make sure you are using the correct charger for the correct batteries.
ONE OF THE biggest reasons batteries fail prematurely
One of the biggest reasons batteries fail prematurely is incorrect charging; this could be a result of:
- Using the incorrect charger and not using a smart charger can lead to incorrect charging voltages, either bulk (boost) or float charge outside perimeters of the battery manufacturers spec.
- Using a faulty charger. Fan not working (fan-cooled charger), AC ripple etc
- The user is not charging the batteries for long enough and removing the batteries from charge when the light goes green on the charger. Removing the charger too early is a typical issue with users in the mobility market. When the light goes green, it means the batteries are now float charging and time-wise only 50% of the way through their charging cycle. Its recommended as a minimum to leave the charger connected for the same time after the green light has come on as it takes for the charger to get the green light,
- The user is not fully charging the batteries. It is recommended to leave the charger connected whenever the scooter is not in use. The smart chargers will fully charge the battery and then maintain the batteries at an optimum level, so they’re ready for when you need them.
Types ofMobility Scooter Battery Chargers
Manufacturer supplied
These days, the chargers that come standard with a mobility scooter have improved; however, we have seen in some cases where the provided charger has failed.
Some manufacturers have saved money by not designing the charger to be robust, reliable or suited to the batteries that are used in the chairs/ scooters. Unfortunately, these battery chargers can be very basic and do not correctly go into a float charge that will help maintain the health of the batteries, causing issues with the batteries. In some cases, basic chargers will have AC ripple, which will cause premature failure of the batteries.
Fan Cooled Chargers
Fan Cooled Chargers were the most common chargers used until a few years ago. However, the Fan Cooled Chargers have open parts like the fan and air intake.
These openings in the chargers can allow dust and insects to get into the electronics, causing faults and shorts with the charger and even causing electronic problems on the scooter controls.
These issues can result in the charger life not lasting as long as required as the charger can short out.
The biggest risk with fan-cooled chargers is that electronics within the charger can stop working while the rest of the charger looks like it’s operating from the outside; while inside, it’s incorrectly charging your batteries.
It is always recommended to have your charger tested with every scooter/chair service. A good charger test will run the charger through its charging algorithm and ensure its switching between the charging phases at the correct time.
Convection Cooled Chargers
At Valen, we have seen a considerable increase in the reliability and life span of the Convection Cooled Chargers and the overall performance of the batteries.
The Convection Cooled Charger boasts superior quality and reliability to correctly charge and maintain mobility batteries. The Valen team has developed the Valen Convection Cooled Chargers specifically for the mobility sector.
The Valen Convection Cooled Chargers have Thermal Protection against overheating, reverse polarity, output shorting and spark protection, resulting in longer life and a maintenance-free design.
Valen Convection Cooled Chargers are also equipped with five staged lighting, which gives the end-user clear visibility on the batteries state of charge, as opposed to the guesswork needed for the single red/green light models.
The power input range (110-240VAC ) of the Valen Convection Cooled Chargers will also cover you on all your overseas travels and ensure your charger works where ever you are when travelling.
What size charger should you use?
Another common question customers ask is: What is the correct size charger to use for my Mobility Scooter batteries? A simple guide to follow is:
Battery sizes: 20Ah, 33Ah, 40Ah & 50Ah
Charger: 24V 04Amp Charger – Valen BC30003
Battery sizes: 50Ah, 55Ah, 60Ah & 70Ah
Charger: 24V 06Amp Charger – Valen BC30004
Battery sizes: 70Ah, 90Ah, & 100Ah
Charger: 24V 08Amp Charger – Valen BC30006
If you have any questions about batteries or their chargers, please feel free to reach out to the team to discuss your requirements today.
