5 Essential Tips For the Correct Maintenance of your Electric Wheelchair

5 Essential Tips For the Correct Maintenance of your Electric Wheelchair

• Nov 03, 2021
• 0 Comments

The disabled or senior citizens (that have mobility challenges) are doing better than before. They can now heave a sigh of relief due to the technology that the electric wheelchair has brought to them. A power wheelchair is a new technology dedicated to uplifting the well-being of these people. that has affected the mobility of this category of people. Senior citizens are finding it easy to move around with power wheelchairs.  They are not as dependent on their helpers when they want to move around will be out of the way. The degree of their dependency on their caregiver has reduced markedly.

About Electric Wheelchair

power wheelchairs are bringing a broad cheer to the faces of mobility-challenged people. Disabled people having difficulty using hand-pushed wheelchairs have found a suitable companion in power wheelchairs. The electrical wheelchair will aid the movement of the user with less manual effort. The beauty of power wheelchairs comes when the disabled person gets to move around. They can get anywhere even in tight corners of both indoors and outdoors. They provide ease of movement for the disabled. Several models are designed to fit through tight door frames and halls indoors. There are different designs here, and you can pick any of the designs whose features fit your needs. There is a base that has four or more wheels in an average power wheelchair. Power wheelchairs usually have two major drive wheels. They are supported by an extra two or four smaller wheels. The smaller wheels are required for stability while the wheel is in motion. The technology in the joystick controls the movement of the wheel in the direction of your choice.

Why Do You Need To Look After Your Electric Wheelchair?

It is not rare to witness mobility-challenged people being passionate about their electric wheelchairs.  Its ability to go long distances each day without any sign of wear or tear is commendable. Care tips of the electric wheelchair make the experience far better. Many people using these wheelchairs report feeling free when they are riding them. When you inspect the components each day before putting the chair to use, you will be on top of any problem that might come up. If you are not sure, then you can contact anyone close to you that has qualified experience. You can contact the manufacturer if a big issue arises. Accidents happen when it is least expected. The majority of accidents that cause harm to people can be prevented. The records show that 5%-18% are recorded each year on wheelchairs. Mrs. Scott will never forget in a hurry the accident sustained by her niece when she tipped off of the wheelchair. The cause of the accident that worsened the health of her niece was due to improper maintenance of the wheelchair. It is important to carry out routine maintenance on the wheelchair. The majority of the models need little maintenance. The bottom line for every person that wants to get the best out of the power wheelchair is to introduce a maintenance culture that is sustained regularly. You will get the best performance from the model anytime you are riding on it. The following reasons will point out the need for routine maintenance of the wheelchair:

• The wheelchair will suck when the problem is not checked.
• A smooth ride raises self-esteem
• When you carry out maintenance tips, you will be secured on the wheel.
• The wheel should be in perfect condition if you want to be competitive.
• It will prolong the lifespan of the model.
• When you take care of your wheelchair, it will reciprocate a good gesture.

How Often You Should Perform Maintenance Work?

Overhauling is a must. You can perform weekly maintenance work on your electric wheelchair. It must happen in-between the time frame if you observe noticeable errors in the performance of the wheelchair. The need for maintenance can come at any moment. No stone must be left unturned if you want to avoid the big issues. Check the tires for proper inflation. Make sure the moving parts are well lubricated. Always keep the wheelchair neat. When you keep an eye on servicing all the parts, you will have a smooth ride on the wheelchair.

Tips For The Correct Maintenance Of Your Electric Wheelchair

It is better if you don't do any experiments on your wheelchair. Attempting to do maintenance work with poor skills will only give you disappointment.  If you do not have the flair to carry out such repairs it's best to ask for help. Contacting an expert at least once a year to carry out maintenance work on the wheelchair is a great idea. You can get reputable experts online to do the job for you. If you are sure of yourself, then you will need tools to carry out the maintenance work. The following tools will be helpful:

• Screwdrivers
• Allen wrenches are
• Wrenches for combining
• Lubricant
• Tire levers
• Tire inflator
• The tire patch kit
• a container of water
• a cloth

You will need a comfortable and stable sitting platform when you are repairing/maintenance work. The following are the five essential tips for the correct maintenance of your electric wheelchair:

Check Pneumatic Tire Pressure

When you have enough pressure in the tires, the gliding of the tires on the road will be smooth. If the pressure is low, you must carry out the following operations to correct the problem:

Use Pressure On The Tire By Pressing

When the impact of the pressure brings the tire down by over 5mm, you must inflate it with an air pump. If you want to increase the pressure in a wheelchair tire, you will need a pneumatic or bicycle pump. Don’t forget to repeat the process four times in a month.

Examine the tightness of Nuts and Bolts

Check on the tightening of the nuts and bolts. When they are not tightened, you will have a problem with the wheelchair. Check each of the bolts to identify those that are not tightened. Make sure you tighten all the nuts as well as bolts until they are firm on the tool. Make sure you use tools recommended by the manufacturer. Nuts and bolts must be tightened to the extent that they hold on to each other. You are advised not to go to the extreme. Where you are too hard on the nuts and bolts, you will cause damage. Where you notice worn-out bolts, change them. You must look at a particular grade as recommended by the manufacturer when you want to replace worn-out bolts. A situation where the nuts or bolts are nowhere to be found is fairly common. In this case, you must contact a pro to carry out the replacement of the missing parts. You must carry out this assignment every month for a year.

Brakes

The brake is an important part of the wheelchair and failure of it has led to several accidents. When your brake is not in proper order, the following strategies can be used to rectify the brake:

• Slow down the movement.
• Move your joystick and when you hear the sound, select one.
• Let off the hold on the joystick.
• Release the joystick to go backward in gear.

At this stage, stop the ignition on the wheelchair. The reaction of the wheelchair when you turn off the engine will allow you to know if the brake is functioning.

• When you notice that the brakes are not in perfect order, please contact an expert.
• Carry out the process every day.

Check for any Motor Noise

The motor is important to every power wheelchair. This is the tool that converts the electrical energy of the batteries to mechanical power. What puts the wheel into motion is the motor. Care of it is very important, like any other part of the wheelchair. Observe when the notice level of your wheelchair is abnormal. It will be difficult if you are not familiar with its sound when things are normal. Thus, Make yourself familiar with the sound of the wheelchair. So, when the noise gets abnormal, it will be easy to note that. The models that have dual motors must sound alike. When the noise from the motor gets abnormal, please call in the expert. Excessive noise might be caused by broken bearings, gears, or belts that are not in line. It might be caused by issues with the frame. One way to carry out checks is to engage the lever and try moving the wheelchair through human effort. If you cannot move it through natural effort, the going is good. When you disengage the lever and the wheels roll, all is well. The failure of the lever causes injuries and embarrasses the user. Contact the experts whenever you notice issues with the lever of your wheelchair. If problems are identified, contact a wheelchair maintenance expert. It is recommended that you perform this task every day.

Cushion

You cannot compare the frame with the cushion of the wheelchair. There is a big difference between the two. The cushion is very delicate and must be handled with care. They should have enough pressure and the valve must be in good working condition. There should be no leakage of air. If you suspect anything in that regard, immerse the cushion in water. If there is no movement of air bubbles, then the valve is in good working condition. You will need a patch kit to carry out immediate repair work. Take close watch over the gel cushion and make sure it is never too rigid and inspect it for leakages. When you apply pressure on it, it should push back. You need a strong seat that has no broken links. Your comfort in the wheelchair will be determined through the contact of your body frame with the cushion. When there are issues with the cushion, you will be at risk of developing an ulcer that is caused by pressure. You must take away the cover to take a look at the condition of the cushion. The major areas of challenge are the flaking and wear in the foam of the cushion. Take a thorough look at the nonskid surface. If you notice any visible irregularity in the Velcro of the non-skid material, you must call in the experts. The contour and shape of the cushion must be inspected. These routine inspections should be carried out every week. The red lights to look for will be based on the model of cushion that you invested in.

The Dos and Don’ts of Power Wheelchair

Dos

• If you want to go out on a rainy day, cover your power control with a waterproof cover.
• Always ensure that the power of your battery is on the high side. When your battery falls below half its full strength, plug it immediately into a source or power supply.
• Get used to the normal sound of your power wheelchair. When you notice an unusual change in sound, it is a sign that all is not well with the moving parts of the power wheel.
• Let the break be in the locked position when you want to exit the chair. Put off the ignition if you are on a power wheelchair before you exit the chair.
• Your arm and footrest should be moved to your convenience before you get out of the wheelchair.
• Get attractive light indicators for your wheelchair. It helps your movements at night. Any obstacle can be noticed from a distance.
• Make sure you are in control of the flight on the wheelchair while on the road by adjusting the settings on the wheelchair to your convenience.
• When you observe an irregular sideways movement, check the casters. The servicing of the casters should be done regularly.

Don’ts

• Never allow water or liquid to come into the motor of the wheelchair. Get waterproof protection when there is a downpour.
• You must be in command control of the wheelchair at every moment. When you want to move out of the chair, switch off the ignition.
• Connect your battery to a power source immediately if it gets below half its power strength.
• Let your wheelchair move on its own through difficult passageways.
• Do not overload the wheelchair. It causes the chair to lose balance when you want to get out of it.

The Bottom Line

When you carry out regular maintenance on your power wheelchair, it lengthens its durability.  It will give you safety assurance and you will spend less on the replacement of faulty parts. When you are out in public in your chair, safety considerations must be kept in mind. You cannot trust pedestrians to obey traffic regulations that will be in your favor. When you take up the challenge, you will enjoy a smooth ride all the time.