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Obviously we all talking about different batteries here. I'm using MK sealed gel batteries that are maintenance free. In the 22nfD design these are not incredibly powerful batteries. A wet cell 27D marine battery is going to provide vastly more output for a much longer time, possibly 20 miles. I no longer have aides that can service my batteries so I get the MK's. If you got easy service battery style chair and it accepts the big batteries, you can get some that have 120 amp hours and more. These can't be put on airplanes. The water level must be checked regularly, but its like having a 50 gallon fuel tank.
Another nasty thing the chair makers usually do is provide with a silly little charger, typically 8 amps. Even my 22nfD gel cells should be using a 15 amp charger. This helps to limit the batteries and result in a quicker death since it never fully charges the batteries While batteries are rechargeable, there's a limit to how many times they can be recharged. If you recharge batteries every day without running them down they can live about as long as the ones you run down but they won't go far before needing to be recharged. It's like the little hand vacuum. When you first get one it can clean for about 45 minutes but after about a year of doing little quick jobs it only lasts about 5 minutes before it runs down.
Big wet cell marine batteries are virtual power plants compared to the gell cel no maintenance batteries you must have in a chair that gets on airplanes. You guys, run those big things down before recharging them. They actually create electricity and it adds to their lifespan. Don't be surprised if it takes a couple weeks to get them down to 20% power. Do not run them dead and then leave them. I have seen them come back to life after being left in a boat for 8 months but I don't recommend it. The other great thing about them is that they only cost half or less than the gel cel maintenance free batteries cost, and if you leave them alone that long your out the $150 to $344 these things cost.
I only know of MK making gell cel wheelchair batteries. Some places try to say you must buy the gell cels, but you can go to any auto parts house and get a marine battery that will fit. As long as you don't mind checking them once a year or so for corrosion and water level, and you don't go on airplanes, they are what you really want, especially if it's coming out of your pocket.
If you can do it without getting stuck in the middle of a mall someplace, run your batteries down to 20%. Even though you probably have a little 8 amp charger,, never use a automotive charger on a gell cel battery. If you are lucky enough to have a chair with L-16 batteries (golf cart), you may never need new batteries unless you kill them.
john
In a message dated 10/29/06 16:21:39 Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
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- Re: [QUAD-L] Took myself on an outing yesterday DeLiMiTeD4
