RE: [QUAD-L] Batteries

[greg]

I hate my repair shop. But it's the only shop my insurece lets me use. They are slow, don't care, and if I call 5 times, I get 6 different answers. I now write down every time I call, get their answer and their name. Took like 6 months to get my bed. Was told many reasons why is was taking so long, paper work, insurence, etc. after 2 months they said, Oh no, we don't fix them, we just get new ones. We need a didderent prescription. Hate Them. Greg > think we are in the same boat! I just had my 4th set of batteries > put in Monday since March. All of a sudden my chair was stopping > saying "low battery". I would turn it off then on and go a few feet > and repeat. Joystick shows full battery charge. Woke up in March > and my house smelled like rotten eggs. I paid out of pocket for > what they said were gel batteries from a battery supplier because I > had to have them that day. $352 worth. In June, same thing with my > chair stopping saying low battery but joystick shows full charge (I > use my chair very little). They swapped out batteries at no charge > but said it had to be my chair. DME company came out right after > 4th of July and ordered new batteries and new charger. Got them > Sept 9, they said what I had was not true gel cell . Last week, > same thing, low battery and chair stopping even though joystick > shows full charge. We ordered new battery boxes, receptacles, > joystick and they warrantied my batteries but by the time parts get > here these batteries will be shot and I'll have to pay out of > pocket again. My chair is 8 yrs old and new chair process is on > hold until medicare covers parts. Soooooooooo frustrated the DME > company drug their feet on parts and really trying to troubleshoot > the problem. I asked in July to order anything it could possibly > be. I did call Invacare and they said DME company should have > brought programmer to see fault codes so I called them and asked > that he please bring it. Really didn't tell much other than I'm > having low batteries. > > > I > feel your pain and good luck! > > > Nicki > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Danny Hearn <ddh...@sbcglobal.net> > To: wheelchair <wheelch...@aol.com> greg <g...@eskimo.com> > quad-list <quad-list@eskimo.com> > Sent: Tue, Nov 1, 2016 07:57 PM > Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Barreries > > > I think they are some type of > sealed acid......but not gel as they come with, the medical > equipment supplier said they will not replace gel batteries after > the original ones the chairs come with go bad....i think they said > it was to costly for insurance to cover...I hate this because the > gel hold up great and are safe. Dan H** > > > On Tuesday, November 1, 2016 7:51 > PM, "wheelch...@aol.com" <wheelch...@aol.com> wrote: > > > Lead. Acid ARE DANDEROUS.  They will void any manufacture > warrant and can be dangerous to your health and well being. > > > Best Wiishes > > Sent from AOL Mobile Mail > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Danny Hearn <ddh...@sbcglobal.net> > To: greg <g...@eskimo.com> > quad-list <quad-list@eskimo.com> > Sent: Tue, Nov 1, 2016 12:36 PM > Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Barreries > > > Greg...my batteries ran dead > and they were replaced with the lead acid type and had to buy > another type charger because the old charger was made more for the > gel type batteries, The Gel batteries are much better and last > longer but when they replace them they go with the regular acid > type because of cost I think.  My chair is real old also 7 years > plus and trying to get a new one because my back-up chair is shot > and this one is beginning to develop problems also. Dan H** > > > On Tuesday, November 1, 2016 > 11:36 AM, greg <g...@eskimo.com> > wrote: > > > I got new > batteries in Aug, but already after a few miles, my chair feels > sluggish. After about 4 miles, my chair has 2 out of 5 bars left of > power. Then really gets bad even on a small ramp. Chair stops, > charge bar meter flashes and I have to turn it off and on. The last > 3 weeks or so, after a few miles, the charge meter on the joystick > flahes the Pi sign, TT one wavy cross on top. > > > The chair repair shop, nor > Invacare, can figure out the flashing Pi sign. Neither have ever > seen it before. > > > My chair is old and I'm just starting the new chair prosses. But is > there anything that an old chair can do to cause batteries to go > out fast. Or draw to much power? > > > Just called to try and get the > battering replaced. > > > Greg