New Batteries for Mobility Scooter

[securespark]

Hello.

I know that Electrics UK is strictly for household electrics, but I posted it here as I thought the people most able to help me would frequent EU.

I have a TGA Breeze S4. As standard, it has 2 x 12V 45Ah batteries fitted. Mine has an upgrade to 75Ah, giving a range of 30 miles. Apparently if you buy the extended range option, you get an upgraded charger (output 24V 8A).

My batteries are slowly failing, so I am wondering if I can (space and charger willing) fit a larger battery still.

I have done some browsing ont tinterwebby and it appears that gel batteries are superior. As for brands, it seems Haze and MK (not Multy Kontact!) are popular.

Has anyone bought replacement batteries for a mobility scooter?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Considered Li-Ion replacements? You can get 12V ones in physical forms which match lead acid/gel/agm ones.

 

[securespark]

Not considered anything yet. Have you got a link, please?

 

[blup]

Batterystore.co.uk.

They supply VAT exempt batteries I believe.

Found them to be much cheaper than elsewhere.

Blup

 

[ban-all-sheds]

https://www.bing.com/search?q=12v+lithium+ion+battery

 

[ericmark]

The charging of Li-ion is very diffrent to lead acid, with Li-ion there are two methods regually used, the delta V which looks for the drop in voltage one fully charged, and temperature batteries get hot once fully charged.

Lead acid use either a fixed voltage for slow charge, or stage charging for faster options, my mobility scooter uses stage charging.

So changing battery type would also mean new charger, and of course the battery meter would be useless.

If registered disabled you can buy batteries vat free, but if you are not registered then you have to pay vat, as to if worth buying vat free not sure, Able World and other disability outlets tend to charge more to start with.

I was told mothers scooter should do around 35 miles, however since I had to accompy her the max in real terms was 5 miles, that was my walking limit, now around 12 years old it will not drop into final stage of charging so seems batteries are needing replacing, however mother and father-in-law have both passed away so no longer required.

There has to be a balance between weight of battery and how long it will last, also how fast they can be charged, at 4 mph 35 miles is just under 9 hours, even the road going at 8 mph looking at 4.5 hours travalling time, so the recharge time becomes critical.

Because a VRLA battery can't be topped up, it can't be charged as fast as normal lead acid batteries, so to extend the range you need to be able to charge battery off the scooter, the one I have will not allow that, so pointless looking for larger battery.

 

[securespark]

Thanks, folks. Have looked at Li-on: wow are they dear! For my machine, £1600 for a pair!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Performance often comes at a price.

What about a petrol one?

 

[Notch7]

It didnt look awfully stable at 107mph!

 

[ericmark]

I seem to remember there are 3 speed limits, at 4 MPH you can drive on the walkways, at 8 MPH you can if you wish drive on the vehicle road, there is often a switch that you can flick, walkway/vehicle road, at 16 MPH vehicle road only, but that does include cycle ways, these are normally classed as electric bikes and trikes not mobility scooters.

So if able to do 100 MPH it is simply not a mobility scooter, even at 16 MPH not sure it would class as mobility scooter? It does seem they must be electric, the class moped seems to have gone, I know my dad had a Honda 50 cc bike which would fold up and go in boot of car, and he had to take a motor cycle test for it as not capable of being propelled by pedals, was was classed as a motor bike not a moped.