Electric Wheelchair Batteries

The two major types of electric wheelchair batteries are considered to be "deep cycle", meaning they are designed to be nearly completely depleted with each discharge cycle, using nearly all of the battery's available capacity (unlike the battery for, say, an automobile which is a "starter" battery, meant only to provide large bursts of energy over a short period of time).

The first type of wheelchair battery is a wet-cell lead-acid battery. Wet-cell batteries usually have a larger capacity, meaning they can travel a longer distance on a single charge, can provide more power for moving over obstacles and rough terrain, and usually are the least expensive choice.

Many wet-cell batteries require you to add distilled water every few months: this can prove to be difficult as the batteries are quite heavy and can be hard to reach. In addition, the user has the potential to become exposed to chemical burns, through acidic spills if the battery boils over or the battery case becomes damaged. Wet-cell batteries are not allowed on airlines.

The second type of wheelchair battery is a gel-cell lead-acid battery. This type of battery never needs water, so it is maintenance free. As a result, there is no potential for chemical spills, and is the only kind of lead-acid battery approved for airline travel. The main disadvantage of gel-cell batteries is that they typically have 10-20% less capacity than wet batteries. If you are a wheelchair user that tends to travel long distances in your chair, this can be an important consideration in your battery choice.

How long a wheelchair battery lasts will greatly depend on how the chair is used. Most electric wheelchair batteries can last about a year, and for a user who mostly travels indoors, the battery may last up to 2 years. A good rule of thumb to determine if the wheelchair battery is becoming weak, is if you notice the wheelchair slowing down at the end of trips that were not a problem when the battery was new. If so, it is time to look into replacing the battery.

Another factor in how long your battery lasts is having the right kind of battery charger. Correctly charging your wheelchair battery using the recommended type of battery charger will extend the life of the battery and increase it's performance.

So how do you ultimately decide the right type of electric wheelchair batteries for you? Most manufacturers seem to recommend gel-cell batteries due to environmental and maintenance concerns. However, if you require more power and range for your wheelchair than a gel-cell typically provides, you might consider having both types, using the wet-cell for daily use, and the gel-cell for travel, or light indoor use. For most wheelchair users who do not have extreme needs for power or range, the gel-cell lead-acid battery will probably be just fine for regular everyday use.