Has just sent me a new set of batteries to test in a Powerchair.  They are a Canadian company that is launching their range of Powerchair and Scooter batteries in the UK at the Naidex show later this year.  

They have a few major advantages for those of us using standard sized 56ah or 57ah batteries such as those supplied as stock equipment in the popular Sunrise Medical Quickie F55s and many other chairs.  (They actually do have a few different sizes and capacities as seen here)

You see the big problem with these modern powerchairs is that the batteries are a large compromise!  You can have great range, or good speed and performance. You cant have both. The current lead acid battery technology does not allow it.  If you try to do both then you will need new batteries after less than a year.

I have been trying to find a BIGGER CAPACITY battery that will fit into the standard battery compartment of these powerchairs for 7 years or so!  Power Batteries have the solution! 

Their WCGU24 battery here has the exact same size footprint, and is only 40mm taller including the terminals. It just fits in the battery box of the F55 Powerchair!. It is 76ah !!! That means a third or 33 percent more capacity than a stock 56ah battery.  And I have no prices yet, but most likely cheaper too.  This is the battery that Sunrise Medical should be fitting as stock to the F55...

It is however heavier, at 27.6 kg per battery compared to 21.8 kg for the OEM fitted Sonnenchien A500 dryfit 56ah ones.  That's a 12 kg increase in total weight. --  I doubt that this will cause any issues but it has to be said!  There's a lot of lead in these batteries! 
 

I have used a lot of different batteries personally, because I am a bit extreme in what I put them through!  My own powerchairs are "tuned" and abused. I never normally see more than 9 to 11 months from a new set of batteries. This is because my own chairs have bigger motors, taller gearing, bigger amp controllers etc. And I use them a lot!  Here are some of the best ones below...
 

• Standard Sonnechien 57ah batteries - good for non modified chairs. I get 10 months out of these and when new good performance.  These are GEL and pretty pricey. Towards the end of their useful life they develop a higher internal resistance, meaning voltage drop under load becomes a big problem. No wheelies!  Good for average use by average users.
   

• Optima (I sell these) cost a fortune. http://www.optimabattery.co.uk they are only 55ah and AGM rather than Gel and physically quite small and light compared to the others. If you want weight saving, and an exceptional cycle life (the only batteries I ever got over a year from) then these are for you. IF you can afford them!  But they still only have the same range as a stock battery. They have really low internal resistance, and really can start a truck! More current delivery than we will ever need!
  
   

• EV Electric vehicles. I liked these! No problems, same life as a500 dryfit ones and cheap! 65ah so slightly bigger electrically than stock. No loss of power (high internal resistance) noticed as they get older.  See them at www.hazebattery.com
  
  I prefer these to the expensive original equipment batteries!  They are bigger of course, but also a little deeper! Can be a fight to get the battery box back in!  But it can be done!
  
  For more details read the label! Click to enlarge!
  
  
  
   

• Power Batteries. These are the best option for the F55s Powerchair. Because... They are BIGGER electrically. A bigger fuel tank!  The largest ones that can be fitted to a F55 Powerchair in fact.  For this reason alone they are the best batteries here (or anywhere else!) for the job!
  
  They still fit in the space designed for the original batteries.  They have other unseen advantages too. Because they are bigger (33%) they can allow a 33 percent greater range if needed.  But just as importantly, they WILL offer a bigger number of cycles too!
  
   Because the average depth of discharge determines the batteries maximum number of cycles before it goes in the bin!  Because its bigger, they will last much much longer.  It goes like this. 
  
  A 10% daily discharge will give you many (tens) of thousands of cycles. Just like starting a car.
  A 50 percent average daily discharge may give 1200 cycles. 
  A 80% average discharge will give around 300 cycles or less than a year. (This is what I do!). 
  A 90 percent average discharge will give you 10 to 15 cycles only.
  A 100 percent discharge will give you about3 cycles if you are lucky!
  
  So If I cover the same distance every day but have larger capacity batteries then my average amount of discharge as a percentage is lower. I will expect to get 600 cycles or more from these batteries!  At the moment I do not have full technical specs, so do not know how good they are at delivering large currents that my own chair requires! Will let you know as soon as I fit them at the weekend, but judging by the size of the terminals fitted the manufacturer seems to have plenty of confidence here!  Recommended - at least for the F55 Powerchair! 
  If you are a manufacturer of powerchairs or even a user speak to Paula Brooks pabrooks@powbat.co.uk at Power Batteries!

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