A copy of an original e-mail received from Jerry Sandretto about STORING unused wheelchair batteries.

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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 7:08 PM
Subject: An enquiry from the OPTIMA web site

Hi
I have a powerchair that I just got new batteries for this fall but, the reason I'm writing is my daughter bought me 2 new Interstate U1 batteries for my electric scooter. The store that she bought them from charged them up & told they were ready to go. I won't be using my scooter till May of next year. Can I just let them sit in a card board box in my apartment till then without charging them or do I have to charge them every once in a while? I won't ruin them by letting them just sit in the apartment without hooking them up will I? Please reply. Thanks. Jerry 
 

Hi Jerry,
Yes you should ideally "keep" them on a float charge, just topped up. This way they will not deteriorate at all. (float chargers are available for this purpose)

Next best option, just charge them once every 2 to 4 weeks overnight with the normal charger you use on your chair. This means linked together as a 24 volt battery. You may need some extra leads. Your chairs charger will top them up, and equalise the cells. This way there will be no noticeable deterioration in your wheelchair/scooter batteries

If however you just leave them, then they will gradually self discharge, and become sulphated internally. They WILL chemically "age". How much damage this will cause depends on how deeply they become discharged, and how long they are left like this.

You really need a small maintenance charger.  I have lots of batteries here (I sell them!) and I put this on all of them for a few days at a time, once every 2 to 3 weeks.