Power Wheelchair Maintenance Tips

These are some tips written by Clay Christensen, the Assistive Technology Lab Coordinator. He has lots of experience working on chairs, and has learned that maintenance is often about preventative care. As the weather changes, this can become particularly important. For further questions regarding powerchair maintenance, Utahns can contact the AT Lab at 435-797-0699, Ext. 1.


AT Lab coordinator, Clay Christensen,
working on a wheelchair tire.

• Avoid locations where freezing temperatures are expected. Store in a dry place; if this is not possible, keep a tarp over the chair and keep batteries charged.
• Keep batteries at a high state of charge - this keeps them from freezing, which will destroy the cells.
• This can be done with a trickle charger. (They can be purchased at most automotive part houses for around $50.00 or online.)
• Check the electrolyte level (This is the dilute solution of sulfuric acid and water). In other words, if the battery is not a sealed type, remove the caps and make sure that the water level is full. Note: Use only distilled water!
• If the chair has air tires versus solid, make sure the air pressure is at manufacturer specification (when the temp drops, so does the air pressure in tires). This will help the tires avoid unusual wear patterns.
• If not using the chair during winter months, remove batteries and store in cool dry place (between 50-70 degrees).