Batteries What’s the Difference?

Introduction to Batteries

Some of the most commonly asked questions we get from our customers is about the battery life and how to care for them. Below is some helpful advice and information to help with your mobility device batteries. If replacing your batteries and you are not sure what to buy, we have compiled a list of different types to help you get the right batteries for your mobility device.

Most if not all mobility scooters and power wheelchairs run on a 24v SLA/AGM or GEL style battery system which consists of two 12v batteries wired together (wired in sequence or series) similar to your flashlight where one battery sits on top of another. Just be aware when purchasing a used scooter from a private seller where they claim “the scooter runs great just needs a battery available on line for $50” First of all how can you tell if it runs well when it needs batteries and secondly $50 yes that’s per battery and it will need two of them, so that’s $100 + Tax that’s if they are the smallest 12ah battery. the larger the scooter is the larger and more expensive the batteries are!

There are many different brands of batteries but should produce the same results if you buy the correct battery type for your device. and also, different types of battery make up. Below is a brief list of battery types

Battery Types

AGM, SLA and Gell Deep Cycle Batteries

Lithium Ion & Lithium Polymer

Battery Connection types:
There are typically two standard types of battery connections used in mobility scooters they are F2 and NB but some manufactures use IT connections which are less common see this article for more information Battery Connections – Las Vegas Scooters and Lifts

How do I know when to replace my batteries?
Age, storage, terrain use and the number of times you rechange your batteries can be a big factor with deep cycle batteries can affect the life cycle of your batteries. Several indicators can let you know when it’s time to change your batteries.

• Longer than normal charging times 14+ hours
• Hot battery pack and a smell similar to Sulphur or rotten eggs
• Loss of drive range or slowing of speed
• Power indicator lights going down quickly when pulling off or after a short time driving.
• Sudden stalling with erratic error codes e.g. 2 beep or 6 beep etc.

How do I look after my batteries?