How to Maintain Your Electric Wheelchair

Your electric wheelchair’s maintenance is essential to its performance. Regular upkeep makes sure it’s clean and comfortable for daily use. It also helps you identify issues that can compromise its performance, such as loose screws and bolts, underinflated tires, or corrosion. Setting up a daily and weekly maintenance routine keeps your electric wheelchair fully functional for long-term use and prevents any issues that may result in safety risks. 

Best Practices in Electric Wheelchair Maintenance

Divide your electric wheelchair maintenance routine into two categories: daily and weekly. Your daily upkeep will mostly entail tasks that are focused on ensuring the chair’s comfort and use. Your weekly maintenance will include heavier tasks, including a comprehensive inspection to determine if you need to replace or repair parts of the chair. 

Daily Electric Wheelchair Maintenance Tips

These tasks aim to help you make your chair more comfortable and easy to use. If you have trouble keeping steady out of the chair, ask your caregiver to carry out these maintenance tasks on your behalf. 

  • Clean your chair at the end of the day. Since you’re using the wheelchair most of the day, it’s typical to drop crumbs and other debris in the chair. When these are left to accumulate, they can get into the chair’s mechanisms and compromise their performance. 
  • Check your battery at the end of the day. Proper battery care will extend its lifespan. Before turning in for the night, check your battery if it needs charging. Experts recommend that you don’t let the charge level go below 70%, especially if the chair is new. 
  • Dry your chair at the end of the day. Moisture will cling to the electric wheelchair even if it’s not raining out. Prevent corrosion and other types of moisture damage by drying the chair every day. Do the same after hosing down the wheels. This will prevent it from tracking mud in your home and keep the surrounding components dry. 

Weekly Electric Wheelchair Maintenance Tips

Your weekly maintenance routine is a more comprehensive take on your daily tasks. Since this will take longer, consider carrying out these tasks when you don’t have anything scheduled.

  • Inspect the chair for any low-hanging wires. Look over the chair, especially its underside, to check for any wires that are hanging loose. If you see any, check the manual to determine where they should be repositioned. Use zip ties to put them back in place. 
  • Listen to the motor for any unusual sounds. If you hear grinding gears and other unusual sounds, refer to the user’s manual to see if you can fix the problem yourself. When the issue isn’t there, contact a repair shop to get professional help.
  • Check the seat for any problems. Sit on the chair and wiggle around to get a better feel of the seat. Take account of areas that feel loose and tighten the bolts accordingly. Additionally, make the necessary height adjustments when you don’t feel supported by the footwells. 

For high-performance electric wheelchairs, talk to 1800Wheelchair. We have a wide range of mobility equipment to make your life easier and more comfortable. We also provide technical support for any maintenance concerns. 

Call us on 1-800-32-7140 or email us at [email protected] to find out more.