| If you have followed my articles so far, I hope this trip | | | | of the rider will put extra demand on the battery and |
| has been informative for you. More importantly, I hope | | | | drain its power much faster. |
| they have helped you to understand and select the | | | | The average life span of a typical scooter battery is |
| best scooter possible for your budget. My goal is to | | | | usually between 250 - 500 charges, but this can vary |
| save you some exploration time and learn from my | | | | depending upon the brand and quality of the battery |
| experience. In this issue we will explore details | | | | installed. A completely drained battery can take |
| surrounding the electrical system of a typical electric | | | | anywhere from two to eight hours to fully recharge -- |
| mobility scooter. | | | | but again, this will depend on the brand and quality of |
| The charging system on an electric scooter is made | | | | the electric scooter, along with the quality of the |
| up of a battery and some sort of plug-in A/C adapter. | | | | charging unit being used. Some electric scooter models |
| The purpose of the adapter is simply to convert | | | | may also offer a quick change battery option that |
| alternating current (A/C power) into direct current (D/C | | | | allows for you to swap out your depleted batteries for |
| power) so that it can be used to charge the battery | | | | a fresh set whenever necessary. It is recommended |
| for your scooter. Most of these adapters have some | | | | that you always try to keep your lead acid batteries |
| sort of "smart" design that allows for a rapid battery | | | | fully charged since they tend to have a much shorter |
| charge, along with an "automatic off" feature that | | | | life span if stored for a length of time in a depleted |
| powers the unit off when the battery reaches its full | | | | condition. For longer battery life, always remember to |
| capacity. You should try to avoid any charging units or | | | | charge your electric scooter's battery immediately |
| electric scooters that do not include this feature. It is | | | | after riding it. |
| important that you understand that an over-charged | | | | Knowing how to properly care for your scooter and its |
| condition could cause permanent damage to your | | | | electrical system can greatly improve the performance |
| scooter battery. | | | | and life span of your electric mobility scooter. Keeping |
| Most electric scooters run on a single sealed 12-volt | | | | this system in a clean and fully charged state will |
| rechargeable lead acid battery. However, depending | | | | provide many years of comfort in knowing that your |
| on the brand and model, some scooters may have | | | | scooter is ready to go whenever needed. Most |
| anywhere from one to three of these batteries | | | | importantly, you can have the confidence and peace |
| installed. The power and quality rating of your scooter | | | | of mind in knowing that it will not leave you stranded in |
| battery is crucial to the range of the scooter. In | | | | the middle of nowhere at an inopportune time. Take |
| addition, low tire pressure, extreme temperatures, | | | | care of your scooter and it will take care of you! |
| rough terrain, hills, high levels of speed, and the weight | | | | |