Tip: Recondition your scooter batteries

Everyday living
1

I’ve been noticing that my mobility scooter doesn’t seem to hold on to it’s charge for as long as I would expect, I’m having to recharge it after every outing. My scooter is getting on a bit I suppose, but I’m not a heavy user (nor a heavy weight).

Yesterday morning I went out on the scooter having just given it a full charge and to my disappointment it was fully discharged only a 100yds up the road. I turned round and came home to put it on charge again, then as before it lost it’s charge in no time.

I looked on the Internet for replacement batteries. Hell’s teeth, even the cheapest are frighteningly expensive. Then I remembered that I had a similar problem with my mobile phone once and I was able to rectify it by reconditioning it’s battery. I thought I would try the same technique with the scooter, here’s how:

Put the scooter on charge as usual (with mine an amber charging light stays on until fully charged then changes to green). Then keep the scooter on charge for a further 24 hrs. Even though the charger doesn’t appear to be doing anything and the indicator light remains green for fully charged, the charger still delivers a small trickle charge.

So, this morning (after 24 hrs) I tried it out. ‘Hey Presto’ it has worked, the batteries are now reconditioned and perform just like new again.

Really pleased

Bill.

2

I don’t know if this is of any help but I was told to recharge the batteries after every trip regardless of how much charge they had left.

3

Me too!

4

Hi Bill and Annie, I charge my scooter after every trip… unless it’s very short trip. I know they say it’s bad for battery but I worry about running out of juice… and never know when I might decide to take long trip. For instance I live near Alexandra Palace (beautiful) but all up hill getting there and uses a lot of charge.

I did however read once on here that every so often you should charge it for a long time even though the the charger says it’s fully charged… so I do that every couple of months or so. BUT never done it for 24 hours… so will give that a go.

Good tip, thanks.

Pat x

5

Hi,

with deep discharge batteries as used in scooters they should be charged every use or sulphate can build up on the plates.

If you use it often, it even best to leave it on trickle charge. Most chargers for scooters go on to trickle charge once the bateries are “fully” charged. The user manual should say.

The following page seems good advice. http://www.mobilityrepairsuk.com/battery-care.htm (Googled for, deep cycle scooter battery care uk.)

Jon