Mobility Scooter - Battery

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Wed 11 Dec 2013 23:37
Mobility Scooter - Battery - julie page

Sorry not a car but it is still a vehicle

Bought a relative a mobility scooter and it needs new batteries, the old ons, two of them are 35ah, anyone know the effect of putting smaller 20ah batteries on instead. Will the range be reduced or will there be other problems

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 08:09
Mobility Scooter - Battery - dan86

Range will likely be reduced and so will the power so it might make it very slow

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 08:33
Mobility Scooter - Battery - RT

Don't just buy car batteries, leisure batteries or marine batteries - they need to be deep-cycle batteries, like traction batteries, to cope with the high current flow and discharge pattern.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 09:38
Mobility Scooter - Battery - Peter.N.

Have a look on ebay for your batteries, that will likely be the cheapest place.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 11:21
Mobility Scooter - Battery - bathtub tom

Range will likely be reduced and so will the power so it might make it very slow

As long as the voltage is the same I very much doubt if it would be any slower, but the range will be proportionately less.

In my experience of these things they're rarely (if ever) taken to anywhere near the limit of their range and usually never travel more than a mile or so. I've always thought the cheapest batteries available (lead acid?) would do.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 11:45
Mobility Scooter - Battery - RT

Current draw is affected by the Ah capacity of a battery because the plate size varies with the Ah. Reducing the maximum current draw will reduce power output.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 14:36
Mobility Scooter - Battery - bathtub tom

Current draw is affected by the Ah capacity of a battery because the plate size varies with the Ah. Reducing the maximum current draw will reduce power output.

All very true, but what current do these things draw?

I'd guess it's nearer to a wiper motor than a starter.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 15:21
Mobility Scooter - Battery - RT

Don't know - but the similar motors I have to move my caravan can draw 100 amps.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 15:44
Mobility Scooter - Battery - Collos25

More than a starter motor had a look at one it took a maximum of 120amps I know there are different models but this suprised me and the person in the shop said you needed special batteries what he meant I really don`t know but apparantly they cost a fortuneto replace.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 17:05
Mobility Scooter - Battery - RT

I've seen an ad for one of the higher speed mobility scooters - it has a 1100 watt motor and 2x 50 Ah batteries - that's 90A.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 12 Dec 2013 19:21
Mobility Scooter - Battery - bathtub tom

I stand corrected.

>> 1100 watt motor and 2x 50 Ah batteries - that's 90A.

I presume the top current is drawn in stall conditions, from stationary. In the case above 90A with a 100AH capacity would give a range of less than an hour otherwise, thats less than eight miles in the case of the higher speed models.

I still wonder if a cheap, lead acid battery would be able to cope.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 13 Dec 2013 17:46
Mobility Scooter - Battery - Collos25

I was a bit curious had look at various web sites and on ebay the batteries range from 2 x 12amp to 2 x 72amp and I coudn`t believe the prices of these things .

I never new you had to register them with the DVLA

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 13 Dec 2013 19:04
Mobility Scooter - Battery - jc2

I was a bit curious had look at various web sites and on ebay the batteries range from 2 x 12amp to 2 x 72amp and I coudn`t believe the prices of these things .

I never new you had to register them with the DVLA

Only ones which can exceed 4mph. and are thus allowed on public highways.

With TWO 38Amp/hr batteries,it could well be of those.

Edited by jc2 on 13/12/2013 at 19:07

Reply | Report as offensive | Link