Daily Inspection, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting for Wheel Chairs

Daily inspection of wheel chairs

• Before using the wheel chair, check the screws of the front wheels, rear wheels, and parking brakes, as well as the rear wheel spokes. If there is any looseness, please tighten them. (Due to transport bumps, etc., the screws of wheel chairs may become loose.)
• Check if the tires are properly inflated. If they are not, please inflate them promptly. The inflation method is the same as that of bicycles.
• During use, the wheel chair needs to be checked monthly for any looseness in the movable parts, screws, and rear wheel spokes. If there is any looseness, tighten it in time to avoid safety hazards.
• Lubricate the movable parts with oil every week to prevent them from becoming less flexible.
• After using the wheel chair, wipe the surface moisture, dirt, and other debris with a soft dry cloth to prevent rusting.
• The wheel chair should be stored in a dry place to prevent rusting. The cushion and backrest should be kept clean to prevent bacterial growth.

Common faults and maintenance of electric wheel chairs

Battery

As the name suggests, the battery is the key to driving an electric wheel chair. The battery of high-end electric wheel chairs is also relatively expensive on the market. Therefore, maintenance of the battery is quite important during the use of the electric wheel chair. The most common problem with batteries is that they cannot be charged or do not last long after charging. First, check whether the charger is normal, and then check the fuse. Basic problems usually occur in these two places. Secondly, the battery does not last long after charging. The battery is subject to wear and tear during normal use, which everyone should be aware of. Over time, the battery’s endurance will gradually decrease. This is normal battery wear and tear. If the endurance problems are sudden, it is generally caused by over-discharge. Therefore, the battery needs to be well maintained during the use of the electric wheel chair.

Brake

In the control components of the electric wheel chair, the brake is a very important part, which is closely related to the personal safety of the user. Therefore, before using the electric wheel chair, it is important to check whether the brakes are normal. The most common problems with brakes are caused by clutches and joysticks. Check whether the clutch is in the “ON” position and whether the controller’s joystick returns to the middle position before using the electric wheel chair. If it is not caused by these two reasons, consider whether the clutch or controller is damaged. At this time, repair it in time and avoid using the electric wheel chair when the brake is damaged.

Tires

As the tires directly contact the ground, different road conditions will cause different levels of tire wear. One common tire problem is punctures. In this case, inflate the tire first. When inflating, refer to the recommended tire pressure on the tire surface, and then squeeze the tire with your nails to see if it feels firm. If the tire feels soft or the finger can press into it, it may be leaking or the inner tube may have a puncture. Tire maintenance is also important. Many people find that their electric wheel chairs cannot travel straight after using them for a period of time. In fact, many problems occur on the tires, such as tire deformation, air leakage, loosening, or insufficient lubricating oil in the wheel connection and corrosion, all of which can cause the electric wheel chair to travel off course.