Electric power chairs mainly consist of several parts: the main frame, controller, motor, battery, and other accessories such as seat cushions. Let’s learn about the components of the electric power chair separately!
Electric power chair component: main frame
The main frame determines the structural design, external width, seat width, external height, backrest height, and functions designed for the electric power chair. Materials can be divided into steel tubes, aluminum alloys, aviation titanium alloys, and some high-end models have begun to use carbon fiber materials. The most common materials on the market are steel tubes and aluminum alloys. The cost of steel tubes is relatively low, and the load-bearing capacity is also good, but the disadvantage is that it is bulky and prone to rust and corrosion in water and humid environments, with a shorter service life. Most mainstream electric power wheel chairs use aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and has strong corrosion resistance compared to steel tubes. The strength, lightness, and corrosion resistance of the aviation titanium alloy are superior to the first two. However, due to the cost of materials, it is mainly used in high-end and portable electric power wheel chairs, and the price is also relatively expensive.
In addition to the material, when comparing the main frame, we also need to observe the details of other components of the electric power wheel chair body and welding process, such as the material of all accessories, material thickness, whether the details are rough, and whether the welding points are symmetrical.
Electric power chair component: controller
The controller is the core component of the electric power wheel chair, just like the steering wheel of a car. Its quality directly determines the maneuverability and service life of the electric power wheel chair. The controller is generally divided into upper and lower controllers.
Electric power chair component: motor
This is the core component of the drive system. According to the way of transmitting power, it is mainly divided into brushed motors (also called worm gear motors) and brushless motors (also called hub motors). In addition, there is a crawler motor (similar to the tractors in the early years, which is transmitted through a belt).
The advantage of brushed motor (worm gear motor) is that it has a large torque, strong driving force, and is very easy to climb small slopes. It also has a smoother starting and stopping. The disadvantage is that the battery conversion rate is low, and it is relatively power-consuming. Therefore, electric power wheel chairs using this motor usually need a large-capacity battery.
The advantage of a brushless motor (hub motor) is that it saves power and has a high conversion rate of electricity, and the battery of this motor does not need to be particularly large, which can reduce the overall weight of the vehicle. The power transmission of the track-type motor is too long, so it consumes more power, and the power is weaker. The cost is relatively low, and currently only a few manufacturers apply this motor.
Electric power chair component: battery
What everyone knows is the distinction between lead-acid batteries and lithium batteries. Whether it is a lead-acid battery or a lithium battery, attention should be paid to maintenance and maintenance. When the electric power chair is idle for a long time, it should be charged and maintained regularly. It is generally recommended to charge the battery at least once every 14 days, because even if it is not used, the battery will slowly consume power. When comparing these two types of batteries, most people believe that lead-acid batteries are not as good as lithium batteries. So what is so good about lithium batteries? First of all, they are more lightweight, and secondly, they have a longer service life. Lithium batteries are often the standard configuration for lightweight electric power wheel chair.
Electric power chair component: brake system
The brake system is divided into electromagnetic brakes and resistance brakes. To judge the quality of the brake, we can test whether it slips on a slope when the controller is released, and feel the length of the brake buffer distance. The shorter the braking distance, the more sensitive and safer. The electromagnetic brake can also brake through magnetism when the battery is dead, which is relatively safer.
Electric power chair component: wheelchair seat and backrest cushion
Currently, most electric power wheel chair manufacturers are equipped with double-layer backrest cushions, which are breathable in summer and cool in winter. The quality of the seat cushion mainly depends on the flatness of the fabric, the tension of the fabric, the stitching details, and the fineness of the craftsmanship, etc. Looking closely, one can see the difference.
