Protect more than yourself in this heat

Posted August 3, 2012 by Mandy Smith in

 

Humans and pets are not the only things that shouldn’t be in excessive heat.  Neither should power chairs and scooters.  Power chairs and scooters have batteries and electronics that can lose their charge in excessive heat (or excessive cold for that matter).  When a chair or scooter loses power like this, people tend to call someone to repair it, but that isn’t always the case. To avoid this, make sure your power chair and/or scooter has a full charge when using in excessive heat or cold but try to limit your use during the hottest part of the day.  Most power chairs and scooters are suppose to operate in a tempature range of 70-90 degrees.

When traveling in inclement weather the person needs to make sure they take the precautions to protect their power chair or scooter as best as possible.  This includes covering the joystick or whatever kind of maneuver device is on the machine, do not drive through puddles and avoid snow.

If you know you may be out in inclement weather you should keep a piece of plastic so you can cover your electronic parts and a umbrella holder can come in handy if you are not able to hold one while you steer.  Come companies even make covers to go over the power chair and/or scooter to protect it and you from the weather.

Remember, these tips are for anytime your power chair or scooter is outside, not just when you are driving it (on a lift, storage, etc.) If you have questions about your power chair or scooter in certain weather conditions refer back to the user manual.

Mandy Smith

Mandy has worked at RCIL since June of 2009. She is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist and provides services in 32 counties to individuals who are blind or have low vision and are 55 years and older.

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