Powered wheelchair

[Mtugudzi]

Hi, I am new here and look forward to new adventures with help from you all. I am new, because I am a wheelchair user with disabilities and I had it in my head that I couldn’t camp so I bought a cottage. I have since sold the cottage a bought a Stealth Gravel Roader. This was my introduction and I loved it but I wanted more so I sold the caravan and bought an Echo Tec 5 trailer.
are there any wheelchair users on here and would anyone know how I could charge my wheelchair (2 x 45Ah batteries) when we go to places without power. Thanks

[Rustie]

Good on you for braving the outdoors with that type of disability!
It depends on what recharge system you have have, but to be frank, and considering possible liabilities with solar, I would buy a 1 or 2 Kva generator with a smart charging device.
You need reliability and this is the only solution that will give that consistently.

[duncang]

Tiny Ryobi genny looks good and light enough to lift.

[Wicd]

I think ppl would be better able to give advice if you could give the specs of your charger? Do you camp offgrid?

[Toccata (Roelof)]

On the facebook group "Friends who like Mobi Lodge.com" there is a wheelchair user, Jurie. I don't think he has a motorised chair, but he may be able to advise on other issues relating to camping. Not sure who we have on this forum.

[ekkekan]

I think ppl would be better able to give advice if you could give the specs of your charger? Do you camp offgrid?

The OP did indicate they camp off grid. As stated it depends on what current gadgets are used for charging. With this known one could give some ideas for the extra 2x45Ah 12V batteries.

[EttiennedK]

A friend of mine is also in a wheelchair. Never lets that break his speed - literally and figuratively.

He has turned into a bit of a lurker on the forum. Goes by the forum name of Oppers. Will get him to make contact with you.

[mikeml]

I hate gennies, especially in the bush at night. You will probably want to charge the batteries at night, when the wheelchair is not used. I would only use a genny when absolutely necessary.

2 scenarios, both solar: Get 2 spare batteries and charge these up during the day with solar and swap them out daily, using quick connect plugs. If your solar array is big enough, you will get some charge during cloudy weather.

The second one would be to have dedicated battery bank charged by solar, for recharging at night. This would consist of 2 x 120AHr batteries, a DC/DC charger and a 12v-12V inverter. The DC/DC charger will charge the wheelchair batteries off the battery bank at night. You will need the inverter to increase the battery voltage into the DC/DC charger, which needs a minimum voltage to charge.

[An3s]

Interesting topic. Yes, please send the specs of the existing charger. 2x45Ah would lead me to believe the motor is 24V? The really small gennies are noisy and smelly (the smallest Chinese ones are 2-stroke!). If you really cannot do without a gen, the only possible option could be a "silent" inverter type, but they are not cheap.

I think the option of 2x extra batteries charged from solar is the most viable option.

[the_terrible_triplett]

Chair currently use 2 x 45ah batteries, I assume they are lead acid?

This is what I would have considered, or variations of this:
1) Get 4 x 45ah lithium banks, or larger, the key being, each individual bank fits in the chair.
2) Banks, being made to be plug and play, are connected into one larger bank made up of the 4 packs, can be disconnect with ease to move to the chair.
3) Being off-grid, ample solar panels for cloudy days, with option to recharging individual, or all banks, from the vehicle.

When chair needs recharging, plug and play setup, swap out one of the trailer lithium banks for the chairs bank.

[faniedup]

I'm not sure how easy it is for a person with a disability to swap and cart heavy lead acid batteries around. I would have a solar system sized for 2 x 100Ah batteries, that could be used to charge chair at night through a DC/DC charger. It fits in an ammo crate with a charger/mppt system bolted to the lid.