Power Wheel Chair Tip

[brooksea]

If you are taking delivery of your PWC, while you are oohing and awing, be sure to check all cable harnesses and cables to ensure that that they are BEHIND/UNDERNEATH/CONTAINED WITHIN an enclosure. Of course a couple of cables will have to be exposed to provide connection. Don't be afraid to point out any concerns and then note those concerns in a file for the chair.

My husband's chair just quit working while he was in the driveway a couple of weeks ago. I took the back enclosure off to see if any connectors were loose, but they weren't. I checked all the wiring for crimps - none. I was at a loss. (Yes, battery was charged! )

Service rep came out today. Really good fella. Turns out a cable between the seating and the base was mashed. This was where the seat ascends and descends on the pedestal. When it was descending, it was repeatedly crimping the cable til it finally shut the chair down. This cable should have been enclosed, not sitting on top of the enclosure. He had to cut the wiring and replace it. He stowed it properly in the enclosure, so all is well now.

You don't ever think about that kinda stuff when you take delivery.

 

[michael0314]

So what did you do with your pals? Is he ambulatory. I am going to tell my wife about this but I guess she will say she would throw a sheet over my head till the rep gets here. lol

 

[penny1]

you should also know how to disengage the power to the wheels so you could push if the chair quits running when out and about
please have a remote power button installed on the back of the chair, also make sure everyone know where it is, if things go bad, and sometimes just a bump on a patio and jostle your arm and off you go. I also found out medicare does not cover remote attendant controls( when the Pals can no longer steer their chair and the cals need to steer) I had the remote power botton on his chair and made a bracket to move the mini joy stick to the push handle on the back of the chair. Wheel chair company said their cost was 1,800.00. Sherri cost 0. I saved any part that was removed during upgrades, had just the part I needed the junk box. TA DA! Safety first

 

[caldona]

Joy stick cost me $1200

 

[brooksea]

Michael, he can still "walk." It's scary, but he does it.

If he couldn't walk, I would have immediately asked them to get a loaner out asap. (Loaner may = $$$ I don't know.)

Good info, penny1. That's what I had to do to get it in the house. Well, I had to have the man across the street push it over the threshold, as I hadn't the strength.