The Lithium Iron Phosphate (LeFePO4) battery cells arrived for the lithium battery pack we are trying to build for my Magic Mobility X4 wheelchair. It is an exciting project and keeps my mind occupied. I have started testing the first of the 8 cells by charging it. After it is fully charged I will discharge it to a certain point and then recharge it again. That should give me an idea about the quality of the cells. Hopefully the new battery pack will increase the range from 4 miles to 12 or even 15 miles.
I also learned that insurance has approved a new Permobil F5 wheelchair for me, though not the with the standing feature, seat elevate, lights, arm supports, etc. We are in the process of going the next round with insurance to see if they will approve some of those items. As it stands now, my out of pocket expenses would be over $20,000. I can buy a lightly used wheelchair for far less than that!
It is amazing how long it takes to get a wheelchair. We started the process for getting the F5 on October 22, 2018. I suspect we are still quite a few months away from getting it delivered to me.
In the meantime, we took my Permobil C500s VS down to NuMotion to have the motors, gearboxes, and brakes replaced on both sides (under warranty). The previous set had started showing signs of failure within the warranty period. Unfortunately, the new motors seem to somehow be incompatible with the chair's electronics. It surges and shudders when starting and stopping. More alarmingly, if I briefly nudge the joystick in one direction, the wheelchair will go in a random direction, often continuing to accelerate for a second or two after the joystick is released. NuMotion and Permobil will replace those new motors under warranty, but it may take several weeks for the parts to arrive.
Steve