# Charging my mobility scooter



## sleepym (Jul 6, 2009)

Hi folks, can anyone help me with a problem I am having charging my mobility scooter? Basically, it only charges when I am hooked up to a mains supply. If I try to use the inverter the charger throws a fit. It charges at 2 amps and requires 71watts. I hope that makes sense, I am pretty ignorant about electrics.

Regards, Martin


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

I think your gonna need a generator when not on EHU.. 
Seen a few people lately at rallies with scooters and they were using genny's..
Takes to much power off a leisure battery..


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## wilse (Aug 10, 2007)

I'm a bit curious about this as 2amp/70watts is not a large load is it? 

Our previous truck, had an inverter in the garage [300w] for the purpose of charging a mobility scooter [previous owner].

What wattage is your inverter? How many leisure battery/batteries have you got and what size.

Could the problem be voltage drop from small cables and/or long length from the batteries?

I take it charging whilst on the move is not a good enough solution for you?

w


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## BwB (Dec 5, 2009)

Does the scooter manufacture not have a 12v battery charger you could purchase? I used to work in the same building as a guy who would hook his electric wheelchair up to the cigar lighter when he was driving.

Just a thought.


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

BwB said:


> Does the scooter manufacture not have a 12v battery charger you could purchase? I used to work in the same building as a guy who would hook his electric wheelchair up to the cigar lighter when he was driving.
> 
> Just a thought.


That is what I can do with the inverter I have got ?12v that plugs into the cigarette lighter.


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## BwB (Dec 5, 2009)

Invicta - yes, I'm sure that fine if it's working for you, but the OP was asking for ideas as their inverter/battery charger method is causing problems with the battery charger. 

Using the inverter method is taking the battery DC voltage up to mains AC voltage and then the charger is taking the mains AC voltage back down to a DC charging voltage. 

This isn't the most efficient way of doing the job. I'm guessing that the mobility scooter is probably quite important to the OP and if their current inverter is not doing the job then something else is needed. Either a more suitable inverter or a 12v car cigar lighter battery charger. 

That was all I was thinking. Wasn't saying the inverter wouldn't do the job. But as it's going to be sucking an awful lot of capacity out of the leisure battery(s) the most efficient way would be worth thinking about.

Sorry for any confusion.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

\Two considerations :-
1 If you wish to use an inverter from your leisure batteries then you probably need a PURE SINE WAVE inverter to suit the buggy charger.

2) Sterling do a B2B charger 12 - 24 volt which may be ideal for charging your buggy batteries directly.


C.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I went the generator route because I can also charge up the van batteries at the same time.

peedee


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## foll-de-roll (Oct 29, 2007)

Hi 


Whilst we are on this subject (sort of) I noticed on our last trip to France (2 weeks ago) When charging the battery, on my wifes Disability Scooter, on the EHU, the charger(supplied with the scooter) seemed to get hotter than usual. 


Could someone explain to me, how this may have come about please!!
Would it be damaging the charger?




Thanks Andy


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Volts times amps equals watts (power) The same power is require but it is highly likely the voltage is lower than uk so the current will rise with the likelyhood more heat is generated. There again it could have been down to a higher ambient temperature.

peedee


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## JeanLuc (Jan 13, 2007)

peedee said:


> Volts times amps equals watts (power) The same power is require but it is highly likely the voltage is lower than uk so the current will rise with the likelyhood more heat is generated. There again it could have been down to a higher ambient temperature.
> 
> peedee


I doubt that is the cause. The European standard for mains voltage is now 230V AC. There is a small ± tolerance, but for all practical purposes, the mains voltage is consistent across Europe.

Philip


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

It might be the standard but I have measured it lower than 220volts in places! 220volts is also within the standard which is 20 volts lower than our 240 volts.

peedee


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## sleepym (Jul 6, 2009)

Thank you everybody for your comments, I have been travelling around France and not had the opportunity to reply before now. I do have a generator which does recharge the scooter battery but it takes nearly 24 hours to fully recharge, which is far from ideal. We bought the scooter just before we left almost as an experiment since my mobility needs are changing, and I have decided to sell and buy a better scooter. It cost 75 quid on ebay! I will also look into chargers that run on 12 volts. Thanks again everyone for your help.

Martin


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## sleepym (Jul 6, 2009)

Thank you everybody for your comments, I have been travelling around France and not had the opportunity to reply before now. I do have a generator which does recharge the scooter battery but it takes nearly 24 hours to fully recharge, which is far from ideal. We bought the scooter just before we left almost as an experiment since my mobility needs are changing, and I have decided to sell and buy a better scooter. It cost 75 quid on ebay! I will also look into chargers that run on 12 volts. Thanks again everyone for your help.

Martin


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## sleepym (Jul 6, 2009)

Thank you everybody for your comments, I have been travelling around France and not had the opportunity to reply before now. I do have a generator which does recharge the scooter battery but it takes nearly 24 hours to fully recharge, which is far from ideal. We bought the scooter just before we left almost as an experiment since my mobility needs are changing, and I have decided to sell and buy a better scooter. It cost 75 quid on ebay! I will also look into chargers that run on 12 volts. Thanks again everyone for your help.

Martin


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

sleepym said:


> Hi folks, can anyone help me with a problem I am having charging my mobility scooter? Basically, it only charges when I am hooked up to a mains supply. If I try to use the inverter the charger throws a fit. It charges at 2 amps and requires 71watts. I hope that makes sense, I am pretty ignorant about electrics.
> 
> Regards, Martin


These figures do not seem to add up. 2A at 240V is 480W not 71W If the 2A is at 12V (Unlikely) the power is 24W?

I suggest that it is 2A at 240V so you will be drawing at least 50A from your van battery. Is your wiring thick enough. The charger seems to be very inefficient.


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## DiscoDave (Aug 25, 2008)

foll-de-roll said:


> Hi
> 
> Whilst we are on this subject (sort of) I noticed on our last trip to France (2 weeks ago) When charging the battery, on my wifes Disability Scooter, on the EHU, the charger(supplied with the scooter) seemed to get hotter than usual.
> 
> ...


The average voltage accross europe is 230v, note average, as it can an will alter, depending on local demand, and time of day to name but a few. Even in the uk the average is or should be 230v.

Voltage also needs to be measured under load, for example if you disconnect your headlight lamp and measure the voltage it may read 14v with the engine running, re connect the lamp and you may see as low at 10 volts, the same will apply to mains voltage or from a generator, although usually to a less dramatic effect

Across europe electricity can be generated at up to 60 cycles per second (60Hz) whereas in the uk it is generated at 50 cycles. again an average over a 24 hour period.

back to the question, the reason your charger was getting hotter than normal could be down to the difference in frequency with up to an extra ten cycles per second the charger is having to work 20% harder than it does at home.

regarding the possibility of damage to the charger there will be a label on it more than likely stating 50-60Hz, so should be fine. If there is a lower voltage going in to the transformer there will be a lower voltage going out, so unless there are any specific electronics to stop the charger from operating at low voltage, it should be fine too.

incidentally this may be why it takes longer to charge from a generator than if on hook up or at home.


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

[/quote]
Across europe electricity is generated at 60 cycles per second (60Hz) whereas in the uk it is generated at 50 cycles. again an average over a 24 hour period.

[/quote]

Unless there has been a wholesale change, I don't think this is correct. When I worked in the domestic electrical appliance industry, admittedly a long while ago, in the 80's, all our appliances supplied to Europe were 50Hz. The only 60Hz ones went to the USA.
Incidentally, I have measured voltage here on several occasions at over 250 volts & at our last house at 254 volts. Just within the allowable tolerances, apparently.


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## DiscoDave (Aug 25, 2008)

sorry, my bad, although it is generally not as smooth abroad as it is here.

likewise, i regularly test installations where the voltage exceeds 245v at the incoming supply. - back to the law of averages.


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