Why Is My Fully Charged Scooter Dying So Fast??

It’s a frustration we hear about all the time:  you charge your scooter or power wheelchair all night.  Morning comes and you’re ready to go.  You unplug it, hop on and head out the door.  You barely get your day started and now your battery indicator is in the red.  

What happened?  

I charged it all night!!! 

If your mobility device dies rapidly despite showing a full charge, this blog is for you.

One of the most common issues is a deteriorating battery that can no longer hold a charge under load. While your mobility device is just sitting,  the voltage may show full, but as soon as you apply the throttle and put it under load, the voltage drops into the red. That’s a sign your battery is failing.

But my battery indicator says it’s full… 

Unfortunately it’s not!

A full charge light on the charger doesn’t always mean your battery is healthy. It just means the charger completed its charging cycle. All it takes is one cell inside the battery to deteriorate, and your range will plummet, even if everything shows full on the battery indicator.  

 The Top Reasons Your Fully Charged Mobility Device Dies Fast

︎Worn-out or deteriorating batteries

︎Lack of use: Letting your mobility device sit for weeks/months at a time without charging causes the battery to discharge and sulfates to build up.

︎Extreme temperatures: Hot or cold temperatures can drastically affect performance and decrease battery life,  especially in non temperature controlled environments.

︎Wrong chargers or improper charging: Using off-brand chargers can damage your battery or result in under or overcharging. 

Most customers ask us, “How long will my batteries last?” The truth is—it’s not the same for everyone.   It depends on many factors:

︎How many charging cycles they go through. A charge cycle is one full use of your battery’s charge followed by a recharge. 

︎Average distance traveled 

︎Proper charging

︎Storage environment 

Under ideal conditions, sealed lead-acid batteries usually around 200 to 300 cycles, while lithium batteries last much longer.  But this is only true if the batteries are:

︎Properly charged using the right charger

︎Not deeply discharged

︎Used regularly (not left sitting for long periods of time)

︎Stored in a temperature-controlled environment

As batteries age they naturally lose capacity.  A 6 month month old battery will never go the same distance on a charge as it did when it was new.  

Have questions or need help with your batteries?  Give our team a call at 800-593-1352.