Batteries for Mobility Scooters and E-Wheelchairs

[Chris142]

How fast can one of those go?

 

[Carlostrece]

I recommend Power-Sonic. Home Depot has good pricing on them.

I highly recommend Powersonic PDC AGM which is an excellent deep cycle AGM for mobility scooters, E-wheelchairs, floor-cleaning machines, and golf carts that use AGM batteries and have a charger configured for AGM batteries. Deep cycle batteries have thick plates.

I'm luke-warm regarding Powersonic PS AGM, which is a multi-use AGM that's not designed for deep cycle use. Multi-use batteries have thin plates which warp and erode too easily when deep cycled.

For mobility scooters and wheelchairs PS are decent/OK performing batteries for light use. PDS are excellent performing batteries, even for heavy use (traveling further distances).

Home Depot sells Powersonic PS batteries. Home Depot does not sell Powersonic PDC batteries AFAIK.

 

[Carlostrece]

How fast can one of those go?

Do you mean a small class 2 mobility scooter, a medium size class 2 mobility scooter, or a large class 3 mobility scooter?

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Small class 2 mobility scooters are meant primarily for indoor use, but I use mine indoors and outdoors.

My small class 2 mobility scooter stock speed was 4 MPH. My cousin and I souped it up to 6 MPH top speed.
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Medium size class 2 mobility scooters are meant to be a jack of all trades good for both indoors and outdoors, but they're big and clumsy indoors, but marginally usable indoors.

My medium size class 2 mobility scooter stock speed was 5 MPH. My cousin and I souped it up to 6.6 MPH top speed.
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Large class 3 mobility scooters are meant to be used outdoors. They're too big and clumsy indoors.

Large class 3 scooter typical stock top speed is typically 6-8 mph depending on model. There might be a few models that can go 10-12 mph.

I do not own a large class 3 mobility scooter because I need to be able to use my scooter indoors (as well as outdoors).
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In the UK for mobility scooters the legal speed limit on sidewalks is 4 MPH. On shoulder of road is 8 MPH.

In USA for mobility scooters on federal property the legal speed limit on sidewalks and paths is 5 MPH.

I'm not aware of any local or state speed limit for mobility scooters or recreational scooters on sidewalks, but there should be. I think 5-6 MPH would be reasonable. I drive slow on sidewalks when people are near. When no one is around, I drive 6 to 6.6 MPH on sidewalks. If there's trees or bushes on each side then 6-6.6 MPH feels like I'm in the luge at the winter Olympics.

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Now if you were asking about recreational scooters (not mobility scooters) the recreational scooters are legally allowed to go up to 18 MPH on the shoulder of the road in my state without needing a vehicle license nor driver's license. However, this thread is about mobility scooters, which are medical devices that provide mobility for handicapped people who have difficulty walking.

I see frightening people driving recreational scooters 18 mph on the sidewalk, which should be illegal and probably is. If they want to go faster than 6 or 7 MPH they should be on the shoulder of the road.

 

[Carlostrece]

I used to own a GoGo Elite Traveler. It's a good scooter, except the lack of suspension and air tires hurt my back. I later bought a Golden Buzzaround XLD-HD 3 wheel scooter. The S in the model name means suspension. It has coil springs. The HD means heavy duty battery box. It has a larger battery box to hold slightly larger batteries.

I meant to sat XLS-HD. The S means suspension (coil springs).

 

[Carlostrece]

Battery Service Life of U1 batteries I tested in my Class 2 medium size scooter. Each set of batteries was driven on the same 2.5, 3, 5, & 6 miles courses IRL city driving, which means sidewalks, sidewalk ramps (many are poorly made with 1-3 inch vertical lip), crosswalks, and in some places driving on shoulder of the road because there was no sidewalk.

My medium size class 2 scooter (Golden Buzzaround EX) with U1 AGM batteries is slightly souped up to go 6.6 MPH (instead of its stock 5 MPH). For frame of reference... Most class 2 scooters are small and have 4 MPH top speed.

[I also own a small class 2 scooter (Golden Buzzaround XLS-HD) with half U1 batteries. I also tested it, but that's a topic for another post.]

I tested 2 pairs of each battery brand. MK AGM is a multi-use battery, not a deep cycle design, but I tested it anyway because it was the stock OEM battery for the scooter. The other batteries tested all claim to be deep cycle designs of AGM.
MK AGM (not MK Gel) 1.2 miles range, 12 months service life for both pairs. It cost about the same as Powersonic PDC.

Discover EV AGM 5 miles range, 12 months service life for both pairs. It cost a lot more than Powersonic PDC.

Full River DC AGM 4 miles range, 1 month service life first pair tested. 1.5 month service life second pair tested. Full River DC cost same as Powersonic PDC.

Powersonic PDC AGM (not PS AGM) 6 miles range, 3 years service life first pair tested, 4 years second pair tested, 5 years third pair tested.

CSB EVH AGM is a highend deep cycle EV battery. I have not personally owned nor tested this battery, but other battery testers working for the same retail battery retailer used and tested several pairs of CSB EVH. They told me they're almost as good as Powersonic PDC. When I took a deep dive into product data sheets, I see the specs for CSB EVH are almost as good as Powersonic PDC. CSB EVH costs more than PDC.

Powersonic PDC is the best deep cycle AGM that I know of that's available in sizes small enough for small mobility scooters. CSB EHV is my second choice.

I've read that Interstate Battery offers deep cycle AGM designed for mobility scooters, E-wheelchairs, and golf carts. IB claims it's true deep cycle design with thick plates. I have no experience with these, but my local golf club uses these in their golf cart fleet and claim good results. So maybe this is another good option for small, medium, and large mobility scooters and E-wheelchairs that are designed to use AGM.

Also, Trojan and Crown make good deep cycle AGM batteries for golf carts. If you can find them in a size small enough to fit in a class 3 large mobility scooter or large wheelchair, but only if the scooter or chair is designed to use AGM batteries. Many of the larger scooters and wheelchairs use Gel batteries.

Trojan and Crown do not make small sizes of batteries that would fit in a small class 2 scooter. Crown (and possibly Trojan) makes a U1 battery which is what most medium size class 2 scooters use. Trojan is very expensive. Crown is less expensive than Trojan, but Crown might cost more than Powersonic PDC. I don't know how Crown AGM compares in range and service life to Powersonic PDC AGM.

I'm not aware of any other brands that make deep cycle AGM batteries in sizes that fit class 2 small mobility scooters and wheelchairs. If anyone knows of other brands of deep cycle AGM please let me know.

 

[Carlostrece]

The larger sizes of Powersonic PDC AGM are very good for floor-cleaning machines and golf carts that are configured for AGM batteries. So are Discover EV AGM, Trojan AGM, Crown AGM, and CSB EVH AGM. Of those brands, I think Trojan, Powersonic, and Crown are the best, followed by CSB EVH. Powersonic and Crown offer the best prices of those brands.

Interstate or Johnson Controls deep cycle AGM also have a good reputation for golf carts in regard to performance and price.

Of the batteries mentioned in this post, Powersonic PDC is the one I have experience using.