Charging/outlet locations?

[NotTheBatesMotel]

Hello,
I will be traveling to WDW this February. It's not my first WDW visit, but it is my first visit using an electric wheelchair. I was very blessed to receive a used electric wheelchair recently. It's a few years old so I'm still trying to determine how much life is left in the battery. (Doing a trial run at a local amusement park next week) Long story short-I'm wondering how easy it is to find outlets are around the park? Are they only found in restaurants? I'd love any advice you have on this.

 

[Grateful Mickey]

There are a bunch of outlets!! Normally all restrooms have an outlet inside & also asking any CM & they'll show you the way!

Peace!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would first contact a local medical equipment company to see if they could either determine how much life is left in the battery, or purchase and have them install a new one.

Second choice would be to approach any CM for assistance.S

Respectfully to the PP, but my last choice would be to hang around in or near a bathroom to charge.

 

[DisneyOma]

If the battery isn't that new, perhaps investing in a new one before you go would be a good idea?

 

[mamabunny]

There are a bunch of outlets!! Normally all restrooms have an outlet inside & also asking any CM & they'll show you the way!

Peace!

Asking a CM (as my friend @kaytieeldr said) is a great idea.

Here's why the bathroom probably *isn't* such a great idea: If you have to stop and recharge a device with a large battery, like an electric wheelchair or an ECV, you will need to leave it connected for at least 30 minutes to get any amount of workable charge on the unit. If you stop and charge all the time, it also damages battery life over time; the worst thing you can do to the battery in your personal mobility device to be "topping it up" all the time. It actually shortens the life of the battery.

Since we currently don't know how far that battery will go and/or how long it will last, the OP is better served by either finding someone who can determine that for them, or by trying to run the unit long enough to determine that for themselves (remembering that TOTAL RUN TIME is a different thing from a total Disney Day, where you should be shutting off the power every time you stop, especially for things like meals, parades, rides, shows, and any time you are sitting still for longer than 10 seconds.)

I agree with @DisneyOma - the OP should at least visit someplace like monsterscooterparts.com to see how much replacing the battery(s) would be.

 

[NotTheBatesMotel]

If the battery isn't that new, perhaps investing in a new one before you go would be a good idea?

I will definitely be doing this depending on how the trial run goes at a nearby amusement park. I might also test drive it around the mall but feel like the amusement park will be the best trial because there are hills, etc. instead of the flat surface in a mall.

 

[SueM in MN]

Cheshire Figment (the late co-moderator of the disABILITIES Board) bought a number of used ECVs from WDW rental companies. He told me that he always replaced the batteries because there was no way to know how the batteries had been treated.
As mamabear explained, repeatedly topping off a battery can wreck it pretty quickly (even within only a few months of use). Cheshire Figment assumed most renters probably did short, top off charges, so he just replaced the batteries.
Since you probably don’t know how the batteries in your wheelchair were treated, I’d suggest getting the batteries tested. If you try it at a local theme park, watch the battery very carefully - you don’t want to run out of power unexpectedly.

A medical company can do testing for you.
My daughter’s power wheelchair was having issues and our first thought was batteries because they were several years old. The wheelchair tech asked us to fully charge them and he would test them when he serviced the chair. When he tested them, he could tell they charged to full ‘new’ capacity.
We’ve always watched the battery gauge on her power wheelchairs and never charge until it’s at least in the bottom part of the yellow range (because it’s her chair and we know it well, we know we won’t run out of power in yellow). Different wheelchair techs have told us that’s the best way to charge.

 

[NotTheBatesMotel]

Cheshire Figment (the late co-moderator of the disABILITIES Board) bought a number of used ECVs from WDW rental companies. He told me that he always replaced the batteries because there was no way to know how the batteries had been treated.
As mamabear explained, repeatedly topping off a battery can wreck it pretty quickly (even within only a few months of use). Cheshire Figment assumed most renters probably did short, top off charges, so he just replaced the batteries.
Since you probably don’t know how the batteries in your wheelchair were treated, I’d suggest getting the batteries tested. If you try it at a local theme park, watch the battery very carefully - you don’t want to run out of power unexpectedly.

A medical company can do testing for you.
My daughter’s power wheelchair was having issues and our first thought was batteries because they were several years old. The wheelchair tech asked us to fully charge them and he would test them when he serviced the chair. When he tested them, he could tell they charged to full ‘new’ capacity.
We’ve always watched the battery gauge on her power wheelchairs and never charge until it’s at least in the bottom part of the yellow range (because it’s her chair and we know it well, we know we won’t run out of power in yellow). Different wheelchair techs have told us that’s the best way to charge.

Thank you-this is very helpful info! Luckily, this is an electric wheelchair with a feature where if I run out of battery, my husband can still push me. Obviously not ideal, but he's pushed me in a standard wheelchair before (in the same park we're heading to soon) so I know he can handle it if I do run out of battery. I'm very grateful for this board and appreciate all the responses. The community here was a tremendous help for learning how to navigate the parks after my son's ASD diagnosis years ago and now for this.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you-this is very helpful info! Luckily, this is an electric wheelchair with a feature where if I run out of battery, my husband can still push me. Obviously not ideal, but he's pushed me in a standard wheelchair before (in the same park we're heading to soon) so I know he can handle it if I do run out of battery. I'm very grateful for this board and appreciate all the responses. The community here was a tremendous help for learning how to navigate the parks after my son's ASD diagnosis years ago and now for this.

You CAN always push a power wheelchair in free wheel mode by disengaging the motors from the wheels. BUT, just because it can be pushed, doesn’t mean it‘s easy. My daughter’s current power wheelchair is over 300 pounds without her in it. It’s a bit hard to start pushing it, but once it’s going, it pushes fairly easily as long as you are going straight, but takes a bit of muscle to turn and also to stop. So, plan if someone needs to push it, they might need some rest periods.
2 hints -
If you are trying to push it, but it won’t move, check that both motors are fully disengaged; each drive wheel has its own motor.
If the status lights on the joystick control module are blinking at you and the wheelchair won’t move, check that the motors are both reengaged.

If you let us know what brand and model wheelchair you have, someone might have some more specific hints for you.
And, don’t get discouraged if it seems like it’s taking a long time to get the hang of controlling the power wheelchair. It can take a while.

 

[mamabunny]

You CAN always push a power wheelchair in free wheel mode by disengaging the motors from the wheels. BUT, just because it can be pushed, doesn’t mean it‘s easy. My daughter’s current power wheelchair is over 300 pounds without her in it. It’s a bit hard to start pushing it, but once it’s going, it pushes fairly easily as long as you are going straight, but takes a bit of muscle to turn and also to stop. So, plan if someone needs to push it, they might need some rest periods.

To add on to this: Even if it's a super lightweight power chair with hub motors, when unpowered (or turned off) it may be difficult to push.

We discovered this when I got my personal mobility device - that although it's extremely lightweight (less than 35 pounds without me) when it is powered down, the gearing inside the hub motors still reacts to movement, which means that the wheels can never "freewheel"; and the motor is always engaged. So the motor literally slows you down, even when you aren't using it!

I would have your family members practice pushing the empty chair with the battery/power off, and the brakes disengaged, to see if it is going to be difficult to push without power. That way, there's no unpleasant surprise if it happens.

 

[Evita_W]

I know this doesn't help the OP, but if you do buy a used ECV or powerchair from a rental company, ask for either a battery health report (there are tools that can provide this information) or insist on a brand new battery.

To the OP, I would probably get a new battery from Amazon, they are a lot less expensive, just watch to make sure you are getting a quality one, if unsure, then buy from a medical supply company, but it will be more expensive.

 

[The Hunchback]

If going to EPCOT, Land pavilion has a lot of plug in spots. Many are in the food court walls. Great spot to charge and eat.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Even so, please always ask a Cast Member.

 

[Evita_W]

Even so, please always ask a Cast Member.

Yes, because some outlets have different voltages than expected and could damage equipment.

 

[mamabunny]

I know this doesn't help the OP, but if you do buy a used ECV or powerchair from a rental company, ask for either a battery health report (there are tools that can provide this information) or insist on a brand new battery.

To the OP, I would probably get a new battery from Amazon, they are a lot less expensive, just watch to make sure you are getting a quality one, if unsure, then buy from a medical supply company, but it will be more expensive.

That's a great suggestion to require a new battery be part of a purchase from a rental company, and is exactly what I would do myself

The only reason I would suggest checking with places like monsterscooterparts.com over Amazon for batteries is because there are (sadly) some really poor quality batteries being sold there, and I would hate for someone to get a battery that damaged the electrical system, or worse, caught fire while charging, or just flat didn't hold a charge at all. I'm not saying that *all* battery vendors selling through Amazon are bad or dishonest or disreputable, but I would urge caution, and make sure you read a good selection of reviews, especially recent ones.

The "Fold and Go" wheelchair people won't even sell on Amazon, and there are *tons* of knock-off wheelchairs there on Amazon that look a lot like the Fold and Go. Fold and Go won't even sell accessories or parts to anyone unless they have the serial number of their wheelchair; from what I gathered, they get inquires often about people wanting to buy replacement parts and accessories for the junky knock-off they bought on Amazon.

 

[Evita_W]

That's a great suggestion to require a new battery be part of a purchase from a rental company, and is exactly what I would do myself

The only reason I would suggest checking with places like monsterscooterparts.com over Amazon for batteries is because there are (sadly) some really poor quality batteries being sold there, and I would hate for someone to get a battery that damaged the electrical system, or worse, caught fire while charging, or just flat didn't hold a charge at all. I'm not saying that *all* battery vendors selling through Amazon are bad or dishonest or disreputable, but I would urge caution, and make sure you read a good selection of reviews, especially recent ones.

The "Fold and Go" wheelchair people won't even sell on Amazon, and there are *tons* of knock-off wheelchairs there on Amazon that look a lot like the Fold and Go. Fold and Go won't even sell accessories or parts to anyone unless they have the serial number of their wheelchair; from what I gathered, they get inquires often about people wanting to buy replacement parts and accessories for the junky knock-off they bought on Amazon.

As I said, if you know how to weed out the bad ones, Amazon is good, otherwise go with monsterscooterparts or a medical supply company.

Once you know how, it is actually pretty easy to spot the fakes on Amazon, but you really do have to be careful.