Hi from Longview WA, USA

You dont have to, but its interesting!

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Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby YellowBuzzaroundEX » 27 Mar 2019, 06:59

I have two mobility scooters that I love. I can walk a little, but not much.

I have a Golden Buzzaround EX and a Golden Buzzaround XLS-HD. In UK those same scooters are sold under names TGA Zest Plus and TGA Zest.

I have added many accessories. Most are easy bolt-on or strap-on bicycle accessories, such as Cat Eye blinking safety lights and a Cat Eye headlight. A pair of LOUD USA luxury car horns on the EX/Zest-Plus and a reasonably loud tiny bicycle horn (sounds like Japanese car horn) on the XLS-HD/Zest. Also some TGA accessories I bought online from an England TGA dealership: Steel rear wheels with pneumatic tires and nice seatback cargo carriers on both scooters.

The TGA Zest Plus pneumatic wheel/tire assembly comes with 9" pneumatic tires (fits both scooters), and was a great upgrade for both scooters. In the case of my XLS-HD/Zest scooter, this was a 1" rear tire diameter upgrade, as well as an upgrade to pneumatic rear tires. For my EX, this tire was similar diameter as stock, but was an upgrade to pneumatic rear tires.

I made those upgrades 6 months ago. Current upgrades in progress this week are battery upgrades to both scooters and a tire diameter upgrade to 10.25" rear tires on the EX.

I couldn't find a mobility scooter forum that is active. The closest I have found is this power wheelchair forum and a golf cart forum.
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby YellowBuzzaroundEX » 27 Mar 2019, 07:19

I hope to learn things from you guys that I can apply to my scooters. Maybe share a few of my tricks to, such as how to upgrade EX/Zest-Plus and XLS-HD/Zest to pneumatic tires no matter where you live. (Pneumatic tires for Buzzaround not sold in USA, but can buy online from England). Also I'd like to share my methods for how to put good horns on a scooter or chair.

P.S. - up till now, my best sources for scooter size batteries upgrade info to build a performance scooter have been floor scrubber experts and forums, which are similar in performance demands to an upgraded mobility scooter, IMO.
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby Burgerman » 27 Mar 2019, 07:20

One question. Many of those things you describe are car related, as in 12V. I really hope you have not connected those to ONE battery?

Also if you want to go lithium with around 4 to 5 times the range you are in the right place. Been doing this for nearly a decade here. Tyres SHOULD be simple.
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby YellowBuzzaroundEX » 27 Mar 2019, 21:34

Each accessory (lights, horns) has its own built-in tiny lithium battery at appropriate voltage for that accessory. Bought each bicycle accessory "off the shelf" with its lithium battery included. I charge each accessory 2 or 3 times a year using USB cable.

My scooter still uses the 2 stock 12V 35AH U1 lead AGM batteries that it came with.

I would love to learn how to do a good quality, affordable, lithium battery upgrade. When I looked into this yesterday, it was very expensive ($600 each battery) for drop-in plug-and-play 35AH U1 smart lithium batteries. How are you able to afford lithium?
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby YellowBuzzaroundEX » 27 Mar 2019, 21:48

If I didn't buy smart U1 lithium that are drop-in plug-n-play, it'd be a lot cheaper (I assume?) to buy dumb lithium and setup my own computer management system? But I don't have the skills or knowlege to do that.

Also, lithium iron oxide or lithium ion? Which is better, safer, more affordable?
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby Burgerman » 27 Mar 2019, 21:57

DONT buy them they wont work, will cost a fortune. And even if they did you will gain little.

Where to begin...

Read the posts on the forum. Esp the pinned lithium thread at the top.
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby YellowBuzzaroundEX » 28 Mar 2019, 05:32

P.S. - tires should be easy topic, but not easy in USA for the very few medium size scooters that are potentially good for indoor, outdoor, and travel. Why? In USA there are small indoor only scooters and huge outdoor only scooters. There are only two medium size scooters (that I know of) with suspension that easily disassemble to fit into a car trunk, which are the two I have, but in USA those scooters (and all small and med size scooters) have solid or foam filled tires that ride to rough for outdoor use.

US Gov health insurance does not want pneumatic tires on scooters because they don't want to pay for fixing flats. So in USA the scooter companies offer no pneumatic tires for scooters, except those huge outdoor only scooters. Even private pay people who buy their own scooters can't get pneumatic tires for their small or medium size scooters in USA. banghead

My solution was two things. I was lucky that I chose scooters that are popular in USA and UK. Then I found out that pneumatic tires (and more importantly, wheels to put them on) were available in UK where there's more scooter love. Next (hardest part) I found a UK TGA scooter and parts dealer willing to sell and ship to USA for reasonable price. Problem solved. cheers

People in UK have easier access to scooter upgrades like wheels that can take pneumatic tires. These things are unavailable in USA, but I now have them from England! Hooray!
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby YellowBuzzaroundEX » 28 Mar 2019, 05:43

I will read your lithium posts section. Thanks
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Re: Hi from Longview WA, USA

Postby Burgerman » 28 Mar 2019, 10:57

Yourealise that scooter manufacturers dont make tyres right? Tyres exist in many sizes, and are available on both sides of the atlantic. The scooter manufacturer just chooses a size they want to use. And often a wheel.

What size are your tyres, marked on the sidewall?
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