Shower room done!

[Burgerman]

My shower room en-suite is no longer a shower room. Illiostomy meant showers were not very practical. So now bed baths...
Its just storage, hand basin for washing, teeth, etc and a toilet now.

Worktop height is ABOVE my control joystick. Basin overhangs the front. So easy to use.

But I kept a TAP (FAWCETT?) and a hose (on the right side), along with a floor with a drain. This is because every time I come home from our salt encrusted streets in winter after the pub and before bed, or after walking the dog on a muddy field I can simply rinse the powerchair with a powerful hose. This also allows a soft paintbrush/detergent or car wash/wax to be used for cleaning. Everyone with a powerchair needs this! I have been washing my chairs like this for 14 years. It makes light work.

[Phil Esgate]

Nice one - Mine is similar, but I have a shower in mine, as it is a shower room....lol - and I use it to do the same with my chair when it comes in with dog sh*t on the wheels... bloody peasants who don't clean it up after them...

[Burgerman]

Yep, but its the salt that slowly destroys your chair. I used to use the shower for this. Daily, when I first get in while its still all wet. Clean water doesent hurt your chair/motors.wiring but salt corrodes everything to death fast...

Have a hose pipe down the side of the house ready for dog crap/severe mud! Room kind of seems too big now without a shower! Just wasted space. The "florecent" light like all the rest of my house is actually not. Its LED and just 20 watts. Hundreds of warm white LEDs... Its not actually "yellow" as shown, thats because of the camera fill flash!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Tube-Ligh ... 27c0a8ce6e

I have these in kitchen, utility room, garage etc. Tons of light, dont need a warm up time, never fail, never go dim like florescents, and half the electricity of the florescents...

And use E27 LEDs everywhere else. Including outside. these are 10 watts. = to 100 watts... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E27-10W-166LE ... 43a7687550 used everywhere else!

[Phil Esgate]

I'm all for LED lighting - I've had all the kitchen halogens redone as LEDs and the same in our caravan. I'm toying with the idea of sorting out a full LED lighting system for my chair as I can't see any dog sh*t while I'm out in these dark evenings, and end up coming back home, only for Mary to say that she thinks my colo bag has burst! - So back out I go into the dark, down the ramp, up the drive to try and find the hose pipe to hose the chair off, in the dark I may add, as some drunken bafoon in my family has broken the outdoor light to the rear patio and not bothered to fix it for me! - Any ideas for a lighting system for this old beast please? The VR2 has a light socket I believe. -

I'm currently being reassessed by the WCS for a new PWC as my medics say that I have to tilt and recline at least, due to medical and neuro reasons - watch this space, as I've also applied for a Personal Budget Direct Payment for this very reason, which I know you have piloted in your County.

[nandol]

This also allows a soft paintbrush/detergent or car wash/wax to be used for cleaning. Everyone with a powerchair needs this! I have been washing my chairs like this for 14 years. It makes light work.

Epá...!! John,cool "washing machine" spacious enough for several "she" carers...enjoy it the best you can.
now,tell me...above do you mean ,shower a chair like a car shower ?

obrigado

[Phil Esgate]

No - simply direct the hosepipe or shower head at the specific area that has crap on it. Particularly in the tread of the tyres...

Obrigado

[Burgerman]

I do the whole chair, other than controller, and the seat cushion which I take off.

[nandol]

John,what controller do you mean,the main(that black box under the seat) or the pod controller?

obrigado

[Burgerman]

both. dont spray water on them. The joystick may be ok, but dont risk it.

[mgwmgw]

From personal observation, driving a power chair into a swimming pool is not good for the controller.



Mary-Anne

[Burgerman]

Well thats going a bit too far.

But getting them soaked in rain, a bit of overspray when washing etc isnt usually a problem though.

[ex-Gooserider]

Looks nice, and now that it's done, perhaps you can get back to putting the BM-3 together...

ex-Gooserider

[Burgerman]

Yes. But the bedroom/workshop is now getting painted/recarpeted etc...

Soon! I already have all the bits in a big box, powder coated etc, all ready to just screw together. The only complicated bit left is figuring outb the roboteq analog joystick and loom/brakes etc...

[Phil Esgate]

Hurry up with it - I can't wait to see how it goes

[Burgerman]

I have sat in it with tempory wiring, and no joystick and driven it by Radio Control before pulling apart for powder coating and proper bolts/wheels etc. Its a lot faster than I expected! 15MPH feels about 4x faster than 6...
Not just speed but "go" as in acceleration when you decide... And it really whines when going fast.

[Phil Esgate]

I can't imagine what 15MPH will feel like in a chair - It must be quite exhilerating and gets the adrenalin flowing. Did you see the video of the dude going downhill in a wheelchair and ends up rear ending a carM - make sure that's not you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg2QM15L ... re=related

[Burgerman]

It feels surprisingly "normal" as it happens. As long as the road is flat/smooth. Like say car parks (did that), crossing busy junctions. (not that I did that!).

Anywhere smooth like the length of my street. But its a short vehicle. Try it on an uneven pavement and it feels really fast! And bumpy...

The advantage is that you CAN go fast if you want in the right places. But you dont have to do so.

[popschief]

Sounds like we have a winner here. I tell folks it's an exciting time to be in a wheelchair.
bp

[Phil Esgate]

I may have to sell some "surplus to requirements" stuff on Ebay so as not to be dipping into "the pot". I am excited about all this development and can't wait to get stuck in once you have some sort of definitive final prduct, which I'm sure is nearly there now. I just feel so guilty that BM is doing all the hard work in R and D, then making the prototypes and finished product. I understand there is enjoyment in doing it and that the rewards are great and a bit of back patting goes a long way.

Back to the shower room - My wet room was designed by an architect who couldn't possibly have had any experience with powerchairs and paraplegics having to access their so called "designed for purpose" wetrooms. The door to get into the room opens inwards and blocks access to the toilet. OK, so I have both a Urostomy and a Colostomy (2 bags), but they do need to be emptied sometimes during the day - dugh!!! The door (inwards opening - extra wide of course) will not close once I am in the room, because I am in the way. So when I am being showered by my lovely carer (wife that is), the door has to be left open. Free entry to a freak show for any visitors who happen to be present! - I am waiting for the "fitters" to come (2 months as they forgot) and turn the whole frame and door so that it opens outwards so I can retain some dignity. - Oh and by the way - The word "wetroom" is very apt, as it never seems to get dry!