Ooh - its a bit like Christmas!

[SusieG]

Hi,

Well my new mobility scooter ordered on Friday (The new 2012 Pride Colt Sport) arrived yesterday! Hubby put it together last night and it's currently on charge! I can't wait to test it out! We upgraded the batteries to 2 x 45AH instead of the standard 2 x 30AH. Every little helps!

After much research I also ordered a TravelScoot yesterday from Germany, so it's a bit like Christmas at our house at the moment and I feel really excited and spoilt! The TravelScoot should arrive in 3 - 5 days and I'm so looking forward to using this ingenious little scooter.

I will keep you posted on how I get on with both scooters!

Sue

[SusieG]

I guess nobody's really that intetested then?

Aw well, you miserable and unfriendly lot! Never mind - my exuberance hasn't waned yet and I'm still feeling just as hyper and if anyone ever does want my opinion on either of these 2 scooters, they only have to ask!

For anyone who might just have an inkling of interest - I drove my new Pride Colt 8 miles yesterday (never dared go that far on my Pride GO Go!) I took it up some hilly areas and I was well impressed. I think I might go a bit further today as I'm keen to know what it's range is. I'm not expecting It to go as far as the range the manual quotes its capable of because I'm only slightly under it's max weight limit but I'm curious to know just how far it will travel before it starts losing its oomph!

The TravelScoot's not been delivered yet though - so I'm hoping it arrives before the weekend. We're off to visit our youngest daughter in Leeds and I'd love to test it out around the Leeds city centre shops!

Right, the sun is shining and I'm keen to get off out again - so have a nice day everyone!

Sue

[Burgerman]

You realise that running it till it slows to find out range is quite harmful to its batteries?

You get just 10s of completely dischaged cycles. This is the fastest way to ruin your batteries. (till it stops)
You get 300 to 450 cycles at 80 percent dicharged.
You get maybe 800 to a 1000 at 50 percent discharged.
You get many, many more, at less than this.

And that batteries take a few moderate cycles (approx 6 to 10) of reasonably normal use to "form" the plates correctly. After this initial few cycles they will give the best range they can. And this will then deteriorate gradually over the life of the batteries. Which will not be very long if you deplete them completely. Aim for around 70 percent max. Charge as often as sensibly possible, like as you eat, or while you are not using it for a bit. And always FULLY over night, leaving it as long as possible plugged in even if it says its already done. Because it hasnt!

[SusieG]

Hi Burgernan,

Thank you for your help and I appreciate the advice given.

Can you advise me the best way to gauge how far the batteries have discharged? There's no battery meter - only the green, amber and red LED battery level indicator dial on the control panel. Yesterday, the green lights had dropped 2 levels and going up a bit of an incline after driving for aporox 7 miles, it did hit the first amber light for a few seconds during the climb.

It is an 8mph scooter, which I've never used before, as my previous scooters have always been 4mph pavement ones and I did wonder if I was supposed to approach an incline at full 8mph speed?

Thanks again.

Sue

[Burgerman]

Thats very difficult to do.

Forget lights.

The ONLY true way to know the state of charge is open circuit voltage, the exact battery manufacturers chart, the exact temperature, and at least a 24 hour wait after disconnection before you measure it.

I can tell you if it starts to slow, in any real way other than a few percent, you well over did it!

Another way is to cound the Ah back in with a better charger. But then things are getting complicated. Your lights are at best a rough guide. One day they may seem to show its discharged a fair bit, another maybe not. Batteries are like women. Very difficult to read.