Hi all, I was just going to start a thread about the Quantum Q6 Edge 2.0 chair when I came across this one. I really don't mean to thread jack but I thought I'd asks some questions regarding the same chair. This thread and most of it's posts are rather old so I'm hoping that maybe some things will have changed over the last couple of years, for the better. I hope. If this SHOULD be it's own thread, my apologies, please feel free to move it. I also apologize in advance the length. I'm under the gun for time in getting some answers to some concerns before an order is placed for a chair so I'm trying to get in everything I can. Again, sorry.
I'm in a situation where I can't really try out or demo several chairs. I've used a manual chair all my life up until recently. My first power chair was an OLD Invacare..."Torque" I think was the brand and model. I received the chair free from a friend who was injured and who's needs changed rather quickly. He needed a new chair better suited to him (I think the one he got was used) so he just gave me the old chair as he was getting a new one.
Unfortunately, I'm not going the option to try out several chairs and demo them. I'm going to get stuck with whatever chair is deemed appropriate from the wheelchair "fitting and evaluation" I went to a while back. It looks like that chair is going to be the Quatum Q6 Edge 2.0 with the Q-Logic 3 EX Controller and Q-Logic 3 EX Joystick. My main concerns about this chair from when I first started looking at the specs were the batteries (22NF ONLY Option). This is the first chair I'm going to be getting Power Tilt/Power Recline and possibly the iLevel seat elevator. I'm normally very active outdoors and always ran into range issues on the former power chair I had. That chair didn't have power seating options so I can only imagine having those seating options (power recline and tilt and possibly iLevel seat elevation) are are going to severely cut into my range with the small 22NF batteries on this chair. I'm also VERY concerned about the programming issues with this chair. Sorry for the background but this leads to my questions/concerns. There IS a programmer which is available on the PDF order form for the chair that is listed as "Q-Logic EX/NE Programmer .... $545 Part: ELEASMB6976" . Because I've made a major issue out of my need to be able to have control of programming the chair, the rep I'm working with who's recommending and ordering the chair for me has agreed to let me purchase the programmer out of pocket. My concern now though after hearing that there are potentially TWO different programmers is, is this particular programmer (on the chair order form) a programmer that will allow me to program "ALL" functions of the chair (an OEM programmer as someone called it) or is it going to a be programmer that is only going to allow me access to a few basic options? Does anyone know for sure about this programmer on the order form (Part: ELEASMB6796) and what level of programming it allows ?
Also, what about programmers available on Ebay? I ran across one and when I questioned the Ebay seller about it he said he had programmed a Quantum Q6 Edge chair. Would the same programmer work on the Q6 Edge "2.0" as well OR does the version "2.0" chair require yet a different programmer? Also, how would I know if it was an "OEM" programmer vs this dreaded "dealer level" programmer I've heard mention of?? One of the programmers I've seen on Ebay was a Q-Logic CTLDC 1609. Does anyone have any information on that particular programmer and whether it would in fact program the Quantum Q6 Edge 2.0 and at what level, OEM or just some basic functions?
There is also another programming option/item listed on the order form for the Quantum Q6 Edge 2.0 and it is listed as: "Q-Logic PC Programming Disk with Cable... $750
Part: ELEASMB5216. Now, I know there is SOME level of programming/setup that can be done via a windows device "laptop, etc" paired with the controller/joystick via Bluetooth. The connection or pairing is shown in this Youtube video below. However, they don't go into any real depth on the software or programming that can be done via this method. They really just show how to PAIR the Windows device with the Joystick Controller. I'm wondering if the "software" being used in the video is this "programming disk with cable for $750" mentioned above from the order form for the chair? I wondering if the programming software is on the disk and the cable mentioned is perhaps for another model of chair that does't have Bluetooth connectivity like the Q6 Edge 2.0 with the Prologic 3 joystick/Controller. Does anyone know or have any info on it...again, level of programming, etc
Bluetooth Programming/Pairing Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISpo1XHFkowI've also mentioned my concern for Mid-Drive chairs and the horrible "rocking" back and forth when you top or start. I noticed this on a brief chance I had to try out a mid-drive chair many years ago. I was told by a current rep that the suspension had been completely revised over the years and is MUCH better now. Is this NOT the case? Also, In the past MANY year ago I ALWAYS used gray tires on my manual chairs. One day when I was very young my father had found and purchased BLACK rubber tires for my chair because they were considerably cheaper than the gray tires he'd always been buying (and I went through tires like CRAZY. We found out very quickly that the black tires left black marks EVERYWHERE. When I saw that the Q6 Edge 2.0 ONLY came with BLACK tires and Gray tires were not even an option I questioned the rep about this. I was told that the problem of black tires leaving marks on all kinds of flooring surfaces was no longer an issue. He said the materials used today in the black rubber tires no longer leave marks on flooring surfaces like they used to. IS THIS TRUE? I'd hate to get a chair with black tires and find out nothing had changed and they still leave marks everywhere.
So I guess in conclusion, I'm most concerned about battery range. I know there is no option for larger Group 24 batteries, etc. I'm just starting to look into it but does anyone know of anyone putting out a turnkey Lithium based battery replacement option. Also, and I'm sure I'll find the info on this in my digging but does a power chair's controller/circuitry etc, CARE that you've switched to a Lithium based battery chemistry as long a the voltage is 24 Volts or whatever is required. Would you loose chair's/controller's ability to register the battery status or does it simply check for voltage to estimate how much battery/range you have left. Or is there some reprogramming you'd have to do to the controller to make thing work with a Lithium based battery system. I've done a little reading on the Lithium based chair built by our host here and am severely, severely envious and would KILL to get the kind or range capable out of Lithium batteries.
I'm sorry this so long. I'm trying to cover so many bases so quickly as I don't have a lot of time before decision get made and I'm locked into a chair. I want to address as many issues as I can with this rep I'm dedaling with an potentially get him to see that perhaps this isn't the best chair for me if that in fact turns out to be the case. Also, any other suggestions on other potential chairs that might be a better option. Keep in mind I'm in the states if that limits the potential choices, etc. Thank you in advance for ANY thoughts, ideas, suggestions you might have on any of the topics I've mentioned or on others I may not have touched on that you think I should consider. I apologize in advance again if this is in the wrong spot as I don't mean to threadjack. I also apologize for the extreme length, any typos, horrible grammatical errors, missing words, etc, etc, as it's about 3:30 AM and I'm extremely tired and my desire to proofread this before sending and getting some sleep appear to be at odds with one another.
-Soulrider