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Updated:  23-Sept-09

Welcome

1. POWERCHAIR ONLY:
Detailed Full PowerChair Related ONLY Menu HERE

2. VEHICLE ONLY:
Detailed Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles ONLY menu HERE

3. EVERYTHING ELSE:
Detailed Menu of Everything else HERE!


MY OWN VEHICLES:
Dodge Grand Caravan


VW Caravelle VR6

MY HOME BUILT ULTIMATE POWERCHAIRS:
My SLIGHTLY Modified Improved Powerchair

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

My VERY Modified Off Road & All terrain DO ALL Powerchair!
Part 1 | 2 | 3


MISCELLANEOUS POWERCHAIR RELATED:
What Goes Wrong Power Wheelchairs

Powerchair Tyres

Drive your Powerchair by Radio Control

Powerchairs & Range


Off Road DO ALL Indoor & Outdoor Powerchairs

Off Road ONLY Outdoor Powerchairs & 4x4
Page 1 | 2

Manual or Electric Wheelchair?

Why ALL Powerchairs NEED  to be Off Road Capable!

Choosing  a Suitable Powerchair

Wheelchair Width


BATTERY AND ELECTRICAL (POWERCHAIRS & SCOOTERS + MOTOR VEHICLES):
Batteries for Both Vans & Power Wheelchairs


Inverters & Chargers

Very flexible charger!


Charging Batteries

Fast Charge Your Power Wheelchair

Which batteries to buy


"DRIVE FROM A WHEELCHAIR" VEHICLES:
Dodge Grand Caravan 1

Dodge Grand Caravan 2
Dodge Grand Caravan 3
Dodge Grand Caravan 4

Latest 2008 2009 2010 Disabled Converted Dodge Chrysler And Voyager Minivans
 
Chrysler Voyager Entervan Diesel

Suzuki Wagon R

More Here

Mercedes Vito - soon!
Kia Sedona - soon!


INSURANCE:
Modified Disabled Vehicle Insurance

Breakdown Cover

USED VEHICLES & OTHER EQUIPMENT:
Disabled Adapted Cars

WHEELCHAIR TRANSPORT
& DRIVE BY TRANSFERRING:


VW Caravelle

Dodge Grand Caravan can be used to transport up to 4 Wheelchair Seated Occupants

Fiat Doblo

Renault Kangoo - soon!
Citroen Berlingo
- soon!
Citroen Dispatch
- soon!
Kia Sedona
- soon!
Volkswagen Sharan
Mercedes Vaneos
Toyota Hiace
Fiat Multiplas
(Wheelchair
passenger travels in the front)

Kangoo ASSIST
(wheelchair
passenger transfers & drives)


ESSENTIAL DISABLED
EQUIPMENT STUFF:

Understanding


Grabbers

Puncture proof tyres

Run Flat tyres

Tyre Weld Aerosol

Fuses!
>

Spare Key


Wheelchair Ramps

Small Generator

Tools!


VEHICLE ADAPTATIONS:
Control Systems etc
Hand Controls Manual
Hand Controls Electronic
Van / Car Door openers
Van / Car Wheelchair Tie Downs

 


OTHER STUFF:
Used Disabled Equipment for sale

How to lose weight  FAST!

Email about modifying powerchairs

Keep it looking new 1 2

My Accident!


Climate Change

Electric Cars are a Joke!

Disclaimer & About Me

Site Map

Contact

Links

John Williamson


Fuses, Breakers and Trip Switches!

As a wheelchair (power wheelchair) user, and as a disabled vehicle driver, I am always worried about Fuses and trip switches leaving me stuck!  And rightly so. Its our DUTY to know where all the important fuses are on both our power wheelchairs and on our specialist modified vehicles and to have spares with us! 

Its already happened on one occasion in a local supermarket car park that the fuse that supplies the ramp on my Rollx Van failed and the ramp would not go up!  Fortunately I not only had a replacement ready on board, but recognised the symptoms instantly because I actually like to be prepared. I read the book! 

automotive fusesThat's because although there are about 4 different fuses in several different locations on board this particular conversion that effect the ramp they all do different things and have different effects.

One for example provides power for the suspension lowering motor, one more for the power doors, one for the computer in the rear that co-ordinates all of this stuff as well as one more for the power just to the ramp on my own Van

Because all of this stuff above and several ramp/door position sensors all get coordinated and controlled by the computer in the rear/boot any of them could cause the ramp to fail as the little Rollx computer in there sees a "fault".

But by removing one fuse at a time, well before they actually fail, I learned what each does and its consequences.

It gave me the chance to know where they all were located and to obtain a bunch of replacements for the hypothetical day that I was stranded in some strange wet town at 4am and unable to get in or out of my vehicle (or get home).  All disabled adaptations are different so learn about yours!

But more than just the extra fuses you need for getting your doors , ramps, wheelchair tie-downs, and suspension lowering operational, you also need to have spares for your vehicles normal electrics too!

Open the fuse box lid, make a note of what fuses are there and the sizes (amps). Get a replacement or two for every size and type in there. Check manual or workshop manual as there are often more hidden away in various places. 

But don't go to mad! If there are 10x "25 amp" fuses say, then you only need a couple. They wont all blow at once. Seriously though, rather than be stranded get enough fuses to replace anything that can blow and leave you stuck! Ignition, lights at the very least.

Don't forget fuses for any chargers you use while out and about either.

Much like ramps and other disability related electrical items these are often strange hard to find items. Have them with you as spares BEFORE you need to go looking for them!

blade type car fuse

And don't forget the great big one in your actual power wheelchair!

These are normally hard to spot but are often part of the battery cables. The one in my power wheelchairs certainly is!

Its a 150 or 200 amp one that is bolted into the battery cable. It does not look like the fuse opposite. There is an image below of a battery and its shown there. 

fuseI leave a spare one in the battery tray taped to the cables just in case.  Some powerchairs use a resettable "trip" switch instead. Although I haven't seen one in years.

Get to know where this is too if you have one!  There's a picture of it on the battery below...

The above three sections should keep you mobile and able to get into and out of your vehicle.

Don't forget to also keep your mobile phone and the number of friends and the AA (AAA) or other breakdown service with you at all times as well!

As usual, knowledge, some spares and a little previous preparation can save you no end of cold, expense and grief!

electrical fuse

The next time you get chance gather all the books relating to your various adaptations or vehicle and powerchair and study them!

Get replacement fuses for everything, including such things as mobile or fast powerchair chargers and put them with those books and manuals into your vehicle ready for the cold wet day you WILL need them.

Add a list of notes/numbers/any tools and other stuff that will help.

Burgerman

A photo of a battery with its fuse from my powerchair to show what that looks like is below.


Battery fuse on a powerchair bigger | Battery Fuse electric wheelchair huge!

See the bulge on the red cable? The one covered by a bit of heat shrink cable? That's the fuse or breaker... In this case its easier to just order a new battery cable from the manufacturer. I have a spare in my battery box just in case because you never know!

Related Pages

Charge a Powerchair directly from a vehicle. via the same Anderson connectors

Anderson Style connectors and why you need them

Fast Charge YOUR Powerchair in Around 1 Hour

Inverters & Chargers

Batteries for Both Vans & Power Wheelchairs

Which Batteries to Buy

Very Flexible Charger!

Fuses!

Lithium Ion Batteries for Powerchairs and Scooters

My Power Wheelchair or Scooter Will Not Charge

BCI Battery Sizes, Group 22, 24, 34, 27 etc

Drive Your Powerchair by Radio Control

A Superior Powerchair overnight charger

Battery Planning How to organise yourself for every eventuality!

 

MORE: Detailed PowerChair Only Menu

 

 

 

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