Invacare's Gears

[martin007]

Hi!

Sunrise Medical and Invacare are the two main manufacturers of powerchairs in Europe.
Both assemble components made by others.

I know several people who have had problems with the gears on their invacare powerchairs.
I haven't news of Sunrise Medical powerchairs with gear problems.

The gears of the Invacare powerchairs are just as reliable as those of Sunrise powerchairs?

[Burgerman]

Pretty much. Theres around a dozen motor manufacturers. In my room I have 3 sunrise chairs. I have EMD, AMT, Linix, motors. So when you look at invacare its likely a similar picture. So the brand of chair is unimportand and the brand of motor more so.

Of these 3 sunrise powerchairs in my room, one is 8.5mph so these are less reliable due to higher loading greater currents. The 6mph 4 pole linix ones made in china are among the most reliable in the industry according to sunrise, and are found on many brands of chair. And the EMD ones are super strong, but I have a pile of dead ones because I abused them! So it depends!

So its not really about chair brands but the actual motor spec and the end users/programming settings etc. Any motor used hard dies faster. So a 4 pole HD 4mph motor will definitely live longer than a 8.5 mph motor on a heavy rehab chair.

[martin007]

I don't talking about engines.
I mean gears in the gearbox.

[Burgerman]

So do I.

But since they come as a unit, then the differece doesent matter. They are bought complete and wear out as a unit.

[martin007]

OK.
I understand.

Thanks.

[martin007]

I have Fracmo motors.
They are good.

[steves1977uk]

Fracmo motors are from the 80s. I still have a brown coloured set. Never seen them in a 4-pole configuration.

Steve

[Burgerman]

They do make some 4 pole ones. But pretty weedy.