Robert’s Rules for Keeping Your Chair Healthy and Happy

by Bill Greenberg

For 18 years, Robert Davis was a highly regarded durable medical equipment dealer in Georgia. Working with Atlanta-based American Rehab, Davis has seen, sold, fitted, adjusted or fixed just about any model or brand of wheelchair you could imagine.

He even wrote a regular column for his customers, titled “Robert’s Rules,” featuring tips for keeping one’s wheelchair alive and in good working order.

“People used to call and ask for ‘Robert Rule,’” he laughs.

Since 2000, Davis has been head of technical support for wheelchair manufacturer Permobil in Nashville. But he still considers his real employer to be the end user — the person who relies on the wheelchair for mobility.

“This job gives me an opportunity to still serve the industry, as well as talking with and training technicians,” Davis says. “But I do miss that contact with the end user. That’s why anytime a client comes here, I’m always the first one to volunteer.”

Nor has he forgotten his Atlanta-area friends and customers.

“I see a lot of chairs going out of here to my old clients,” he says proudly. “And I still get phone calls from Atlanta, from people that I worked with all those years.”

For the benefit of those who think of their wheelchairs as more than just “durable medical equipment,” here are some of “Robert’s Rules.”

Batteries

“Batteries are 99 percent of what goes wrong with a power wheelchair,” he says simply. “The battery voltage stays low, which puts a drain or a strain on the whole system. So the number-one rule is to always make sure you maintain proper battery voltage.”

These days, most power wheelchairs come with sealed, gel-cell batteries that require little or no effort beyond proper charging.

“The industry as a whole has gotten away from the old lead-acid batteries, but some people out there still use them,” he says. He recommends replacing those batteries with the safer gel-cell batteries.

Robert Davis consults a customer while repairing a wheelchair.

“Gel-cells cost a little bit more, but there’s no maintenance involved,” he advises. “It takes them longer to charge, because they charge at a slower amp rate. But there’s no maintenance and none of the dangers of spilling acid if the chair falls over or when you’re changing batteries.”

Acid isn’t the only thing you have to watch out for in the old-style batteries.

“You have to maintain water levels, because the lead-acid battery charges at a higher amp rate,” Davis warns. “Distilled water only. Stay away from tap water, because tap water has minerals. “And always charge in a well-vented room, because lead-acid batteries give off a particular smell when they charge.”

Wheels and Other Moving Parts

If your chair doesn’t have a set of the new, air-free tires, your next concern will be tire pressure.

“Make sure you keep the correct tire pressure, as recommended by the manufacturer,” Davis advises. “And if you have a belt-driven chair, make sure the belts stay tight. If you have a direct-drive chair, you don’t have to worry about that because it’s a direct drive from the motor to the wheel, and there’s no belt involved.

“And if you have a Permobil chair, all moving parts should be checked for tightness,” he adds.

Your best bet, according to Davis, is to establish a regular maintenance schedule with your local dealer.

“When I was a dealer in Atlanta, I’d put people on a regular maintenance schedule — every six months to a year — to ensure that anything going wrong can be checked and caught early,” he says. “For most dealers, for a minor checkup with no issues or parts, you’re looking at 15-20-30 minutes. They’ll go over the chair, check this and tighten that, just to ensure the proper safety.”

Davis is also savvy enough to know who’s taken the time to read the owner’s manual and who hasn’t.

“Read the owner’s manual thoroughly from front to back, before even operating the chair,” he admonishes. “I know that sometimes, with the life that we live in, we get so excited when we get something new, we say, ‘you just tell me how it works and I’ll take it from there.’

“But if people would follow those instructions, those are the things that will ensure the longevity of the equipment.”

Robert’s Dos and Don’ts

Protect your chair’s electrical systems from fluids.

“Electronics do not like water, so any liquids need to be cleaned up immediately. Don’t let it linger, because if it gets into the electronics there’s a potential problem.

“And don’t wash the chair down with a hose (I’ve had people do that!). Spray cleaning solution into a soft rag in your hand — then wipe the chair. Never spray water or cleaning solvents directly on the chair.

“Also, I always told my clients to keep one of those plastic supermarket shopping bags under their seat. Then, if it rains you can just wrap that around the joystick loosely and the rain won’t get into your joystick or other electronic functions.”

Allow others to ride on the back of your chair.

“This is especially for the high school kids. They’ll be motoring along and their friends will want to hop on the back and ride. That puts pressure on the back that can crack the back shell, or it can put undue pressure on the rear tires.

“The chair is set up so that it sits with all four wheels flat on the ground evenly. You start adding extra weight, you’re asking for problems.”

Watch your joystick controls when approaching tables.

“Be sure that you approach carefully so you don’t damage the joystick control. If you have one that has a swing-away or retractable joystick, use it. I’ve seen a lot of people who misjudge their distance and before they know it, they hit the joystick and damage it.”

Do stairs, or curbs.

“I’ve had people take a power chair and go downstairs. Even if it’s only three or four steps, it’s not good for the chair.”

Turn off your chair when it’s not in use or you’re sitting still.

“That’s to keep someone from reaching over to shake your hand or give you a hug, and accidentally hitting the joystick and the chair runs forward or backs up and hits something — or someone.”

Leave your chair outside.

“Never. I’ve had people store their chairs in the breezeway of an apartment complex, under the stairs. Moisture can build up in the electronics. When it’s not being used, the chair should always be kept in a clean, dry place — never outside.”

Try to fix the electronics yourself.

“You can make things worse. That should be done by trained, authorized reps. Also, most manufacturers offer 12- to 18-month warranties (Permobil has a full two-year warranty), but if you try to fix electronics yourself, you risk voiding the warranty.”

And above all…

Ignore bumps and glitches in your chair’s performance, hoping problems will take care of themselves.

“If you feel something, or if the chair just doesn’t seem right, don’t wait. Get yourself into your local dealer and have it looked at. Because a small problem can turn out to be a costly problem, if you don’t take care of it right away. The worst thing you can do is wait.

“And if you run into something — even if you just bend a footrest — you can cause a stress fracture. Then, the next time you hit it on something, it snaps off, and it’s always at an inconvenient time for you.”

Is there such a thing as a convenient time for a person’s wheelchair to break down?

“No, never,” Davis asserts.

Safety First

Davis’ experienced eye can tell at a glance how reliable your chair will be and how long it will last, based on how well you take care of it.

“Safety is always first, and then the rest of it will take care of itself,” he recommends. “If anything feels loose, or it just doesn’t seem like it was from the beginning, then it’s time to get it looked at.

“But if you keep to a basic maintenance schedule, worked out with your local dealer, the chair should be fine. Remember, you can save more money by keeping on a regular maintenance schedule than without it.”