Chuckster
12-28-2008, 08:07 PM
Hello, all, and I hope this question is in the right forum.
I'm a "disabled vet" who's now in a wheelchair (not that big a deal, really, all things considered), but I need some advice on modding it (if that's possible). It's got a lot to do with the fact that the VA won't issue me an electric wheelchair and a dear friend gave me one...hence, I'd like to know if I can mod it to fit my needs, and I need some hand-holding to be able to do it right.
My chair is a Merits P321-1P C EZ-GO. It's specs are:
max.speed 6.4 kph / 4 mph
range 9.6 km / 6 mi.
weight capacity 300lb
motor DC24V, 90Wx2
controller P&G VSI 50A
battery 2x10 Amp
Battery weight 2x3.3kg(7.3lb)
Front wheel size 15.3cm (6") solid tire
Rear wheel size 20cm( 8") solid tire
Front frame with Battery 15.6kg / 34.3lbs
Rear frame with motor 14.6kg / 32.1lbs
Herein lay the problem: thanks to doggone steroids, I now weigh 425 lbs, and while I'm working on losing some weight to offset the drugs, the chair needs work faster than I do if I'm going to use it much longer. The poor thing's charge doesn't last me longer than a few hours of use, and less than that if I have to go up-hill for anything more than 15-30 feet.
Can anyone tell me how (if?) the chair can be modded to deal with my weight as well as extend the range by perhaps using a different battery(ies), and would this necessitate using different motors, or could it be a simple matter of a few wires, a different controller(?) and the aforementioned larger battery(ies)? Anything I haven't covered that might be necessary to achieve those ends?
Plug-and-play simplicity would be a requirement, as would affordability...after all, if it's going to cost too doggone much, it'd probably be better if I just tried to save up for a bigger chair instead - however long that may be. (I've tried trading my motorcycle - a Honda 650 - on Craigslist for a larger chair, but after 8 months I've had no offers...hey, how many people in a wheelchair also ride a bike, after all?)
Anyway, forgive my first post being so doggone long, but I've been trying to figure this out for some time after seeing shows on TV on people building / modding all sorts of stuff like this.
I'm a "disabled vet" who's now in a wheelchair (not that big a deal, really, all things considered), but I need some advice on modding it (if that's possible). It's got a lot to do with the fact that the VA won't issue me an electric wheelchair and a dear friend gave me one...hence, I'd like to know if I can mod it to fit my needs, and I need some hand-holding to be able to do it right.
My chair is a Merits P321-1P C EZ-GO. It's specs are:
max.speed 6.4 kph / 4 mph
range 9.6 km / 6 mi.
weight capacity 300lb
motor DC24V, 90Wx2
controller P&G VSI 50A
battery 2x10 Amp
Battery weight 2x3.3kg(7.3lb)
Front wheel size 15.3cm (6") solid tire
Rear wheel size 20cm( 8") solid tire
Front frame with Battery 15.6kg / 34.3lbs
Rear frame with motor 14.6kg / 32.1lbs
Herein lay the problem: thanks to doggone steroids, I now weigh 425 lbs, and while I'm working on losing some weight to offset the drugs, the chair needs work faster than I do if I'm going to use it much longer. The poor thing's charge doesn't last me longer than a few hours of use, and less than that if I have to go up-hill for anything more than 15-30 feet.
Can anyone tell me how (if?) the chair can be modded to deal with my weight as well as extend the range by perhaps using a different battery(ies), and would this necessitate using different motors, or could it be a simple matter of a few wires, a different controller(?) and the aforementioned larger battery(ies)? Anything I haven't covered that might be necessary to achieve those ends?
Plug-and-play simplicity would be a requirement, as would affordability...after all, if it's going to cost too doggone much, it'd probably be better if I just tried to save up for a bigger chair instead - however long that may be. (I've tried trading my motorcycle - a Honda 650 - on Craigslist for a larger chair, but after 8 months I've had no offers...hey, how many people in a wheelchair also ride a bike, after all?)
Anyway, forgive my first post being so doggone long, but I've been trying to figure this out for some time after seeing shows on TV on people building / modding all sorts of stuff like this.