Motorized desk

[mmcguire]

Hello I am a middle school technology education teacher working with some of my students to build an electric powered desk from an electric wheelchair. I am using a merits wheelchair which we have began disassembling and so far I am amazed as to how closely it fits to the proportions of a the desk.
I am trying to find the best way to increase the speed of the wheelchair and also am in need of replacement batteries.

What is the best cheap source for wheelchair batteries?
I have done some researching on reprograming the wheelchairs but I haven't found much. Is there a way to reprogram the merits wheelchairs for better speed/handling?
Are there any larger wheels out there that match the bolt pattern (still need to pull one off and measure the bolts) or would I really need to make an adapter plate for something like this (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_1030_1030)?

Thanks for any help

-Matt

 

[rocketkart]

I would try ebay for the batteries and for the speed increase you will need a scooter power controller somthing like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/CS-36-5-36V...NEW-/251328398651?hash=item3a8457053b&vxp=mtr this will increase the power sent to the motor alot more you just need to know how to wire it up. you also need to check to see if there is a Gear Reduction of some sort on the rear end. yo woud be better off makeing a new rear axle with a drive sprocket on it so no Gear Reductions.

 

[OzFab]

The problem with that setup is, the faster you go, the worse the handling gets. Perhaps a better base would've been a mobility scooter; they're faster than the wheelchairs & have a full steering system built in.

Over here in Oz, there an Australian brand that are designed by a former go kart racing champ...

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Cool! Now- I know darn good and well that if I had a motorized desk way back when I was a student, two things would have occurred-

1)Speed, baby, speed
2)I'd be spending a fair bit more time in the Principal's office.

 

[mmcguire]

Does that power controller still work with the joystick control or a different controller would need to be made?

Been looking for awhile and the wheelchair was the best for the Price I could come up with.

Lucky for me the principal is aware of this project an all for it!