Battery replacement, Brampton and the GTA
Your scooter stopped. Usually it is the batteries.
We replace batteries in mobility scooters, power wheelchairs, stairlifts, patient lifts and hospital beds. We test the pack and the charger before selling you anything, because roughly one call in five turns out to be the charger and not the battery at all.
Bring one of these and we can match it on the spot
- The old battery itself
- A photo of the label on top of it
- The make and model of the machine
- The whole scooter or chair, if it is easier
Is it the battery?
Eight signs a mobility battery is finished
A sealed lead acid battery lasts roughly 12 to 18 months of daily use, or about 300 to 500 full charge cycles. It rarely dies all at once. These are the signs it is on the way out, in the order people usually notice them.
The range dropped
You used to get to the shops and back on one charge and now you do not. This is the first and most reliable sign.
It drains overnight
Charged full at bedtime, low by morning without being used. The pack is no longer holding what you put in.
Charging takes far longer
A charge that used to take eight hours now takes twelve or more, or the charger light never turns green.
It struggles on slopes
Ramps and driveways that were never a problem now slow it right down, even on a full charge.
Power cuts out
Sudden drops in speed, jerky movement, or the machine stopping without warning and then restarting.
The gauge lies
Full on the meter, then straight to empty a few minutes later. The pack cannot report a charge it does not hold.
Crust on the terminals
White, green or blue powder around the posts. Stop using it and call us. Do not scrape it off yourself.
Swelling, heat or a smell
A bulging case, a battery hot to the touch, or a sharp chemical smell while charging. Unplug it and call us the same day.
Before you buy anything
Battery, or charger?
These fail in different ways and the symptoms overlap. A new pair of batteries on a dead charger will be flat again within a week, so it is worth ten minutes to tell them apart. We test both, free, whether you buy from us or not.
Points to the batteries
- The charger light does turn green, but the range is still short
- Performance has faded gradually over weeks or months
- The machine is 18 months or more past its last battery change
- It works fine for the first few minutes, then fades
- Both batteries read below about 12.4 volts at rest
Points to the charger or wiring
- No charger light at all, or it never changes colour
- The failure was sudden rather than gradual
- The charger buzzes, gets very hot, or smells
- A frayed lead, a bent pin, or a loose socket on the machine
- New batteries went flat within days
What we replace
Batteries for every machine we sell and service
Prices below are per battery unless the line says set. Scooters and power wheelchairs take a matched pair, so budget for two. To browse and buy without the service, see our full battery range.
Mobility scooters
Group U1, 22NF and 24 in AGM, gel and deep cycle. Fitted in matched pairs.
From $84.50 each
Power wheelchairs
Deep cycle packs sized to the chair, not the cheapest thing that fits the tray.
From $85.00 each
Stairlifts
Small sealed cells that live in the carriage. Handicare, Savaria, Access and Acorn.
From $52.50
Patient lifts and beds
Hoyer, Joerns, Span America and Handicare packs, plus bed battery backups.
Quoted by modelFinding the right one
The group size is written on the battery
Mobility batteries are sold by group size, not by machine brand. Read the label on top of the old battery and you have most of the answer. If you cannot get to it, send us a photo and we will identify it.
| Group size | Typical capacity | Usually found in | Fitted as |
|---|---|---|---|
| U1 | 31 to 35 Ah | Compact and travel scooters, smaller power chairs | Matched pair |
| 22NF | 50 to 55 Ah | Mid size scooters, most full size power chairs | Matched pair |
| Group 24 | 75 to 80 Ah | Full size and heavy duty scooters, bariatric chairs | Matched pair |
| Small sealed | 2.6 to 9 Ah | Stairlifts, and backup packs in hospital beds | Set of two |
How it works
Three ways to get it done
Bring it to Brampton
Come to Unit 7, 15 Fisherman Drive with the machine or just the old battery. We test, match and fit while you wait, and most people leave inside half an hour.
We come to you
For stairlifts, ceiling lifts and anything too heavy to move, our technician comes out across the GTA. Stairlift batteries are changed in place in a single visit.
Order the pair and fit them yourself
If you are comfortable with a spanner, order the matched pair from us and we will tell you the polarity and torque. Bring the old ones back and we recycle them free.
Two things that surprise people
Batteries are replaced in pairs, never one at a time. A new battery paired with a tired one is dragged down to the weaker of the two within weeks, so you pay twice and get a fraction of the life. If a shop offers to sell you a single, ask why.
ADP does not fund batteries. Ontario's Assistive Devices Program pays toward the device itself, not consumables, and batteries count as consumables. We will tell you honestly rather than start an application that cannot succeed. Some other programs do help, and our funding page sets out which.
What you get either way
Both batteries and the charger tested before we quote. A matched pair from the same batch, not two singles off different shelves. Terminals cleaned and torqued properly. The old set taken away and recycled at no charge, because sealed lead acid must not go in household waste.
If the test shows the batteries are fine and the fault is elsewhere, we will say so and you will not have bought a pair you did not need.
Questions we get on the phone
Battery replacement, answered
How long should a mobility scooter battery last?
Around 12 to 18 months with daily use, or roughly 300 to 500 full charge cycles for a sealed lead acid battery. Light users often get two years or more. What shortens it most is leaving the machine flat for weeks, storing it somewhere cold, or topping it up with the wrong charger.
Do I have to replace both batteries?
Yes, on any machine that takes a pair. The two batteries charge and discharge as one circuit, so a new battery wired to a worn one is pulled down to the weaker of the pair within a few weeks. Replacing both is the cheaper outcome even though it looks like the dearer one on the day.
What does a replacement cost?
Stairlift battery sets start at $52.50. Scooter and power wheelchair batteries start at $84.50 each and rise with capacity, so a mid size scooter taking a 22NF pair is the most common job we do. We quote the exact figure once we know the group size, and there is nothing added afterwards.
Is it the battery or the charger?
If the charger light still turns green and the range has faded gradually, it is almost always the batteries. If the light never changes, the failure was sudden, or a new pair went flat within days, suspect the charger or the wiring. We test both free before selling you anything.
Can you come to the house?
Yes. Stairlifts, ceiling lifts, hospital beds and anything too heavy to load go on our service round across Brampton, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Toronto and the rest of the GTA. Scooters and wheelchairs are usually quicker and cheaper if you can bring them to Brampton, but we will come out if you cannot.
How do I know which battery I need?
Read the label on top of the old one. You are looking for a group size such as U1, 22NF or 24, and an amp hour figure such as 35Ah or 55Ah. Photograph the label and send it to us and we will confirm it. Failing that, tell us the make and model of the machine.
What is the difference between AGM, gel and lithium?
AGM is the common sealed lead acid type, the cheapest to buy and fine for most users. Gel handles deep discharge and cold better and lasts longer if the machine gets heavy daily use, at a higher price. Lithium is much lighter and charges faster, but only where the machine and its charger were designed for it. Do not fit lithium to a charger built for lead acid.
Will ADP or my insurance pay for it?
ADP does not cover batteries. It funds the device, and batteries are treated as a consumable like tires. Some private plans, WSIB claims and veterans' benefits do cover them, and if you are on a funded rental the batteries are usually ours to replace. Ask us and we will tell you which applies to your situation.
What do I do with the old batteries?
Bring them to us and we recycle them at no charge. Sealed lead acid batteries must not go in household waste or the blue bin, and they are worth recycling properly. We take the old set away as part of any replacement we fit.
My stairlift is beeping. Is that the battery?
Usually, yes. Most stairlifts beep or flash when the carriage is not making contact with its charge points, or when the small sealed batteries in the carriage are exhausted. First check the lift is parked properly at a charge point. If it still beeps after a few hours parked, the batteries are the likely cause and they are a quick change.
Book it
Tell us what stopped working
Send this and we will come back with the group size you need and the price, usually the same business day. If it is urgent, calling is faster than any form.