FAQ

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Why use the PowerTech Vent Power Center with your ventilator?
The PowerTech Vent Power Center was made to give the users an unparalleled level of freedom and independence in the course of their daily life. It enables ventilator users to unplug themselves from the wall and move about without having to worry about their ventilator’s battery life. The PowerTech Vent eliminates the need for the extra battery that is often used to power portable ventilators. This means no yearly replacement of the battery,  no need for the large vent tray, and much less weight overall on the chair.

What is the PowerTech Vent Power Center and how safe is it to use?
The PowerTech Vent Power Center is a DC-to-DC converter specifically designed to power a portable ventilator from a power wheelchair's batteries. The PowerTech Vent converts the power from the wheelchair’s batteries into safe, clean & stable electric power for your portable ventilator. Wheelchair batteries have an enormous capacity to store energy, however, most of this energy is unused, and therefore wasted. The PowerTech Vent allows you to tap into this vast store of DC power and allows you to power almost any portable ventilator available. This eliminates the need for those big space wasting batteries and extra battery packs or medical battery backpacks.

How do I know if my ventilator is supported?
Give us a call. Even if we don’t offer it already, we can quickly look into your ventilator type and see if it is compatible with the PowerTech Vent.

How will I know if a low power condition occurs?
An audible alarm will sound from the ventilator if a low power condition occurs. This will likely happen the moment you engage the joystick of your wheelchair. If so, it means the chair batteries need to be recharged.

What happens if my wheelchair batteries completely fail or a power loss occurs? In the unlikely event of a power failure, all quality ventilators have an emergency 1-hour battery backup reserve. So, if power were to ever fail, the ventilator will automatically switch over to its internal 1-hour reserve battery.

What happens if I am not anywhere near civilization and I lose battery power? We do not recommend using a ventilator away from a reliable source of electricity.

Why is it recommend that I keep my AC wall adapter with me at all times?We have done everything possible to ensure that the PowerTech Vent Power Center is manufactured from the highest quality electronic components. We think it’s the best policy to always keep the AC wall adapter emergency power supply with the user at all times. We also believe that the user should keep the 12Volt DC cigarette lighter adapter with them at all times. This 3-fold system will help eliminate and reduce any chance of a potential power
failure to the ventilator.

How quickly can I change from the PowerTech Vent Power Center to an alternate source of power in case of such an emergency? The patented quick disconnect cable system provides a method so cable swapping can be performed in less than 5 seconds without affecting ventilator operation.

How will using this product, save me money in battery costs? The PowerTech Vent Power Center eliminates the need for ventilator batteries and/or additional medical battery power packs. Therefore, the only batteries required are the wheelchair batteries.

What type of batteries will work best with the PowerTech Vent Power Center? Use the largest battery possible. Use large batteries such as Group 27's. Bigger batteries mean more run time for the chair and ventilator.

Is it a problem to mix batteries of different chemistries, brands or ages?
The answer is simple. Never Mix Battery Types! Mixing battery types in a device is not recommended and can significantly increase the potential for leakage and reduced performance. The biggest problem is an imbalance in available energy between the installed batteries. So, always practice smart battery care and replace used batteries with new, fresh batteries of the same brand.

When should I replace my wheelchair batteries?
All gel cell and Lead Acid Batteries should be replaced every year with or without the PowerTech Vent product. On average, deep cycle batteries get about 360 charges. After this, battery performance will deteriorate and the batteries will not hold a full charge. Great care/caution should be taken to keep a fresh set of batteries in a power wheelchair that is intended to operate a PowerTech Vent Power Center.

How long does it take to recharge my wheelchair batteries?
Charge your batteries overnight.

How long do batteries last powering my wheelchair and my ventilator?
All wheelchairs are not the same, nor are the users that drive them. The most critical factor is the rate at which a device consumes power. Other factors affecting overall battery performance are environmental conditions, device usage patterns (continuous or intermittent) and battery size/chemistry. Most PowerTech Vent users will be able to use the system all day. On average the power center will supply approximately 8hrs-10hrs of continuous use for both the chair & vent used simultaneously. Remember using larger wheelchair batteries means more run time for the chair and ventilator.

Are lead-acid & gel cell batteries considered hazardous waste?
Yes. In the United States and many other countries, lead acid batteries are classified as hazardous waste. So, be sure to take your old batteries to a recycling center in your area.

How should I dispose of batteries?
Most people will not have to worry about replacing their batteries. When your wheelchair goes in for its annual maintenance checkup, the old batteries are usually replaced with new ones. If you decide to have your chair batteries replaced, be sure to take your old batteries to one of the many battery-recycling centers located in your area. This will ensure that they are properly disposed of in accordance with all government and state law regulations.

What if I have a question, other than one listed here?
Please call or email your questions and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.  Our customer service experts can answer all your questions.

All of our cables are made in U.S.A

 

 

 

 

Website: www.RichardsonProducts.com
Email Address: RPI@RichardsonProducts.com
Phone: 815.464.3575 Fax: 815.464.3576