How long does it take to charge a stairlift battery? On average it takes between 12-16 hours to charge a stairlift battery/ However, it will vary according to your specific type of stairlift. Specifically the main things which affect charging time are:
- Battery capacity – with a higher capacity battery, it will take longer to charge
- Charger type – A higher output current can charge the battery faster
- Battery age and condition – with an older battery, it may take longer to charge and may hold less charge and wear down more quickly
How Long Does It Take To Charge A Stairlift Battery – Not Charging?
If your stairlift battery is not charging, this could be for a few reasons:
- Your charger is faulty – test with a multimeter
- There’s a loose connection/debris somewhere which is stopping the battery receiving current – check connections and try again
- The battery isn’t holding the charge – replace batteries
Older batteries do have a use by date and they will eventually expire. If you haven’t been keeping your stairlift plugged in, the batteries will begin to run down. If left for too long, they won’t hold charge anymore and will need replacing.
To avoid this happening keep your stairlift plugged in. Stairlifts operate from the batteries, not the mains. The mains charger will keep the batteries topped up. This means if you get a power outage, your stairlift will still keep working for several trips, before the battery starts to lose power.
Sometimes a stairlift can develop a battery fault if you don’t keep it plugged in continuously. Some of our customers have asked “should they unplug the stairlift while on holiday” for example. No! Keep it plugged in because it works on a trickle charge and is designed to be left plugged in to keep the batteries topped up!
Other Reasons Your Batteries May Have Died
If your battery isn’t charging check the mains switch and your stairlift charger. Sometimes the charger plug has become loosened and so cuts out. Make sure all the connections are tight and the stairlift charger is plugged in.
We had a recent customer with a flat battery and the mains electric fuse box had tripped out, cutting off the charger. The battery had run down and the customer didn’t know the reason. Once they reset the trip switch in their fuse box, the battery started to charge again.
Need Replacement Batteries?
If you need replacement batteries for your stairlift, give us a call on 0800 046 343 or visit our contact page and leave us a message. See also our YouTube videos covering stairlift battery replacement here.