Before purchasing a battery-powered DC stair lift, it’s important to be aware of how long the batteries will last before needing replacement. While DC stair lifts are advantageous for working during power outages, the batteries powering them will eventually require replacement based on usage. This guide offers insights to help you estimate the lifespan of stair lift batteries.
The batteries provided with our DC stair lifts come with a rating of 3,200 cycles. A “cycle” refers to a one-way trip up or down the stairs. A complete round trip constitutes two separate cycles.
Usage Scenarios and Battery Lifespan:
- One Round Trip Per Day (730 Cycles/Year): If you make one round trip on your stair lift daily (equivalent to two cycles each day), you accumulate 730 cycles per year. In this scenario, the batteries are expected to last over four years.
- Two Round Trips Per Day (1,460 Cycles/Year): If you use your stair lift for two round trips daily, resulting in 1,460 cycles each year, the batteries will last a little more than two years.
- Three Round Trips Per Day: With three round trips daily, your stair lift completes around 1,095 cycles in a year, leading to a battery lifespan of about a year and a half.
- Four or More Round Trips Per Day: In cases of four or more round trips daily, resulting in over 1,460 cycles yearly, anticipate a battery lifespan of one year or less.
Additional Considerations:
- Intermittent Use: Even if the stair lift isn’t used every day, expect battery life to remain close to the four-year range.
- Environment and Weight: Uncontrolled temperature environments or users nearing the stair lift’s weight capacity can impact battery longevity.
- Alternatives: If your usage involves three or more round trips daily, it might be worthwhile to consider an AC-powered stair lift. While it won’t function during power outages, you won’t need to replace batteries annually.
If battery replacement becomes necessary, rest assured that our stair lift batteries are readily available to address your needs.