NRS Hoveround MPV 5 - Used Power Wheelchair - Page 4 - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

You might check the connections at the battery. Be sure they are tight and corrosion free... I hope this will help you...

These chairs use Lead Acid Gel Cells and they do go bad after a while It is not unusual for them to be fully charged and loose the charge in just a few hours as the internal resistance of the batteries are compromised by warped plates due to heat generated by the charger. It also could mean that the connections have become corroded and just need to be cleaned. Check that first.

1- Make sure that your batteries are fully charged and that they have not gone bad from sitting unused for a long time.
2- If the batteries are less than 2 years old and have been on the charger for at least 8 hours but the power chair will not power on when the charger is disconnected, you may be have blown a fuse. They are standard automotive fuses and are located inside the battery covers under the seat.
3- If you have checked on both 1 and 2 and still have issues or have blinking lights on the controller,
here is a link with descriptions of the flashing controller lights for most power wheel chair controllers. This will allow you a fast diagnosis to save time and money on your repair; it may be as simple as a brake reset instead of a costly motor replacement! The first page you will see is especially for Hoverounds, but you might be able to find other brands if you know the manufacturer of the controller.
http://www.pgdt.com/scenter/diagnostics/diagvsi.html
Good luck!

You may either have have a bad motor on one side or one of the keylocks/keystops holding the wheel on the axle has broken. Check to make sure that both of the manual brake levers are in the UP position (inside the opening above the footrest, between the rider's ankles).
If it is a motor that needs to be replaced, they run around $600 plus labor, you will need to contact Hoveround to register the power chair with the serial number (found inside the manual brake opening above the footrest) and make an appointment for service.
If it is a keystock, they can be mailed to you from Hoveround for just a few dollars, sometimes for free if there happen to be some laying around the call center.
Have someone watch you operate the chair, or tip it backwards to raise the drive tires up so you can see if both axles are turning or not. If one axle is NOT turning, you have either a blown motor or possibly a connection to the junction box has come loose, which would be indicated by blinking lights on the controller. If both axles are turning and no lights are blinking, then most likely the key stock has broken and the drive tire just cannot lock on and get a grip.
I hope this information is helpful, good luck!

After you changed the batteries, did the power chair sit unused for several weeks? It sounds more like a battery or fuse issue than a charger issue. If there are blinking lights when you try to turn the power chair on (not while attached to the charger), or it comes on then goes back off by itself quickly, there may be something else going on.
1- The green light on the charger is telling you that the batteries are not accepting any more power, either they are fully charged or they have oxidized/gone solid from sitting without being put on the charger for too long.
2-The scrolling lights on the controller when the charger is plugged in just confirms that the chair is connected to the charger, so it sounds like everything is connected properly and working. The horn will work fine when it is attached to the charger as it is getting power from the wall outlet.
3- If it was a fuse issue, the lights would not come on at all when the charger is NOT attached, even after the battery has been fully charged, which is what it sounds like is going on. The fuses can blow if you operate the chair on a slick surface or one of the drive tires spin out. The batteries will be fully charged but because the circuit is not complete, the chair will not power on.

I recommend checking the fuses and changing them if necessary. You are in luck because this is a relatively easy and inexpensive fix as they are standard automotive fuses found at any auto parts store or even Walmart for around $2 each (you need 2). The fuses are located inside the gray battery covers under the seat, attached to the leads connected to the battery cables. The straps holding the covers on the batteries are tight, you may want to use a flat head screwdriver to help release the clips. While you are down there, inspect the tread on the tires, if it is worn or slick it may need to be replaced for safety.
I hope this information is helpful to you- good luck!

Good morning.Visit: www.alldatasheet.com its a free site & dowwload a troubleshooter as a PDF File.Save it
to your Adobe Reader + print for future ref & store in a polythene sleeve A4 Folder. The Shoprider 1 is:-
troubleshooting_2007 SHOPRIDER.pdf.This has a lot of info you will be so happy to learn about,its 36 pages
long.19 to 36 are info on wheelchairs.1 to 5 is on batteries & chargers & 6 to 18 is on scooters.Hopefully this will help you,i have a scooter myself & know what its like to be without it.Merry xmas,any problem,just ask again Colin.

Hello.Hopefully this will help you.Any problem,please ask again.Visit-www.alldatasheet.com & download a troubleshooter for your product.Save it to your Adobe Reader as a PDF File + if you like print for future ref.I am disabled myself & know what its like to be stranded.Merry Xmas Colin.

There are several possible reasons for this:
Are your batteries fully charged? If you do not have full power, it may affect the power of the motors as well as the action of the controller.
Are your pneumatic tires fully inflated?
Is the rider or the MPV5 within the 300 pound weight limit?

Is the chair able to operate straight when you press the joystick forward, or does it want to go to the side or in circles? If it will not drive straight, and there is a grinding sound, that can indicate a problem with the bearings in the caster tires in the back. If it will not drive straight and there is a whining sound, that can indicate that a motor is going bad. If the power chair wants to go in cicrcles, there may be a bad fuse, motor or keystock.

Without additional information, it is difficult to determine the cause of the problem. If your insurance will nto cover the cost of repairs, Hoveround can at least send a technician to diagnose the problem and give suggestions or a quote to repair it; 30 minutes of labor is usually around $50.
Good luck!

If you tightened the Arm Angle Adjustment bolt as shown on page 28 of your Owner's Manual (under the arm rest near the pivot point) by using your supplied 1/4" hex wrench, but it does not want to stay in place, the threads on the bolt may have become stripped with age and wear and needs to be replaced. You can also try applying a substance like Lock-Tite to the threads to see if that will keep them in place. If not, the armrest may need to be replaced, approx $118 plus labor to install.
Good luck!

The number of lights that are flashing will indicate what the problem is related to.
You can visit this website to find answers on what the flashing trouble indicator lights mean: http://www.pgdt.com/scenter/diagnostics/diagvsi.html
Locate the page that has the controller used on your power chair/scooter and count how many lights are flashing to diagnose the trouble. Try resetting your brakes to see if that will help reset the system (makre sure the power chair is turned off first.) If your insurance purchased the power chair for you, they may also cover the repairs; contact Hoveround for an appointment.
Good luck!

under the front of the joystick there is a 3 prong recepticale for the charger Hope this helps

The VSI controller (joystick) for this power wheelchair can be adjusted using a PP1 programmer available to a dealer or certified technician. Adjustments can be made through programming for joystick throw and sensitivity. I suggest you contact a local power wheelchair dealer to provide this service.
In my experience, I have never charged a client to program their power chair if they have come in to the retail location. The programming is quickly and easily done and it is just plain good customer service to do it free of charge. If a technician needs to be sent out to the home it should be a minimum labor charge. Hope this helps,

PK 36 hours charging is too long you will damage the chair and the batteries. You shouldn't have to charge more than 12 hours and never more than 24. If the batteries are weak the chair might power up but you don't have the power to energize the motors. If you have a digital voltmeter set it to 200 volts dc and plug the leads into the two outter holes of the charger port located on the joystick. You should be reading 25-27 volts with the batteries fully charged. Anything less than 20 volts will not be enough to power the chair. Hope this helps you

Your batteries are shot. If they haven't been charged for a year you won't charge them now or ever. Replace the batteries, charge before use and regularly as you use the chair. The new batteries need to be broke in and must receive use to get them to 100% Use your chair daily and charge daily for at least 20 days. Hope this helps

Either way will work when charging the batteries and it wion't hurt the chair either way. If you can stand to have the lights scrolling all night when you charge the chair then leave it on If not turn the power off Your charger will tell you when its finished by turning the yellow light green. Hope this helps

It sounds like the batteries have gone bad and need to be replaced.

The batteries contain a gel that needs to have current run through it on a regular basis (at least 8 hours once a week) or it will solidify. If you attach the charger, what will most likely happen is the green light will either stay green or go to green after a very short time. When you turn on the power chair, nothing happens. The charger will indicate the batteries are full, but instead of being full of pwer, they are full of crud. Your warranty will most likely not cover replacment as this is due to customer neglect, but your insurance may still cover the replacement if you can wait for the process to go through. Otherwise, you will need to replace the batteries on your own, type U1, 24v 33 amp, found at Batteries Plus, Insterstate Battery or any other battery warehouse for $75-120 each.
To replace the batteries:
Remove the black power cords behind the battery covers by squeezing the plastic pinch clip. Remove the cover carefully by unhooking the black webbing strap so that you do not yank any of the leads. Using a 7/16" wrench loosen the bolts that attach the leads to the posts, be careful if there is any corrosion that may irritate your skin. Check the fuses to make sure they are still good; if not they are regular automotive fuses that are inexpensive and can be found at any auto parts store. Remove the plastic caps or any packaging from the new battery posts and seat the batteries on the tray, connect the leads to the posts as indicated and tighten with the wrench. Place the batteries back ont he tray, reconnect the power cord, Replace the covers, and tighten the straps.
You may want to use the power chair until the battery is used up before you charge it fully for 8-12 hours; this will ensure that the battery gets FULLY cycled and any buildup inside the battery from it sitting on the shelf in the store is burned out. Make sure that you charge the power chair after a full day's use for 8-12 hours (overnight), not after every trip as overcharging can cause damage. If the power chair in not going to be used for a while, continue to charge the batteries at least one day a week to keep the batteries fluid.
Return your used batteries to the battery store or auto parts store for proper disposal. Good luck!

It sounds like the batteries have gone bad and need to be replaced.

The batteries contain a gel that needs to have current run through it on a regular basis (at least 8 hours once a week) or it will solidify. If you attach the charger, what will most likely happen is the green light will either stay green or go to green after a very short time. When you turn on the power chair, nothing happens. The charger will indicate the batteries are full, but instead of being full of pwer, they are full of crud. Your warranty will most likely not cover replacment as this is due to customer neglect, but your insurance may still cover the replacement if you can wait for the process to go through. Otherwise, you will need to replace the batteries on your own, type U1, 24v 33 amp. Good luck!

Make sure that the wall outlet is operational. Try replacing the power cord to the charger to see if that will fix the problem. It is the same power cord used to power most desktop computers. Take the cord with you to an electronics store to ensure you have a good match, they cost less than $20, keep your reciept just in case you need to return it. Plug that in to the charger (if it will fit), turn on the charger's power switch and see if you get any lights on the charger. If not, most likely the charger unit has been damaged and will need to be replaced, $275.00.
Good luck!

The full manual is not available online. It must be purchased directly from Hoveround for $20 plus shipping. Please call 800-964-6837, you will need the serial number from your power chair, located inside the manual brake release above the footrest.
Good luck!

Contact Hoveround at 800-964-6837. If you are not the first owner of the power chair, you will need to register your chair into your name so that a part order can be created. Manuals are $20 plus shipping. To register your power chair, give them the previous owner's name or the serial number, which is located in the opening for the manual brake release just above the footrest.
Good luck!