Putting Fluids To Good Use With Hydraulic Wheelchair Lifts

There are two types of mechanisms that work wheelchair lifts – battery or power operated wheelchair lifts or hydraulic operated wheelchair lifts. The former utilizes power from vehicle batteries, power supplies or a battery pack. On the other hand, the hydraulic lift utilizes fluid pressure to produce smooth movements during lifting.

The major benefit of using a hydraulic wheelchair lift is that the dependency on power supply is eliminated. Apart from that, the properties of hydraulics help to ease out any sudden movements which may occur during the use of the lift. These are two probable reasons why hydraulic wheelchair lifts are more expensive than electrically-powered wheelchair lifts. Nevertheless, there is also a combined version that uses both mechanisms known as electro-hydraulics. Here, battery power is used to move fluid through hydraulic cylinders. This flow will propel cylinders to move lifts up and down thus transporting the wheelchair user.

In general, hydraulic wheelchair lifts are heavier than battery powered lifts due to the amount of fluid involved in the mechanism, but they are more durable and quiet. A major challenge in the usage of hydraulic wheelchair lifts is the inability to operate under extreme cold weather. The fluids within may freeze up under low temperature or may even lead to leakages, which may be dangerous if left unchecked.

Concord Wheelchair Lifts

For a wide range of hydraulic wheelchair lifts, users can look up Concord elevators. Concord elevators is in the business of producing both residential and commercial hydraulic wheelchair lifts, stairlifts and vertical platform lifts. All hydraulic lifts work on a 1:2 cable hydraulic system for smooth operations. This system allows for 2 feet of travel for every 1 foot of cylinder rod movement. A smooth and quiet ride is guaranteed with a special electro-proportional valve which handles the descent with less power and less noise. The problem of leakage is also eliminated with a high-performance seal known as the twin lip cup which increases cylinder rod stability. In case of an emergency, the lifts are backed up with battery power and they can also be controlled manually from the outside of the lift. Other safety features include a module which stops car movement if hydraulic pressure is suddenly lost. The lifts are also equipped with interlocks that require the door to be locked properly before lifts can start moving. In order to prevent too fast a speed on the way down, Concord hydraulic wheelchair lifts are also fixed with a flow control valve for safety purposes.