Learn To Repair Your Own Lift Chair
For anyone that has back, knee problems or indeed any type of disability that makes getting out of a chair difficult or painful a lift chair is a boon. Lift chair Recliners take the work out of getting up as they lift you up almost to a standing position. A normal lift chair will do this many times a day which may add up to a few thousand times a year. This means that lift chairs need to be serviced often and they break down as well. However you do not need to have professional service personnel to diagnose and even fix basic lift chair faults.
How To Diagnose Lift Chairs Faults
Here are a few often encountered scenarios many lift chair users face regularly. Most of these are easy to remedy yourself with the help of an online guide or user manual.
When Your Lift Chair Breaks Down
The lift chair is not working at all and you cannot even hear the motor. In this case the lift chair may be unplugged or the power connection may be loose. Try plugging it in to a different power socket and check that the power cable is not frayed or broken.
Lift Chair Stops Working after A Few Cycles
If your lift chair stops working after it has lifted and reclined a few times it may be due to over heating. Leave the chair off for a few minutes and then see if it runs. This may indicate the lift chair motor needs repairing or replacement. You can buy replacement lift chair motors online at eBay or find a local listing of suppliers. Lift chair motors are not expensive to replace and you can also buy used motors.
Lift Chair Motor Runs But The Chair Does Not Move
If you can hear the motor running when you operate the lift chair controls then the lift chair gears may be stripped or faulty. As this is not something that can be solved by basic troubleshooting, it is best to engage experts to look into the system. You will need to have the movement mechanism on your lift chair serviced by a technician. You can search for a lift chair repair services online in Craigslist or other classified websites.
Lift Chair Does Not Lift Up User
If your lift chair can operate when empty but cannot lift you up while loaded, and you can hear the motor running then you may need a new capacitor for your lift chair motor. This requires some basic hands on from the owner as soldering skills are required. You can find capacitor and other Lift Chair Parts at Amazon or used ones on Craigslist. If you want to save some money from hiring Lift Chair experts, then be prepared to get your hands dirty by Fixing Lift Chairs yourself.
The New Bruno Electra Ride III Curved Rail Stairlift
Aged or invalid owners of beautiful multi-storey houses with curved staircases have long struggled with the question of accessing different floors of their properties. Bruno may have a great solution with the new Electra-Ride III Stairlift for curved staircases. Bruno custom fits the Electra Ride III to each individual staircase and it can be mounted on virtually any staircase. The Electra Ride mounts on either side of the staircase for greatest flexibility.
The Price Of The Electra Ride III
Since the Electra Ride is custom designed and fitted to each individual staircase that you buy it for, there is no real base price for the model and the costs will depend upon the length and the complexity of the installation in your house or property. The installation is done by professionals from Bruno and takes just a few weeks.
Bruno Electra Ride III Features
The new Electra Ride III has the same features as the Electra Ride II and as well as additional premium features. These start with the rack and pinion drive as well as a quiet drive motor for virtually silent operation. Two remotes let you send as well as call the Stair Lift from either end of the stairs. The
controllers are also completely solid state. No moving parts means there is less likelihood of the parts wearing easily. Safety features include a retractable safety belt and a footplate with a sensor to stop the stairlift if it senses an obstacle in your path. There is also a battery back up as well so that you are never stranded half way up the stairs if the power goes out.
Electra Ride III Parts
The already custom fitted Electra Ride III can be customised even further with everything from aesthetic options like seven different types of upholstery on the seat to convenience options like a power folding footrest, midway park and charge station for staircases with a landing. Also available are top and bottom park positions for extra security and a power swivel function to help users get into and out of the chair easily. The motor, drive and the controllers are easily removable and replaceable if needed as is the chair.
Servicing the Bruno Electra Ride
Bruno Stairlift is renowned for its quality and reliability. Its top of the line Electra Ride III with a comprehensive five year service plan and a two year warranty coverage on all the parts on the stairlift for complete peace of mind. The durable construction and heavy duty parts used on the Electra mean that it should give years of trouble free service.
Electra Ride III Reviews
Users of the Electra Ride III say that it is probably the only Curved Stairway Lift that they have ever felt truly comfortable using due to its extremely smooth ride. Many users say that the swivel function that makes the chair point the right way whether travelling up or down makes for a more natural riding position. People who have had to get service for the Electra Ride are pleased with the prompt service from Bruno.
The new Bruno Stairlift Electra Ride II straight rail stair lift
Bruno makes some of the most popular stair lifts today and the Bruno Stairlift Electra-Ride II is their latest high end model model. Electra Ride II can also be identified as Bruno SRE-1550. Not only is the Electra Ride II one of the best stair lifts on the market today it is also one of the best value for money
Bruno Electra Ride II Features
The new Electra Ride II has been revamped and a host of features have been added including a new rack and pinion drive system along with a silent motor that makes the stair lift quieter than any competing model. The seat swivels up to ninety degrees at both landing points so as to allow elderly or disabled people to easily board the seat at the top of the stair case as well as the at the bottom.The Electra Ride also has a remote call as well as a remote send feature. The armrests on the seat are fully adjustable, the seat height can also be customised to your liking and the seat itself can take a user that weighs up to 350 lbs. and it also comes with a standard seatbelt.
Safety Of Bruno Electra Ride Lifts
The Electra Ride II has a number of safety features as well. In addition to the standard safety belt there are also sensors in the chair that will automatically stop it while travelling if there are any obstacles in the path of the stairlift. The chair also swivels automatically so you are facing the right way whether at the top of the stairs or the bottom. Bruno Stairlifts adhere to all ANSI A-18.1 safety standards for residential use. The stair lift also features two individual 12 volt batteries so that there is always a power source no matter what.
Bruno Electra Ride Price
Despite having more features compared to other straight Stairway Lifts, the Bruno Electra Ride II StraightRun Stairlift costs just about 3800 USD for versions that cater for straight staircases with the price going up for the version that works with curved staircases.
Parts for the Electra Ride II
Bruno offers the Electra Ride with straight rails of up to 20 feet as standard. Curved rails can also be custom fitted to your individual staircases as an option. The other standard Bruno Electra Parts that are modular in design and are easy to replace are the drive motor, the send and call controllers as well as the armrests and the footrest for the chair.
Bruno Electra Ride II Service And Warranty
It says a lot about the confidence that the company has in the quality of their product that Bruno offers the Electra Ride II with a five year parts as well as service warranty. This should ensure complete peace of mind for users who buy the product.
Bruno Electra Ride II Reviews
Users of the Electra Ride II SRE-1550 all have praise for the smooth travel of the chair along the rails as well as the soft starts and stops at each end. The people who also had options like the swivel fitted to their Electra Ride say that it makes ingress and egress much simpler as the chair is always pointing the right way.
History Of Stair Lift
Stair lifts have been around for quite some time already. In fact, historical accounts point to a Mr. Crispen of Pennsylvania who after taking pity on a close friend because the latter was injured and could no longer go up and down the stair unassisted took it upon himself the responsibility, being a self-taught engineer, of creating a chair that will aid his friend in traversing staircases. This was sometime in the 1920s and called the chair the “Inclin-ator” said to be the first prototype of the stair lifts of today.
Besides the normal Stair Lifts made for straight staircases, there are also curved stair lifts for curved stairways too. These curved stair lifts for elderly and disabled are increasingly popular as more homes now to not have straight staircases.
What Is Curved Stair Lift
A curved stair lift is defined as a seat that has been motorized to run up and down the stairs on a curved track. It is composed of three assemblies that are inter-connected to work together. There is the track system also referred to as the “rail”, the carriage or the so-called drive system, and of course a seat, which is just your ordinary-looking chair only that it’s attached to a track and is capable of movement on its own.
One can choose from three kinds of stair lifts based on a person’s preferred position while going up and down the staircase. One can go up the stairs in a standing position through standing stair lifts, which is a good variety for those who have difficulty bending their knees. There is also the seated stair lifts for those who really want to sit down while traversing a staircase; and the Perching Stair Lifts.
Why You Need A Curved Stair Lift?
Though curved stair lifts are much more expensive than the straight kind, owners of curved staircases don’t really have a choice but to have it installed when the need arises because it is the variety most suitable to their stairs and it is cheaper than having the curved stairs torn down and replacing it with a straight one. The same goes for spiral staircases and stairs that changes directions in several areas of the staircase. However, if it so happens that one’s staircase has a flat landing the size of nine square feet or more before it changes direction, a more economical plan would be installing two straight stair lifts.
Three Popular Curved Stair Lifts Brands
Speaking of cost, here are the three most popular curved stair lifts for your choosing. Price guides are provided in the list as well.
1. Thyssenkrupp Flow – This is Europe-made and costs around $1,500.
2. Sterling 2000 – This is UK-made and costs in the range $2,500.
3. Stannah 260 – This is another UK-made curved stair lift and costs approximately $3,500.
Websites Selling Curved Stair Lifts
Finally, for those in need of good websites to purchase a curved stair lift from, here are three manufacturer websites: (1) www.sterling-stairlifts.com; (2) www.stannah.com; and (3) www.tk-access4all.com.
You can also try Buying Stair Lifts from Craigslist and Ebay where there are used Curved Stair Lifts For Sale. There is even Curved Stair Lifts Rental available for temporary use in these places.
What Is A Power Lifting Cushion?
A power lifting cushion is a contraption that consists of a base and a seat with a cushion that can be raised or lowered at an angle with the flip of a lever. Knee joints support body weight for years and tend to wear out and become either stiff or weak because of illnesses like arthritis. It becomes impossible for a person with an issue like that to sit down and stand up without support. This is where a lift seat for chairs comes in. It helps a person ease into a chair and get out of the chair as and when they please with minimal stress to the knee joints and with minimum energy expended. A seat lift cushion can be used by the elderly as well by people who may be younger but have knee injuries or other problems like obesity, muscular dystrophy, joint problems or are in the recovery phase after an accident.
How To Use Power Lifting Cushion
An assistance seat lift is meant for people who suffer from lack of lower body strength and find it difficult to stand up once they sit down or seat themselves when they are standing. A power lifting cushion can be used by placing it on a chair, standing against the seat and pushing a lever so that it begins to lower. The user can put his whole body weight on the seat and he will be lowered down into sitting position mechanically. The same thing has to be done in reverse to stand up.
Power Lifting Cushion Review
If you want to find out what are the best brands of lifting cushions, you can look for a power lifting cushion review on the internet. A true lifting cushion review can be found from forums where current or former owners talk about their experiences. The Internet is a good place to begin your research when you want to buy a lift seat cushion. It is even better if you get a feedback from a close friend or a family member.
Lifting Cushion Prices
If you want to purchase the power lifting cushion, there are many websites on the Internet that sell this apparatus for anywhere between US$100 to US$200. There are a lot of dealers online who give great discounts on the good models and some even ship for free. Maximum weight allowed on most models is 300 to 350 pounds and cushion color can be of your choice. The popular lifting cushion brands include Upeasy and Uplift Power Cushion. They are priced competitively and you can buy them online for less than $100 from Amazon, Ebay and Craigslist. You can also buy Used Lifting Cushions that are less than half the price of new ones.