Pride's Quantum Motor Brushes

Pride's Quantum Motor Brushes and Repairs

Those who have followed the last few posts know that I spent the summer of 2018 a prisoner of my own home as my Quantum 6000 power wheelchair lost power in one motor.  As a result, the chair was unable to climb the ramp into my home.

The right motor being weaker than the left could not even climb the three-quarter inch raised transition leading to my washroom.  Both wheels would hit that lip but while the right wheel continued to climb over, the left wheel lacked power and subsequently the chair would swivel into, and crash into the right wall.  I needed someone to push the chair over the rise in order to enter.

When first diagnosed, I was told the joystick 'gimbal' was out of alignment so that power was not distributed evenly to the motors.  That didn't sound right to me but the technician told me he measured the motors and they were "bang-on" factory specifications.  So I laid out $900+ dollars for a new joystick.

After waiting a month for the parts and service the new joystick was installed yet the power issue remained.

It was a second technician who installed the joystick and as the problem remained the new assessment was that one motor was not operating properly.

Bingo!  That was my initial thought, yet the first technician said motors were within factory specifications.

The second technician then brought my attention to a damaged 'cap', for lack of a better term, which held one of four motor brushes against the motor armature.  If the first technician did not report this damage, I figure it was he who damaged it.  Regardless, only the slot was broken which is used to unscrew the 'cap' from the motor housing.  The brush still made contact and could not account for the power loss.

So, after initially being told the motors were working fine (though I doubted that), I was told I needed a new motor.  I was advised that if I replaced one, I might as well replace both to be safe---which I chose to do.

Another month passed: up to a week to place the order, two weeks to ship and receive the order and then a week to ten days to wait in queue until a technician is free to install the items.

I spent two months---the 21st of June until the 30th of August unable to leave my house with my powerchair.  Repairs, both unnecessary and necessary amounted to over $3000.00 Cnd.

 

 Broken brush 'plug' can be see at the end of the top red arrow.  The brush assembly is seen below.  The 4 per motor carbon/metal composite (?) brushes conduct electrical current to the motor.  The brush is sandwiched between a spring which presses it against the armature, and the cap which secures it to the motor.

While it turned out the brushes were not the source of my motor power issue, they are not stocked by the company and as far as I was able to determine from my technician, Pride does not offer replacement brushes.  If they fail, you buy a new motor.

My technician confirmed that motors are not interchangeable so you can't change the housing and swap a left motor for a right if you had a spare.  Damaged motors are not rebuilt or repaired but are trashed.  Some 'Green' world we live in!

A closer view of the cap and spring-brush assembly which fits into the port/hole in the motor above.

Permobil M300 Still Broken.....Kind Of...

No Confidence in this Piece of Junk! 

Well, I got my Permobil M300 back today, exactly 2 full weeks after it was sent for repairs.  If you recall from my previous post, my Permobil once gain failed to back up and only turned in circles.

Last time it was the power control unit and so I suspected it was the same problem in a defective new unit.  However, last time the problem was displayed on my joystick hand control indicator as a sequence of flashing lights.  No coded message this time around.

Repair person came to my home and examined the chair to confirm the problem, then measured the electrical output from the recently replaced power control/distribution unit.  It seemed the controller was not the problem, rather one of the motor's internal brakes seemed to stick or not release properly.  Off to the shop it went.

Permobil M300 Clunker is still broken

So, after a week I call the shop for an update.  I'm told they will have a Permobil representative come down (?) or consult with them (this was unclear) on the following Monday.

Monday came yet I received no update;  I have patience so I wait.  Wednesday I call again and leave message on voicemail - nothing, Thursday I call again and leave message.  Employee calls to inform me that the Service Coordinator has had a personal issue to deal with and will call Friday.  Motion Specialties has always treated me well as had the Service Coordinator so I understand.  They will call on Friday.

Today, Friday arrives and my favourite service tech shows up at my door.  He has delivered my chair.

Good news and bad.

Bad News First:  The problem was evident at the shop but somehow corrected itself (sticky brake released?) and they were unable to reproduce the problem after trying various test runs.

Permobil in U.S.  were indifferent, unhelpful!

Service technician tells me that they contacted Permobil Service Specialists in their U.S. Tennessee plant and they were anything but helpful.  The needed the coded sequence of lights to diagnose the problem, however, as I previously mentioned, there was no coded sequence of lights.  If there was, the problem would be evident to our own service technicians without having to place an international call.  My service technicians impression was that Permobil U.S. also did not care about problems which occur after the sale is made.

So I now have my Permobil M300 powerchair back however some hidden problem remains with no way of telling when it may again repair.  That leaves me with little confidence in using this chair.

If it should happen again, I suppose the motor would have to be exchanged for a new one, assuming it happens while it is still under warranty.

Good News:  If there is any good news associated with my disastrous Permobil M300, it is that there is no charge at this time.  Stay tuned...

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