Rain covers for electric wheelchairs – Keep you and your chair dry

In this article we will be looking at rain covers for electric wheelchairs. As well as other ways you can protect your electric wheelchair from the elements.

An electric wheelchair can be a lifeline for somebody with mobility issues. They can give a whole new level of freedom to the user and make getting around that much easier. However, maintaining your wheelchair and protecting it from over exposure to moisture is very important.

Why do you need a rain cover?

You must remember, there are electrical components in your wheelchair. If these are repeatedly exposed to excess moisture, you could end up with rust and corrosion, which could damage the inner working of your chair. Once this type of damage has occurred, you will need to either repair or replace the damaged component. Both options will cost money and they will mean your electric wheelchair is out of action for a while.

The main areas that will be affected by rain are the hand control (joystick) and the battery. The place you will find the battery, will vary for different wheelchairs. Common placements are below the seat and to the side of the seat slotted into the frame. Under the seat usually has less exposure to rainwater, so it tends to be the better placement. However, it is still vulnerable from ground level water such as deep puddles and splashes.

Types of wheelchair rain cover  

There are several different types of rain covers for electric wheelchairs. The most common are:

1. Wheelchair ponchos – These are great to carry when you are out and about. If you do find yourself caught in a downpour you could easily store this type of rain cover and get it out when it rains.
   
   The main advantage with this type of rain cover, is it doubles as a raincoat. It will cover you and the wheelchair entirely, meaning not only will your wheelchair be protected, but you will also stay nice and dry.
   
2. Storage rain cover – This type of rain cover is for storing your wheelchair. It will be used if your wheelchair needs leaving outside.  Use of this type of cover is less likely with wheelchairs. It is more commonly used with large mobility scooters that can’t be taken indoors.
   
   The advantage with most modern lightweight electric wheelchairs is they are quite compact. This is especially true of folding electric wheelchairs.
   
3. Waterproof hand control protectors – The hand control is the most vulnerable parts of most electric wheelchairs. There are instances where this unit is waterproof. However, it is always a wise idea to take advantage with extra precautions.
   
   Waterproof protectors for your wheelchairs hand control, are a low cost, and easy to use option for protecting your wheelchairs controls.

Our Top recommended rain covers for wheelchairs

The good news when it comes to rain covers and ponchos for your electric wheelchair is, they are not that expensive. You can pick up a really good quality rain cover for less than $50 and this will be lightweight and extremely small when folded up and stored.

This means you easily can carry it around with you in a storage pocket on your wheelchair.  Below you can see our recommended rain covers for electric wheelchairs.

GOTITA Wheelchair Lined Poncho

We have recommended this poncho to many of our previous customers and everyone has given it great feedback. The Homecraft poncho is completely waterproof and windproof, so it gives excellent protection from the elements. The main features can be seen below:

• 100% waterproof. This poncho will not let a drop of water through. The finish is of a very high quality and despite being thin and lightweight, it is surprisingly hard wearing and durable.
  
• Not only is this poncho waterproof it is internally lined. This means that the cover also provides excellent wind protection.
  
• Equipped with a draw string hood and easy to use zipper positioned on the front. The draw string hood can be tightened to add extra protection in wind and rain.

There are other, similar ponchos available. Some are slightly more expensive and there are a few that are slightly cheaper. What we have found over the years, is the higher priced ponchos do not really offer much more in the way of quality. Whereas the cheaper ponchos tend to be far lower quality. This usually means they lack additional lining and do not really keep the wind out very well.

In our opinion this is by far the best value for the price. You can learn more about this poncho on Amazon and read reviews from previous customers. Click here to view on Amazon

Our recommended waterproof control protector

As we have already mentioned the hand controls are probably the most vulnerable part of your wheelchair. It houses a lot of electrical components and your wheelchair will not operate if it gets damaged by penetrating water.

For this reason, it is a very wise idea to protect it from rainwater. If you do not want a full body poncho that completely covers you. Or if you are just looking to add extra protection, a waterproof control protector can be a great choice.

This type of electric wheelchair rain cover is very small and easy to carry and will stop your wheelchair from getting wet. When in use it simply slots over your hand control up to your wrist and is secured with a zip. You can see our recommended control protector below.

Tookie Electric Wheelchair Waterproof Control Cover

This is a low cost and effective cover designed to protect your hand control from water. It is extremely easy to use and offers fantastic protection against rain if you get caught out.

The key features can be seen below:

• This waterproof cover can be used on both left and right handed controllers
  
• There is a zip at the bottom which means it can easily be placed and removed from your controller in seconds.
  
• Once in place and fully zipped up the cover has a soft flexible cuff that fits comfortably around the wrist. This adds additional protection to prevent water from getting in.
  
• Comes in a variety of colours. These include: Grey, Maroon and Royal blue, although right now only black is in stock

To learn more about this waterproof control cover and read reviews on Amazon Click here

Conclusion

Rain covers for electric wheelchairs are a very useful and low cost way to protect your electric wheelchair.

Most electric wheelchairs will develop problems with continued exposure to water.

Occasionally getting caught in the rain is not that much of a problem. However, we live in the UK and we all know that rain is a common part of life here. Even in spring and summer it is not unusual to see a significant amount of bad weather.

By using a rain cover you are ensuring that you protect your wheelchair, and this will result in a longer life and less maintenance overtime. We hope you found this article about rain covers for electric wheelchairs useful. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.