Stairlift Battery Care: How to Keep Your Lift Running

One of the questions we get asked most often is: "What happens to my stairlift if the power goes off?" It's a completely understandable concern — the last thing anyone wants is to be stuck halfway up the stairs during a power cut.

The good news is that modern stairlifts are designed with exactly this scenario in mind. Here's everything you need to know about how your stairlift's battery system works and how to keep it in good condition.

The Brooks Acorn Slimline stairlifts we supply run on rechargeable batteries — typically two 12-volt sealed lead-acid batteries housed inside the carriage. These batteries power the motor that drives the lift along the rail.

Here's the clever part: the batteries are charged continuously via contacts on the rail whenever the lift is parked at its charging position (usually the top or bottom of the stairs). As long as the lift is plugged into the mains, the batteries stay topped up automatically.

This means that in normal use, you never need to think about the batteries at all. They're always ready.

Because the batteries are separate from the mains supply, your stairlift will continue to work during a power cut. The motor draws power directly from the batteries, not from the mains.

In a typical power cut, you should be able to complete several journeys up and down the stairs before the battery level drops significantly. For most people, this is more than enough to get safely to where they need to be.

What to do during a power cut:

1. Use the lift as you normally would
2. Don't make unnecessary journeys — conserve battery if the cut looks like it will be prolonged
3. Once power is restored, park the lift at a charge point and leave it there for a few hours to recharge fully

Batteries don't last forever. Over time — typically three to five years — they gradually lose their ability to hold a full charge. Here are the signs to watch for:

If the lift seems sluggish, especially towards the end of a journey, the batteries may not be holding their charge as well as they used to.

If the lift stops mid-journey and won't restart immediately, but works again after a few minutes of rest, this is a classic sign of a battery that's struggling.

Most stairlifts have a diagnostic display that shows fault codes. A battery-related fault code (often shown as a battery symbol or a specific number) is a clear indicator that the batteries need attention.

If the lift works perfectly when plugged in but runs out of power quickly during a power cut, the batteries are no longer holding their charge effectively.

The single most important thing you can do is always park the lift at a charge point when not in use. The charge points are at the very top and very bottom of the track. If you have a hinge track, there will also be a charge point just above the hinge — park there when the lower section of the track needs to be folded away. Keeping the lift at a charge point at all times ensures the batteries stay topped up and ready.

Other good habits:

• Don't leave the lift parked in the middle of the rail — it won't charge there and the batteries will gradually discharge
• Avoid very frequent short journeys in quick succession — give the batteries a moment to recover between trips if you're making multiple journeys

When batteries do eventually need replacing, it's a straightforward job for a trained engineer. As part of your rental with Stairlifts Wales, battery replacement is included in your monthly fee — there's no additional charge.

If you notice any of the warning signs above, just give us a call on 01446 710722 and we'll arrange to come and check the batteries. We'd always rather investigate early than have you caught out by a flat battery.

Cold temperatures can temporarily reduce battery performance. If you notice your lift seems a little less responsive on a very cold morning, this is usually normal — the batteries warm up as they're used and performance returns to normal. If the issue persists, give us a call.

Battery care is one of those things that's easy to overlook because modern stairlifts are so reliable. But a little awareness goes a long way. If you ever have any concerns about your lift's performance, we're always just a phone call away.