Alber e-fix User manual

Mode d'emploi du dispositif e·fix
Gebrauchsanweisung
Instrucciones de uso e·fix
Istruzioni per l'uso di e·fix
Brugsvejledning
Gebruiksaanwijzing
Bruksanvisning e·fix
Bruksanvisning till e·fix
User’s Manual GB
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1

The first attempts at driving
Suggestions on driving with e·fix
Dangerous ground
Driving
Driving with manually operated wheelchair wheels
Driving with e·fix wheels in manual mode
Driving with e·fix wheels in electrically
powered mode
Range
Transportation
Care, Maintenance and disposal
Cleaning
Maintenance
Disposal
Quick assistance when not functioning
correctly
Error messages on the display
Changing the battery's fuse
Control unit for attendants
Warranty and liability
Warranty
Liability
Index
1
1.1
1.2
2
2.1
2.2
3
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
5
6
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
8
8.1
8.2
8.3
9
9.1
9.2
10
11
11.1
11.2
12
2
4
5
6
6
7
8
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
14
16
20
22
23
24
26
26
27
27
27
29
30
30
30
31
31
31
32
32
32
32
32
33
34
34
36
36
36
37
Contents
Introduction
Standard scope of delivery
Technical data
Wheels
Mounting the wheels
Removing the wheels
Batteries
Inserting the batteries
Removing the batterie
Charging the batteries
Charging reserve batteries
Safety instructions for sliding window
Information on the batteries
Control unit
Prior to initial use
Push buttons and displays
Joystick
Adjustment
Swivel arm
Tilt supports
Operation
Safety of the driver

2
Congratulations
With the acquisition of your e·fix you chose a reliable,
multifunctional, state of the art product based on
most current technology.
The e·fix increases your independence and mobility
tremendously. Used appropriately, it will soon prove
indispensable and open up entirely unexpected possibilities
to you. Mounted to your wheelchair you virtually got a
powered wheelchair without the disadvantages of the latter.
For instance your wheelchair remains fully foldable, which
is particularly important for its transportation and the often
only restricted space available.
Please read the instruction manual carefully to get familiar
with the system and its variety of possibilities. Handling
the e·fix is much less complicated than it may seem when
reading the instructions for the first time. As a matter of
fact, you will instantly realize just how easy and effortless
it is to use the e·fix when your alber distributor teaches
you step by step the practical handling of it. This instruction
session is part of the alber service and free of charge.
In the event of further questions, please contact your
local dealer or any distributor.
Have fun with your e·fix,
your team

Important safety instructions -
Please observe them closely!
In the interest of your safety, the e·fix may only be operated
by people who:
· have been taught how to use the e·fix
· are physically and mentally capable to use the e·fix in
all possible situations of employment
The instruction session is part of the delivery package. It
takes place by appointment and is done by your local dealer
or one of the distributors, no extra charge involved.
If for some reason you still do not feel comfortable handling
the e·fix, please contact your local dealer.
Please also observe the maximum slope your wheelchair can
handle determined by the wheelchair manufacturer. Do not
exceed it.
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·The efficiency of the additional drive may be affected by
electromagnetic fields, generated for example, by mobile
telephones.
The additional drive therefore, should be switched off if
mobile telephones are being used in the close vicinity of
the wheelchair.
·The additional drive can also affect other equipment such
as theft-proof cabinets in departmental stores.
Do not use the e·fix before you participated
in the instruction session.

4
1.1
Standard scope of delivery
· 2 e·fix wheels
· Control unit with holding device
· Batteries plus bag
· charger
· Distributor interface
· Hand rest - control unit
· Charger adapter
Optional accessories
· Swing out holding device for control unit
· Tilt supports
· Control unit holding device for attendant
· Spoke guard
· Joystick modification
·Adapter for loading batteries when removed from wheelchair
· Battery pack 12V /17Ah
· Long hand rest
· Protective bracket for control unit
· Therapy table

5
1.2
Technical data
Range with a 12 Ah battery:
Range with a 17 Ah (*) battery:
Maximum speed:
Maximum gradient:
Batteries:
Charging voltage:
Operating temperature:
Weight of parts
Batteries 12 Ah:
Batteries 17 Ah:
Wheel with hub motor:
Charger:
Control unit:
(*) Batteries 17 Ah is optional
(**) The range varies depending on the ground and the
prevalent driving conditions. With optimal driving conditions
(among others, even ground, fully charged batteries, ambient
temperature 20 °C, constant speed) the indicated travel
distances can be reached.
approximately 12 km (**)
approximately 22 km (**)
6 km/h
18 % (if 120 kg load is added, please stay within the
wheelchair manufacturer's limitations)
2 x 12 Volt / 12 Ah or 2 x 12 Volt / 17 Ah
24 Volt
ambient temperature range [approx.-15 °C / +45 °C)
8,7 kg
13,2 kg
8,0 kg
1,0 kg
0,4 kg
The e·fix complies to the guidelines for medical products of
the European Community 93/42/EWG.
We reserve the right for technical changes or changes in
design due to continuous development.
Charger
Please consult the enclosed operator's manual of the charger
for technical information and instruction.

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2
Wheels
2.1
Mounting the Wheels
The two electrically powered wheels are the heart of the
e·fix. The wheelchair's standard manual wheels are exchanged
with the e·fix wheels as follows. Please lift the wheelchair
somewhat.
· Remove the wheelchair's left wheel according to the
wheelchair's user's manual.
· Take an e·fix wheel and turn the coupling plate [15]
counter clockwise to position "I."
· Press the middle of the shutter [17] with your thumb so
that the inserted bow-type handle [16] pops out.
· Pull out the bow-type handle all the way.
·Insert the stub axle [21] of the e·fix wheel approximately
halfway into the wheel receiver [24]. In this position the
bow-type [16] handle juts out about 5mm above the
shutter [17].
· Turn the e·fix wheel until the torque plug [22] on the
wheel and the torque socket [23] on the holding device
on the wheelchair are vis-à-vis each other.
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· Now insert the e·fix wheel all the way into the wheel
receiver [24]. Also make sure that the torque plug [22]
on the wheel is inserted into the torque socket [23] on
the holding device at the same time.
· Check whether the wheel is locked into place by pulling
on it. If the bow-type handle [16] folds all the way into
the shutter [17], the wheel is locked properly.

7
2.2
Removing the Wheels
If you want to transport the wheelchair, you can remove the
e·fix wheels and fold the wheelchair.
·Turn the coupling plate [15] of the left wheel counter clockwise
to position "I."
·Press the middle of the shutter [17] with your thumb, so that
the inserted bow-type handle [16] pops out.
· Pull out the bow-type handle [16] all the way.
· Lift the wheelchair up a bit and pull the wheel out of its
receiver.
· Insert the bow-type handle [16] back into the shutter [17].
· Repeat all to remove the e·fix wheel on the other side.
Please avoid damage at the stub axle [21] of the
wheels, particularly when transporting the
wheelchair.
· Repeat all these steps to mount the e·fix wheel on the
other side.
Before driving always make sure that both
wheels are properly locked (switch position
I). Faulty connec-tions show on the display
of the control unit (see chapter 9.1) and lead to an
immediate standstill of the system.
22 21 23 24

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· Connect the interface [25] as shown in the drawing to
the batteries. Make sure that the cables are inside the
opening [26].
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b
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3
Batteries
3.1.1
Inserting the batteries
It is standard that the manufacturer attaches the specifically
designed bag intended for the batteries to your wheelchair
when the e·fix is mounted.
· Place the batteries [20] as shown in the drawing in the
battery bag [18] (connection socket of the interface
points forward).
·Secure the battery bag [18] with the Velcro fastener [19].
Make sure that the Velcro fastener fits as tightly as possible
to the housing of the batteries.
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18

3.1.2
Removing the batteries
The batteries only need removing when the wheelchair
requires folding for transportation. The battery bag can
remain on the wheelchair and does not require removing.
·Remove the interface [25] as shown in the drawing from
the batteries.
· Open fully the Velcro fastener [19] of the battery bag
[18] and remove the batteries.
· Store the batteries [20] in a safe place.
· Close the sliding window on the interface if still open.
·Fold the battery bag as illustrated in the drawing, inserting
the interface [25] into it.
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Never use batteries other than those checked
and provided by alber. The use of other batteries
can cause damage to the electronics or result
in the malfunctioning of your e·fix.

3.2
Charging the batteries on the wheelchair
After using the e·fix for a longer period of time, the batteries
need recharging. There is no need to remove the batteries
from the battery bag for this purpose.
· Open the sliding window [27] on the interface.
· Insert the plug of the alber charger into the charging
socket [29].
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· Connect the charger to a mains power supply.
Close the sliding window of the interface
after charging.
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Charging the batteries in the car
When transporting your wheelchair in the car, you will most
often remove the e·fix-wheels and the batteries from the
wheelchair due to restricted space. The batteries can be
charged while driving the car by using the cigarette lighter
socket and a car charge converter which is available at a
car or electrical shop.
· Insert the adapter [a] into the connection socket [b] of
the battery pack.
d
e
b
a
c
12 Volt
f
· Insert the plug [c] of the alber charger [e] into the
charging socket [d] on the adapter [a].
· Connect the charger [e] to the charge converter [f].

11
Switch off the battery charger when charging is completed.
· Withdraw the battery charger plug [41] from the socket
[38].
· Pull the charging adapter [40] out of the battery pack
[20].
Please note the operating instructions supplied
with the battery charger.
38 40 41 20
·Connect the charge converter [f] to the cigarette lighter
of your car.
· Observe the operating instructions enclosed with the
charge converter.
·Close the sliding window of the interface after charging.
Always make sure that the batteries are recharged when the
e·fix has been used for a longer period of time. If the e·fix
is not being used, keep the batteries connected to the
charger. The charger automatically switches to a
mode retaining the charge, whenever the batteries are fully
charged. Thus, it is impossible to overcharge and/or damage
the batteries.
3.3
Charging reserve batteries
A second (optionally available) battery pack can be charged
with the charging adapter [40] while the battery pack
located under the wheelchair is being charged via the e·fix
interface (see chapter 3.2).
·Insert the charging adapter [40] into the connection on
the battery pack [20] as illustrated in the drawing.
·Insert the battery charger plug [41] into the socket [38].
·Connect the charger to a mains power supply and switch
on the battery charger.

12
3.4
Safety Hint on the sliding window
Important Safety Hints - please observe !
· Always keep the sliding window of the interface closed!
·Only open the sliding window when connecting the charger
and/or changing the fuse. Close the sliding window again!
Should liquid enter the interface (e.g. due to leakage),
remove it immediately from the accumulator. For safety
reasons, have the interface checked by your specialist dealer
before using again.

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3.5
General Information on the Batteries
The batteries of your e·fix are maintenance-free and
rechargeable. Their durability depends considerably on the
charging/discharging cycles. You can increase their durability
by taking care of them properly such as recharging them
regularly. The built-in electronics of the e·fix test the
charge of the batteries continually; thus, avoiding a total
discharge of them, always provided that they are used
correctly.
· Avoid a total discharge of the batteries. Recharge the
batteries of the e·fix after each partial discharge, i.e.
after each use.
· Lead batteries are subject to a so-called self-discharge.
Therefore the batteries should, when-ever possible, always
be connected to the automatic charger. The alber
automatic charger switches from charging to maintaining
the charge once the batteries are fully charged, which
means that the batteries cannot be overcharged.
· If you store lead batteries over a longer period of time
without regularly recharging them, they suffer a reduction
of capacity. However, after several recharging/discharging
cycles they recover their full capacity.
·Incorrect handling of the battery may result in the leakage
of electrolytic liquid.
This may cause injuries to the skin or damage clothing.
·Should skin or eyes come into contact with the electrolytic
liquid, rinse immediately with clear water and consult a
doctor.
· Do not expose the battery to fire or burn.
This may cause the battery to explode.
· Do not short circuit the battery. A short circuit causes
extremely high currents which may damage the battery
or the device.
·After expiry of the service life, return the battery to
or the specialist dealers who will dispose of it
correctly.
The batteries of your e·fix can be recharged
or discharged in any position. They are
considered as safe as dry batteries and certified
for airline transportation by DOT and IATA.

4
Control unit
4.1
Prior to initial use
The standard delivery package of the e·fix includes mounting
its various components. It is, however, advisable to remove
several compo-nents from the wheelchair, for instance, if
you want to transport the wheelchair in your own car. You
gain more space or make better use of the existing space
in your trunk.
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4.1.1
Removing the control unit
·Deactivate the e·fix by pressing the On/off switch [8] –
the display goes out [2].
· Pull the plug [5] from the control unit.
· Remove the control unit [1] including the connection
pipe [7] from its holding device[13].
·Place the plug of the control unit in the battery bag [18].
·Keep the control unit [1] in a safe place during transport.

An alternative method is to remove the control unit [1]
from the offsetting component [32] so that an accompanying
person can operate it from a bracket at the rear of the
wheelchair (see Chapter 10).
· Withdraw the plug [5] from the control unit.
· Release the clamping lever [33].
·Slide the control unit [1] out of the offsetting component
[32].
4.1.2
Installing the control unit
·Remove the plug of the control unit from the battery bag
[18] and insert it in the socket [6] on the control unit.
·Insert the connection pipe [7] together with the control
unit in the mount [13] on the wheelchair.
Proceed as follows if the control unit for the control system
has been removed from the offsetting component [32] by
an accompanying person:
· Slide the control unit [1] into the offsetting component
[32].
· Tighten the clamping lever [33].
· Insert the plug [5] into the control unit [1].
· Your e·fix is now ready for use again.
15

4.2
Push buttons and displays
4.2.1
On/off switch
Use the button [8] to switch the e·fix on and/or off.
When switching on the e.fix, the electronic system auto-
matically checks the operability of all components. Varying
symbols simultaneously appear in the display which go off
when the check was fault-free.
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4.2.2
Displays
After switching on the e·fix and on completion of the
automatic system check, various messages appear in the
display [2]:
· The bar display [4] shows the charging state of the
batteries.
Five black bars indicate that the "battery is charged 100%",
four black bars indicate that the "battery is charged 80%",
three black bars indicate that the "battery is charged 60%"
etc.
Make sure that the batteries are recharged in time so that
you can always get the most out of your e·fix. Please check
Chapter 3.2 for information on charging the batteries.
·The function Indoor/outdoor is permanently displayed by
the symbols "0" and/or "I" (see Chapter 4.2.5).
· The lighting of the display goes off 30 seconds after
switching on the e·fix, is reactivated however, in case
of a sudden error message.
· If the symbol and the Code 14 or 15 appear and an
intermittent tone is heard, the wheels are not engaged.
Engage the wheels (see Chapter 7.3)
16