Braun wheelchair lift wiring

snonbos · 06-23-2010, 11:05 PM

I'm in the process of installing a braun millenium lift that I picked up at a local auction into my shortbus. I have it mounted and have tested it out manually with the hand pump a couple of times and it seems to work fine. So, I'm on to the next step of wiring it up.

I want to size the positive cable and circuit protection. I was wondering if anyone who has one or pulled one out of their bus can tell me what the amp draw for the lift might be? I don't see any info on the lift itself (I could be just blind too) and I can't seem to find much info on the web about electrical requirements for one of these.

I did find some diagrams that mentioned using Brauns "circuit sentry(?)" close to the battery, but they don't say the amp rating of the breaker.

Thanks for any help.

Stuff · 06-24-2010, 02:13 PM

any wheel chair lifts i have seen that are electric have cables going to them about the size of the negative cable directly off the battery all the way to the lift.

Diesel Dan · 06-25-2010, 12:31 PM

I recently removed my lift and I can tell you the cable was huge. Definitely at least the size of a battery cable if not bigger. I'm not sure how far you are running to get to the battery, but mine is like 20 feet away.

snonbos · 06-25-2010, 05:16 PM

Thanks for the responses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smitty

Got a clamp-on DC ammeter ?

Smitty

unfortunately I don't have a clamp-on ammeter. I'll have to bum one and try the lift to get an idea.
If I were to put a decent load on it and run it with the ammeter, that amperage reading should give me the approximate circuit breaker and wire size to use?

Quote:

I recently removed my lift and I can tell you the cable was huge. Definitely at least the size of a battery cable if not bigger.

The cable that was left on the lift was huge. That is what made me wonder what kind of amperage the lift is drawing.
I'm mounting it in the side door right behind the front door so if I were to run wire from the battery it won't be that far.

I had been thinking about mounting a aux. battery to run a small inverter for a laptop and some 12 volt inside lighting.
If I were to mount the Aux. battery setup by the control for the lift, I would think it would be fine to run it off of this battery?
Then I could probably run a smaller wire from the aux battery to the lift to power it? I would still need some sort of circuit protection.

I still have the large flasher relays installed in the cabinet above the drivers seat. They both already have a heavy battery 12volt supply to them. If I were to wire one of the relays to engage when the ignition is on to use it as an isolation relay. Then run the relay output to the positive side of the auxillary battery, would this be a way to keep the aux. system charged?

I'm sorta talking outloud here / looking for confirmation that I'm thinking correctly.

wmah · 11-25-2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snonbos

I'm in the process of installing a braun millenium lift that I picked up at a local auction into my shortbus. I have it mounted and have tested it out manually with the hand pump a couple of times and it seems to work fine. So, I'm on to the next step of wiring it up.

I want to size the positive cable and circuit protection. I was wondering if anyone who has one or pulled one out of their bus can tell me what the amp draw for the lift might be? I don't see any info on the lift itself (I could be just blind too) and I can't seem to find much info on the web about electrical requirements for one of these.

I did find some diagrams that mentioned using Brauns "circuit sentry(?)" close to the battery, but they don't say the amp rating of the breaker.

Thanks for any help.

I know I'm late on this but for anyone else that asks,
2 gage wire should be used
Often up near the battery is a circuit breaker most of time they are 90 to 100 amp. The braun and ricon breakers in my opinion are better quality then those cheap ones you can find on ebay and would be worth the money spent on them. They serve in case of overload on the lift motor and in case of a wire short. They are installed on the positive side of the battery and the ground can be grounded to the frame.

Doesn't matter if it is an old lift or new lift they are all pretty simple and really don't require an "expert" to install. The bolts should go all the way through the floor and you may need to use some angle iron or something simular on the under side for better distribution of the load on the floor. but with our steel floors it isn't required just some big washers.

Chiefw321 · 02-07-2019, 03:25 PM

new here. Question. I have removed my lift out of the bus using mostly bruit force and angle grinder. The question is the electrical running to the lift. As stated previously large gauge wire. But am wondering if I could attach that to my inverter/ converter for power while driving the bus? Any ideas?

ermracing · 02-07-2019, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefw321

new here. Question. I have removed my lift out of the bus using mostly bruit force and angle grinder. The question is the electrical running to the lift. As stated previously large gauge wire. But am wondering if I could attach that to my inverter/ converter for power while driving the bus? Any ideas?

I don't see why that wouldn't work. It will only be powered if the ign switch is on or in the acc position, or at least that's how ours is wired.

pbeggs · 02-07-2019, 04:47 PM

the lift on my bus is powered on at all times and fed by a isolated battery(located on my e350 cutaway under the bus behind the stairs)your setup may be different but yes that would be a good place to feed your inverter. if it is fed by a separate battery your house system is already made for you (my lift battery is charged by the alternator when driving but isolated when ign. is off)

pbeggs · 02-07-2019, 04:52 PM

it helps if you indicate what bus you have brand size gas diesel engine specs yadayada ect.but make and year we will either know the answer or we will find it we just need more info and some pictures helps sometimes but anyways welcome to the forum and good luck!

peteg59 · 05-21-2019, 10:32 AM

I realize this is an "old" initial post, but need to figure out how my lift is wired.
It is the Braun mod. L205064PB. It is wired to work only when ignition is "on".
I need to somehow bypass the ignition safety, and rewire it to operate outside the ignition circuit. In other word's to have it function whether the bus is running or not.

Seems simple enough, but I can't find a Braun wiring diagram on this old lift to save my hind end!
Any help/suggestions are welcomed...

ermracing · 05-21-2019, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peteg59

I realize this is an "old" initial post, but need to figure out how my lift is wired.
It is the Braun mod. L205064PB. It is wired to work only when ignition is "on".
I need to somehow bypass the ignition safety, and rewire it to operate outside the ignition circuit. In other word's to have it function whether the bus is running or not.

Seems simple enough, but I can't find a Braun wiring diagram on this old lift to save my hind end!
Any help/suggestions are welcomed...

We have the same issue with our bus. The solution I plan to put in place is to get a battery isolator and another regular car battery. I will put the isolator on the feed line to the lift, then to the new battery, then to the lift. This will keep the battery charged. When the ignition is turned off, the connection from the bus to the new battery will be broken, but the lift will still be powered by the battery. At least I think that will work.

peteg59 · 05-21-2019, 11:08 AM

Thanks for the feedback ermracing.
I am hoping to not have to buy any additional gear to make this work.
I don't believe there would be a parasitic draw from the lift if it was wired direct to the battery. It has an inline circuit breaker already and it operates as designed, so it should work without going through the ignition circuitry, in theory!
So no need to add a dedicated battery from what I can tell so far.
I'm trying to keep it simple...?

ermracing · 05-21-2019, 11:23 AM

It would operate if you linked it directly, but you run the chance of drawing down your starting batteries if used enough. That is our concern and reasoning for its own battery.

peteg59 · 05-21-2019, 12:31 PM

^...Great point!
I'm only planning on using it to get in and out of the bus, so it shouldn't discharge too much?
Just can't do that too many times without running it awhile to charge back up...

ermracing · 05-21-2019, 01:02 PM

For that amount of use it will be fine. Ours may be parked for a day or two and the lift might be used a bit for getting things into and out of our workshop so that's why I want a dedicated battery.

Unrelated question - can you open and close it from the inside?

o1marc · 05-21-2019, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ermracing

For that amount of use it will be fine. Ours may be parked for a day or two and the lift might be used a bit for getting things into and out of our workshop so that's why I want a dedicated battery.

Unrelated question - can you open and close it from the inside?

There is a remote control on a lead, once the door is open it doesn't matter where your standing to open the lift. It can be operated from inside by the person in the wheel chair.

peteg59 · 05-21-2019, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ermracing

Unrelated question - can you open and close it from the inside?

Tight fit between the lift & door but yes.

peteg59 · 05-21-2019, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1marc

There is a remote control on a lead, once the door is open it doesn't matter where your standing to open the lift. Can't see much from the pic, but if you enlarge it you will see the cable at the bottom of the right side door frame on a 4' lead.

Mine lift is older, but the same basic design. The control pendant is on about 8' of a lead so I've got plenty of room to maneuver in or out of the bus.

ermracing · 05-21-2019, 01:47 PM

Same as ours, but have you rigged up a way to open and close the door from the inside?

o1marc · 05-21-2019, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ermracing

Same as ours, but have you rigged up a way to open and close the door from the inside?

If it's hard to reach the handle you put a lanyard on it and a small pulley of some sort to pull the lanyard down to pull the handle up.

You may also like: