How Long Do Power Recliner Motors Last?

What if you wanted a chair that you can adjust the back for greater comfort? Enter the power recliner. Unlike traditional fixed seats, a power recliner uses motors and electricity to offer a comfortable seating when desired. The seat are adjustable too! But how long will these motors last?

It is responsible for opening and closing the chair, as well as reclining it. Regular use of the recliner is bound to wear out the motors. While there is no definitive answer as to how long a power recliner motor will last with proper care and maintenance, it should provide 5-10 years of trouble-free use.

There are numerous uses for recliners that have a positive impact on health.

Power recliners use motors to position you comfortably. Users should be aware of the durability of engines because it is an essential factor in power recliners.

Key Takeaways

• Generally, a power recliner motor can have a lifespan of approximately 5 to 10 years.
• The durability of the power recliner motor can be affected by various factors.
• Reclining chairs have an electric motor that tilts the chair forward or backwards

How power recliners work?

An electric recliner chair, often known as a power recliner, employs a system of motors or electrical components to adjust and recline the chair comfortably at the touch of a button. Access to energy or a battery pack is necessary for this kind of motion recliner.

Without requiring any physical energy, this motor will tilt your chair back or return it to its upright posture.

Some power sofas feature buttons on the side of the chair, or they can have a remote control to operate the motor. Because of this technology, you might be able to use the sofa for more activities.

Using power, a motor helps recline the sofa or chair to the desired level.

Some power sofas can use a remote to control the motor or have buttons on the side of their chair. The buttons are wired to the chair’s internal machinery, which requires at least one motor to operate. Some models have multiple motors.

Some power recliners have massage or heating units, which are helpful in physiotherapy.

The lifespan of a power recliner motor

Generally, a power recliner motor can have a lifespan of approximately 5 to 10 years.

Proper care and maintenance can extend the life of the motor. The lifespan of the motor depends on usage. If handled with care and regular maintenance service, your power recliner motor will last at least another few years.

Another factor is how intensively a power recliner is used, how much weight it regularly carries, how much upward and reclining motion it has to do, and how much stress is applied to its frame during kickback, all factors in longevity.

But based on my experience, if inappropriate use is avoided and proper maintenance is carried out, it is possible to use for up to 20 years.

Factors That Affect the Durability of a Power Recliner Motor

1. The durability of the power recliner motor can be affected by various factors. Because it is powered by electricity, connecting it to an extension without directly connecting it to the main outlet of the power line can cause power overload during voltage jumps. Such power overload can damage the recliner motor resulting in decreasing motor durability.
2. Humidity and electrical components cannot coexist. Therefore, you should never store your recliner in a moist environment to prevent damage. When reclining, food and beverages should be avoided. Because liquids can carry electricity and cause accidents. The recliner motor’s durability may be affected by this.
3. The base of the recliner should always be kept clean. Any dirt including food, water, and dust can become an infestation of insects and spiders. In addition, dust or dirt inside the recliner can be blown in through the air and cause excess stress on the motor and cause the motor to overheat.

As a result, durability may decrease.

Maintaining your Power Recliner Motor

Here are some tips to help maintain your power recliner so you can increase the motors’ lifespan

Maintenance

Good service and longevity of any item depend on proper maintenance. Especially things that use electricity. Reclining chairs have an electric motor that tilts the chair forward or backwards. Regular maintenance can keep these chairs working optimally and ensure their long-term durability.

Getting rid of dust

Dust accumulation is bad. To ensure efficient operation, you must regularly vacuum or wet-wipe the motor and cable to prevent dust accumulation.

Unplugging when not in use

The reclining chair is motorized and the backrest and footrest are electronically controlled. Always unplug before doing any maintenance or cleaning. If your chair has backup batteries, remove them as well.

Replacing the battery

It is a good idea to change the backup battery every few years. This is important as the battery is helpful for when there is no power in the house.

Professional care

If you notice any fraying or inconsistency in your hand control cord, seek the help of an expert. Exposed wires can damage the chair’s and the motor’s electrical parts.

Keep away from liquids

Do not allow any substance such as liquid to come into contact with electronic components or power sources, as this may cause electric shock resulting in possible injury or damage.

Plugging in to a wall-outlet

Use a three-prong plug to connect your lift chair to a recognized, electrically grounded outlet. Do not plug your lift chair into an extension cord; instead, plug directly into an outlet to reduce safety and performance issues.

Extreme conditions

Keep your reclining chair out of extreme temperatures and other extreme conditions. The motors may start failing otherwise.

Regularly inspect the motor’s cord and wires

You can identify present conditions and areas that might require future repairs by routinely inspecting the cord and wiring of your motor.

Firstly carefully unplug the power cord from the AC outlet. After verifying that the power cord receives adequate electrical connections, you must check that the wire has not been shorted.

By touching each prong on the AC side of the power cord, you can check for potential short circuits. Use a multimeter to perform such inspections accurately. The multimeter will tell the result.

The power cord needs to be replaced right away if the multimeter beeps.

If your power cord is short, do not attempt to plug the cord back into the AC outlet.

If your power cord has passed all the steps above, then you have successfully tested that your power cord is in working order.

Dust Regularly

Recliners don’t take long to get dirty due to dust. Dust reduces performance not only in recliners but in anything. Fabric recliners should be vacuumed regularly to remove dust, dander, hair, crumbs, or invisible dust. If the fabric is water-resistant, it can be cleaned using water and a mild laundry detergent. Next, you can clean it using an upholstery cleaner. Before using any cleaning product, test it in an inconspicuous area using a soft cloth.

Keep Children Away

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of the United States is concerned about the potential unintentional death or harm to small children playing with or using recliners. The CPSC has been informed of 8 child recliner chair-related deaths and several severe brain damage since January 1980.

The children who were hurt were typically unaccompanied at the time of the accident and ranged in age from 12 months to 5 years, citing CPSC statistics.

Do not let youngsters play on or manipulate the mechanism of this motorized furniture. When closed, the footrest folds down, putting a youngster at risk of harm.

Customers who own older reclining chair models at home must take the necessary safety steps to keep young children from playing on these chairs.

Have Regular Checkups

Recliner chairs should be checked-up regularly. Many recommend a checkup once a month. This is because one of the recliner chair’s two parts are the external part and the internal part.

External parts include frame, padding, fabric, seat cushion, back cushion and headrest.

Internal parts include the mechanism, hinges, latches, cord and motors.

Every part of the recliner chair is essential. So during the checkup, it should be done step by step by disconnecting the power. It is necessary to check whether the connection of any part is loose, whether the power cord is OK or not, especially the headrest and footrest. Also, the easiest way to know if the motor and movement are OK is if there is any annoying noise and if the movement is smooth. If you notice something in the checkup, you can fix it yourself, but if it is electrical, get it serviced by a skilled person.

See Also: Can Power Recliners Be Operated Manually?

Are electric recliners better than manual?

“From a financial standpoint, manual recliners usually cost less and have fewer locking systems. They don’t also need a power source. Power recliners are easier to use than manual recliners, have more locking positions, and typically have heat and massage capabilities.”

Typically manual recliners have locking reclining systems offering 16 rocking and 3 footrest positions.

In contrast, four electronic buttons on power recliners allow you to adjust the position of your chair and footrest. As you press and release each button, your chair or footrest position will be locked. No matter where you stop.

This means that power recliners allow you to choose from an infinite number of locking chair and footrest combinations.

Also, some power recliners allow you to adjust your head tilt and lumbar support.

It may sound obvious, but power recliners require an electrical source to operate. Therefore, rechargeable batteries also have the advantage.

Manual recliners are powered organically by your arms, shoulders and body weight.

Power recliner is very easy to use for elderly or sick people.

Manual recliners are lighter than power recliners because of the mechanical parts and motors inside.

Power recliners offer heat and massage benefits.

Power recliners are generally priced higher than manual recliners.

When comparing manual vs motorized recliners, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages. Manual recliners typically cost less, have fewer locking positions, and don’t require a power supply. On the other hand, power recliners are simple to use, have practically endless locking configurations, and frequently offer warming and massage features.

How a power recliner motor is still performing properly?

• If your power recliner stops working, read the user manual first.
• Also, check the transformer box behind the furniture. When working correctly, this transformer will display a green light.
• If you check the transformer and find that the light is red or not lit at all, this is usually a sign of a transformer fault. In this case, tell them where you bought it from. Then, it’s a simple matter to unplug the old one and replace it with the new transformer.
• Your chair should normally operate if you inspect the transformer and find the light is green. However, if it doesn’t work, there may be a problem with the mechanism or a loose wire.
• There are some troubleshooting steps you can take to see if your recliner is broken or if you may need to connect some loose wires.
• Check your furniture cord connection to the outlet. As simple as it may sound, sometimes the recliner can be unplugged.
• Check your outlet and your cord and make sure they are correctly connected. If your appliance still doesn’t work, you may want to test your outlet with another device to make sure the outlet is working properly.
• If you still don’t get power, check your circuit breakers to ensure you didn’t accidentally trip a breaker when you plugged in your new recliner. In older homes, especially high-powered electronics or multiple appliances can be challenging to run on a single breaker.
• Although breaker overload is rare, it happens occasionally and can cause your power recliner to lack power. Avoid using multiple powered devices on the same breaker to avoid this potential accident.

See Also: How To Hide Cords For Power Recliner?

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Power recliners work differently, so you’ll want to know how to operate them. You’ll also want to know how much electricity it uses and whether you can get away with a power pack. Apart from this, using the message with a recliner chair or sofa gives a beautiful experience.