Power recliners are a great piece of furniture that relies on electricity, but does a power recliner have to be plugged in or can they work without it?
Power recliners need to be plugged into a power supply in order to work, they, unfortunately, cannot be operated without power as the mechanism is driven by a motor and cannot be operated manually.
Let’s take a deeper look at the power recliner mechanism to see exactly why they need to be plugged in to work properly.
Power Recliner Mechanism
The mechanism of a power recliner relies on a motor, typically either a single or dual set-up, that controls the adjustable parts of the chair during the reclining motion. This mechanism is usually controlled via either remote control or buttons located on the side of the recliner itself.
Can An Electric Recliner Be Overrided Manually?
The entire mechanism is designed to work with the motor, which is the reason why it cannot be operated manually. This is also why it needs to be plugged in when you want to use the reclining function.
How To Get Out Of A Power Recliner When The Power Goes Out
If power recliners need to be plugged in at all times, then what happens if the power trips out while you are using it?
This can happen for a variety of reasons, but most commonly if somebody accidentally switches off the switch or hits the cord by accident. The best way to deal with this is to ask somebody else to switch the power back on or to plug the cord back in – you should never try to push the recliner down manually as this can damage the mechanism.
If you are alone, then try to get off the recliner without pushing it back into the stationary position. We recommend supervising elderly people when they are using power recliners as they may find it more difficult to get out of the seat without pushing it back into position and causing damage.
Use a Back-Up Battery
Another precaution you can take is to buy a power recliner that has a backup battery in case of a loss of power during use.
This can be incredibly useful for elderly people who would otherwise struggle to get off the recliner in the case of a power loss. It’s also nice to have the peace of mind that even if the power is cut off your recliner won’t get damaged by having to be used manually.
The downside to this is that backup batteries can be quite expensive, but it can stop your recliner from becoming damaged if the power does get cut when it is in use.
Do All Power Recliners Have A Backup?
You may be asking yourself why don’t all power recliner manufacturers include a backup from the get-go, but the answer is really quite simple.
The odds of your recliner running out of power when you are sat on it are very, very slim. Can you remember the last time you completely lost power to an outlet?
In 99% of cases, a regular person will not encounter this issue, and therefore it doesn’t make economical sense to include a backup battery that will more than likely never be used anyway.
Do Power Recliners Use A Lot Of Electricity
It is reported that on average a power recliner will use 15 watts on standby up to 60 watts for one cycle, i.e from the seated position to legs up.
You can reduce the amount of electricity that recliners use in many ways, including the most obvious which is turning it off when not in use. Another thing that you can do is be careful when putting the recliner into the upright position when you don’t need to.
Although obvious it is quite easy to get into the habit of using the reclining function even when you are sitting down for a couple of minutes.
Ultimately though the number of times you will use the recliner will have little impact on your overall energy bill, so it isn’t something to worry about too much.
Final Thoughts
Power recliners require power in order to work.
If they lose power during operation then you will need to find a new source of power to get it back down rather than trying to do it manually, as this can damage the mechanism itself.