What Types of Motors Are Utilized In An Adjustable Bed?
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The first thing most consumers notice when trying out an adjustable bed is the intensity of the noise when raising and lowering the head and foot of the bed. They will generally recognize either a moderately intense, somewhat of a grinding type of sound, or a must less noticeable whirring, buzzing type of noise. The differences of the intensity and type of noise will depend on the type of motor that the adjustable bed in question is using for lifting purposes.
There are predominantly two types of motors that are utilized in today’s adjustable beds; the AC, and DC types. Reasons for choosing one over the other depends on what primary application the bed is to be used for; therapeutic /medical or recreational type of use. Overall, when considering one over the other, the differences are few. Today’s adjustable bed technology has greatly evolved, and this evolution has had much of the attention directed to the heart of the bed; the motor.
Consumers considerations for which motor type to choose, involve considerations such as total body weight that will be on the bed, noise level tolerance, and the need of having a backup source of power allowing emergency use of the bed in case of a power outage.
If an individual using an adjustable is over 350lb for example, they would need to select an adjustable bed that utilizes an AC motor. There are AC motors available on today’s adjustable beds that have up to a 600lb weight capacity, and one manufacturer offers a model with a 1000lb weight capacity rating. Be sure to check with your sales representative for a model fitting your specific needs, as manufacturers clearly specify certain weight limits for each respective bed and motor type. AC motors have greater lifting capacity than their DC counterparts. It is important to remember that the weight capacity rating for adjustable beds include the combined weight of the mattress and the individual using the bed. DC motors will generally accommodate a maximum combined mattress and user weight of 400lb per given side in a twin mattress, and up to 500lb for a Queen size. Since AC motors are generally noisier than DC ones, a consumer under the weight capacity limit above, and who are also more prone to be adversely effected by the moderate grinding noise of and AC motor, should consider the DC type.
Today’s DC motors however, should not be thought inferior when it comes to ones concern of wanting a reliable motor for their adjustable bed. New design technologies have resulted in a proven track record of reliability and durability to assure that the consumer will have many years of trouble free use for this choice of motor.
DC motors are also more energy efficient than their AC counterpart, with today’s models operating on only about the power of a standard 40 watt light bulb! The other major advantage of a DC motor over and AC one is the ability to utilize a battery backup source in the event of a power outage. Using a simple 9 volt battery, this gives the operator of the bed the ability to lower it to the flat position for ease of exit during the outage. This consideration is significant for those in areas that regularly experience rolling power blackouts, or regular weather related power outages.
