A power wheelchair or scooter changes the math on a home lift. The equipment is heavy. Add the rider, and a lift that looked roomy on paper might not be rated for the load.
That’s why the through-floor lift weight limit deserves a close look before anything else. The Savaria Telecab 17 was built with extra muscle for this job. Below, we explain what its 845-pound rating means, how it compares, and what your home needs for one.
What Is the Through-Floor Lift Weight Limit?
It depends on the model, so always check the rating. The original Savaria Telecab carries 500 pounds. The Savaria Telecab 17 carries 845 pounds, because it’s built on the same drive system Savaria uses in its V-1504 wheelchair lift. That extra capacity makes it well suited to power wheelchairs and scooters.
A weight limit is the total load the lift is rated to carry. That means the rider, the chair or scooter, and anything else in the cab. So when you compare through-floor lift weight limits, add it all up. The Telecab 17 also has a pressure relief valve to prevent platform overload.
The rest of the design is simple. There’s no shaft and no machine room. The enclosed cab travels through a cutout in the upper floor, and the motor and drive hide inside the lift’s attached tower.
Savaria Telecab 17 at a Glance
- Weight limit: 845 pounds
- Travel: up to 23 feet, with two stops
- Speed: 20 feet per minute
- Cab: 30″ by 46″ standard, or 36″ by 54″ optional, both with an 80″ ceiling
- Power: a dedicated 110-volt, 20-amp circuit
- Structure: no shaft and no machine room; the motor and drive sit in the attached tower
- Warranty: 36 months on parts from Savaria (with regular maintenance), and 6 months on our workmanship
What Makes the Telecab 17 a Heavy Duty Home Lift
Savaria calls the drive a 2:1 roller chain hydraulic system. In plain terms, a hydraulic pump and a roller chain do the lifting, tucked inside the tower attached to the cab. It’s the same drive Savaria uses in its V-1504 wheelchair lift, and it’s what gives this model its 845-pound rating.
Here’s how it compares with the original Savaria Telecab:
- Weight limit: 845 pounds on the Telecab 17, 500 pounds on the Telecab.
- Cab height: 80 inches on the Telecab 17, 78 inches on the standard Telecab cab.
- Doors: the Telecab 17 uses a single access door. The Telecab can be configured with a second door for straight-through entry and exit.
- The same on both: up to 23 feet of travel with two stops, the same speed and the same power needs.
In short, the Telecab 17 trades door options for capacity.
Living With a Through-the-Floor Wheelchair Lift
A through-the-floor wheelchair lift has to be easy to use from a seated position. On the Telecab 17, the control panel is placed within easy reach when you’re seated. A sloped threshold and non-skid flooring help you roll in, and a full-depth handrail gives you something solid to hold.
The controls are constant-pressure “push-to-run” buttons, so the lift moves only while you hold them. A wall-mounted call button brings the cab to you. The single access door has a hydraulic closer and an interlock. It can hinge on the left or the right, and it sits on the same side of the cab at both floors.
The cab has full-height acrylic panels on three sides, so it feels open rather than boxed in. Two recessed LED lights come on automatically. Upstairs, when the lift parks below, a cap closes the floor opening. It’s finished on-site with your own flooring, so the opening disappears into the room.
Safety comes standard, not as an upgrade:
- An underpan sensor that stops the lift if it meets an obstruction on the way down
- A cab-top sensor that does the same on the way up
- A door interlock that keeps the door shut while the lift moves
- A stop and alarm button, plus an included telephone
- Emergency battery lowering and a manual lowering device
- A slack chain safety device
Options worth asking about include a battery back-up (UPS) and Savaria Link remote monitoring. You can also add a Braille plate on the control panel, or larger 60 mm call buttons that are easier to see and press. The pump and controller can also move to a nearby closet or utility space if you want the mechanicals out of the room.
Who the Telecab 17 Is Right For
The Telecab 17 makes sense when:
- Someone rides with a power wheelchair or scooter.
- You want a weight limit well above 500 pounds.
- You’re connecting two levels, with up to 23 feet of travel between the stops.
- The upper floor has at least 96 inches of overhead clearance, which is the height above the upstairs floor where the cab parks. With a variance, 92 inches is possible.
Some homes need something different. If you’d rather roll straight through without backing up, look at the original Telecab. It can be ordered with a second door for straight-through access. It also offers cab sizes up to 36 by 59 inches, with a 500-pound limit. If the stairs you’re fighting are outside, on a porch or deck, a platform lift may fit better. Our post on home elevators vs. vertical platform lifts explains the difference.
Browse more Savaria lifts on our Savaria home elevators page, or compare shaftless options on our through-the-floor elevators page.
How a Telecab 17 Project Works With Us
We start with a free in-home consultation. We measure the spot, the ceiling upstairs and your chair or scooter, and we ask how you get around day to day. There’s no way to give an exact figure without seeing your home, so that visit comes first. Afterward, you get a clear written quote.
Wichita requires a permit on every job, and we get it for you. Before install day, the site is prepared, including the floor cutout and the dedicated circuit. The cutout is 60 1/2 by 35 1/4 inches for the standard cab, or 68 1/2 by 41 1/4 inches for the larger one. Once the site is ready, installation typically takes just a few days.
Our own installers handle the work, and we service what we install. Savaria’s 36-month parts warranty stays in force with regular maintenance, and our 6-month workmanship warranty covers the installation itself. For drawings, manuals and every option, see the full specs and options for the Savaria Telecab 17.
Related reading: Through-the-Floor Lift With No Pit or Support Wall: The Savaria Luma and Glass Elevator for Home: What It Takes to Add a Savaria Vuelift Round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Telecab 17 big enough for a scooter?
The Telecab 17 is well suited to heavier mobility equipment, including power wheelchairs and scooters. The standard cab is 30 by 46 inches. An optional 36-by-54-inch cab gives larger power chairs and scooters more room, with the same 80-inch ceiling. We measure your scooter or chair at the consultation to confirm the fit.
What happens to a Telecab 17 in a power outage?
Emergency battery lowering comes standard, along with a manual lowering device, so the cab can come down if the power fails. If you want to keep riding between floors during an outage, add the optional battery back-up (UPS). It keeps the lift running for several trips.
How long does a Telecab 17 installation take?
Once the site is prepared, installation typically takes just a few days. The prep comes first: the floor cutout and a dedicated 110-volt, 20-amp circuit. We plan the schedule with you after you approve your written quote.
How much does a heavy duty through-floor lift cost?
The total depends on your home and your choices. Cab size, the floor cutout, the electrical work and options like the UPS back-up, remote monitoring or a remote machine room all affect it. We price every option into your written quote. The free in-home consultation is the only way to get an exact figure.
Serving Wichita, Little Rock and the Four States
We’re a family-owned company based in Wichita, and we install and service lifts across Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. We’re open Monday through Friday 8 to 6, Saturday 9 to 4, and Sunday by appointment. From our Wichita service area to families in Little Rock, we measure carefully and give straight answers.
Find out if the Telecab 17 can carry what you need.
We’ll measure your home and your mobility equipment, then give you a clear written quote. Book your free in-home consultation or call (316) 361-6220.