Blink blink blink blink blink blink blink . . .

Wednesday:

The ATM entered a failure mode this afternoon. I was sitting on the deck in mild sunshine with it off. When I turned it back on, it would not move, but instead would flash seven times with a three-second pause, then repeat. After about two minutes of me pressing the power switch intermittently, it resumed normal operation.

They:

I will ask repair guy to call you. Would you like us to order the Permobil wheelchair? You would then have a back-up wheelchair in case you have more problems with the AT'm. It seems like you are using the AT'm a lot.

Me:

I use it all the time. Unless this is a known error state, I doubt there is much that repair guy's call will accomplish, since it only did it the once. And no, there was no input at all to the stick.

We're still deciding on the permobile.

They:

I would agree with your diagnosis of not to worry about that fault unless it happens regularly. Usually the fault codes happen from turning the w/c on without the joystick being centered or a power spike.

Saturday:

Today the chair failed in exactly the same way -- in the same location. I was on the deck in mild sunshine. I turned it on and it flashed seven times with a three-beat pause. It kept repeating this. Since the only common element was sunshine, I hypothesized that the control unit was overheated. It is mostly black and I was not moving. I managed to lift the right drive handle, but could not reach the left one. l wheeled in a left turn into the shade. After sitting for a few minutes, during which the controller presumedly cooled, the controller allowed me turn the chair off, then back on again. It has been normal since then. Please check your diagnostic codes for the meaning of seven flashes with a three-beat pause. Just in case you're going to suggest it, this does not motivate me to get a new or different chair to put these problems behind me.