How To Troubleshoot An Electric Scooter
Are you thinking about getting an electric scooter, but not sure how to troubleshoot one? Check out this helpful guide on how to troubleshoot an electric scooter. We’ll go over some common problems and how to fix them, so you can get back on the road in no time.
Look for the obvious.
- Make sure the switch for your scooter is turned on.
- The charger shouldn’t be plugged into the motor scooter when you test it. The scooter’s most important safety features, including motor power, are disabled when the charger is connected.
- Ensure the main fuse is in good working order. If the main fuse on your electric scooter is blown, nothing will work. Make sure no parts are broken on your scooter. Make sure the wiring is not frayed or shorted.
- Disconnects or loose connections (check everything).
- You can smell burnt odors by smelling around with your nose. A burnt smell indicates that a component is not functioning properly. Some motors emit a burning smell (normal for motors to do so).
- You need to charge the batteries. Battery troubleshooting and testing can help if your scooter’s batteries won’t charge.
How to troubleshoot an electric scooter
Here are some tips on how to troubleshoot your electric scooter in detail.
Check the battery charging port
(No Tools Required) Unplug the battery charger if it’s plugged into the wall. You will see an indicator light on the battery charger if you plug it into the vehicle’s battery charger port.
An indicator light will illuminate the battery charger if the battery charger port itself is functioning properly, as well as the charger’s wiring and connectors. In some battery chargers, the indicator light does not illuminate when the charger is only plugged into the vehicle; therefore, if the light does not illuminate, a secondary Voltage test should be performed with a multimeter.
Using a multimeter, you can check the voltage at the battery charger port. It is important that the charging port voltage is the same as the one at the battery pack. A great deal of care must be taken if the charger port has male terminals, as long as they do not short circuit one another or the metal housing of the charger port. We covered this on our previous article of battery guide
Test The Battery Charger
A multimeter is needed for testing the charger port and confirming that it has voltage, then the battery charger can be tested. It will be necessary to resolve any Voltage issues in the charger port prior to testing the battery charger. To test if a battery charger is recharging a battery or battery pack, you must first determine if the battery or battery pack is below a 100% state of charge.
For assistance in determining if the battery or battery pack needs to be recharged, we have a Battery State of Charge Chart. Plug the battery charger into the vehicle’s charger port and then plug the charger into the wall once you have determined that the battery or battery pack needs to be recharged. Test the battery pack’s voltage with a digital multimeter to determine if the Voltage has been slowly increasing. You should set your multimeter to a DC Voltage range that can read out tenths and hundreds of a Volt of the battery or battery pack.
Having your battery or battery pack’s voltage slowly rise indicates that you are recharging it with your battery charger. Continue charging until the charging indicator light on the charger indicates it is fully charged, then check the voltage of the battery or battery pack to see if it has reached a 100% state of charge, as specified in the Battery State of Charge Chart. Using a faulty charger will cause the battery or battery pack to not reach a state of charge of 100%.
the Solution
Watch the indicator lights as you plug the charger into the wall socket. Your charger may not be functioning if they are not illuminated; this is a simple test to check for this problem.
A voltmeter or multi-meter can be used to test the charging output of the battery charger if you would like a more in-depth inspection. Be sure that you find out the voltage of your scooter’s battery output before you check it.
Battery voltages for scooters are typically 24V, 36V, or 48V. It is important to verify that your charger is capable of supplying a higher voltage than your battery. If there is no voltage or if there is just a little over the battery, then your charger is defective or the battery is not capable of handling the voltage.
There is a simple solution to this problem. Get a new battery charger and make sure its voltage is equal to the battery’s. Also, make sure that the charger and battery are compatible with the outlet voltage. You can explore ways to charge your e-scooter without charger here.
Inspect The Speed Controller
On the speed controller, look for melted or burned wires or wire connectors. Any burned or melted wires might indicate a defective speed controller.
Make sure the speed controller does not smell like burned plastic. A burned smell is almost always a sign of a defective speed controller.
Despite the fact that it doesn’t have burnt or melted wires, the speed controller can still be faulty. The process of elimination is used to determine if the speed controller is malfunctioning. Test all the other components in the electrical system surrounding the speed controller.
There is no easy way to test speed controllers. Inspecting and eliminating potential causes of a malfunctioning speed controller is the best method for finding out whether or not it is working. When all of the other components of the scooter’s electrical system test good, but it does not operate, then the speed controller is defective.
The Solution
The steps to follow are as follows:
- Turn on the scooter
It’s important to start the scooter first in order to check whether the speed controller is working. Once it is running, you can identify what the problem is.
- Check the speed controller
You should examine the electrical wiring of the speed control to determine if there is a problem. Check the circuit breaker, the switch, and the fuse. If you smell fumes coming from the engine, it could indicate an ignition risk. A controller is one reason an e-scooter is safer than a motor cycle.
- Disassemble the speed controller
Once you have determined what is wrong with the controller, you can disassemble it. By doing so, you will have access to its interior. Check for loose cables and replace any that are damaged.
There might not be a problem with the wiring. Look for worn circuit breakers and replace them if necessary.
- Assemble everything again
The speed controller needs to be put back together after the scooter has been fixed. Please take care here since it is very easy to make an error. Attach the parts back carefully and tighten them all up.
- Have your scooter tested
The scooter can now be turned on and driven a short distance. Once this is done, you’ll know whether the problem has been resolved.
Circuit breakers or fuses need to be checked
Look inside the fuse if the scooter uses one to see if it’s burnt out. To determine if the fuse is burned out, you may need to remove it from the scooter and hold it up to a source of light. Check the circuit breaker on scooters that use a circuit breaker by either turning it on or flipping it.
The Solution
Flip the main and ignition fuses to see if they are blown. Turn them back to “on” if they are. You can now try starting the engine.
If the fuse is not blown, then this should work. You will have to replace the fuse if it is blown. Even though you can replace a fuse yourself, it is always best to get it done by a professional.
The Battery Problem
You will notice that the scooter’s gauge suddenly drops to zero when the power is cut off. This can happen for two reasons. A dead battery is the most obvious one. Another problem is that you may have an electrical problem with your scooter. Despite the fact that it has power, you cannot operate it.
Using a multimeter or voltmeter, you can check the charge level. Even when the battery is charged fully every time, you might need to replace it if it runs out fast. Over time, its holding charge capacity has decreased as it wears out.
Nonetheless, you might still experience such a problem, even if you have new cells. When it comes to claiming a replacement under the warranty policy, there is no other choice but to contact the manufacturer. This is an issue that has caused the officials to stop you from taking your e-scooter on a plane.
The battery, however, proved to be fine after some testing. Even so, the gauge still indicates an empty battery. The scooter is unable to receive the battery power if this is the case since it’s having a connection issue.
Make sure that the connectors are clean and there are no loose wires. You can find instructions on how to clean connectors in your scooter’s user manual.
The battery won’t charge
Charging Issues may stem from a number of sources such as a defective charger, defective port, or the battery is worn out.
Defective Charger
A faulty charger is generally responsible for charging problems. In case you are not sure whether it is a charger or battery issue, you can also try checking the charger on another electric scooter of the same model. If it still isn’t charging, then the charger is faulty.
Review the history of a battery pack. The charger will likely be defective if it has not been charged for more than 6 months.
Use your senses of touch, smell, and sight to inspect. Observe unusual signs, such as the smell of burning rubber or plastic, the appearance of frayed wires, the smell of burning rubber or plastic, and swollen batteries, etc. An electric scooter’s components may malfunction as a result of excessive use or overcharging.
Be sure to check the temperature. Lithium batteries tend to be sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Low temperatures, such as below 20 Celsius degrees, may prevent the battery from charging.
You can test the charging output voltage with a voltmeter. It is advisable to increase the voltage by a few volts above the rated voltage. Chargers with zero or lower output voltage are considered defective. Replace the charger if it fails with one that is the same model.
Defective Charger Port
It might be a problem with the charger port if your battery and charger work fine. Make sure the connectors and cables are plugged into the charger port.
In case the battery cannot be charged, you can check its voltage with a voltmeter.
If you need support for the product’s maintenance, contact the after-sales team. Do not assume you can fix the issue on your own.
The battery is Defective or Worn-out
A lithium battery generally has 500 charging cycles. Depending on the rider’s style, the number of cycles may differ. The battery cannot be charged properly if it has been subjected to a strong impact from an external force that has caused the connector to become loose. For any problems with an electric scooter that you cannot address on your own, please take it to the repair shop. On our previous article we covered how to maximize lithium ion battery for your e-scooter.
Water Damage
How do you do how much water is safer is for your e-scooter? Ip rating of your e-scooter should tell you how much water. If the scooter battery accidentally comes into contact with water, it is easy to cause the battery to short circuit. Given that most scooters’ batteries are built into the deck, it is not easy to remove or replace. We recommend not to use the scooter in heavy rain to avoid this situation.
Scooter Runs Erratically
Loose connections
You can expect 90% of the time any problem with your scooter is going to be caused by a loose connection or a wire that “shorts out” from time to time.
Check the Wires and Connections now. You should check the connections for the on/off switch and throttle as well.
Brake power interrupt switch
The rider accidentally activates the brake power interrupt switch by resting his fingers on the brake lever.
It might also be necessary to adjust this switch
Scooter Stops Working While Riding
Your scooter is likely to stop working while you’re riding for a number of reasons. Firstly it could be due to a circuit breaker. Secondly, it could be due to overheating. Thirdly, there could be a power interruption. Let us discuss this in detail.
The circuit breaker has been tripped.
Make sure all connectors and wires are connected tightly. As soon as the motor is overloaded, the reset button (located on the left side of the battery box) automatically trips and shuts off the power. Several factors, such as an excessive overload or steep incline, could have led to the motor overheating and tripping the breakers. To reset the circuit when this occurs, wait for a few seconds and then push the reset button. You can prevent the breaker from tripping repeatedly by fixing the fault that caused it to trip.
Please check the following if your battery is in good condition.
Overheating
E-scooters are usually equipped with a heat protection system. A breaker cuts the power to the motor when it reaches a certain temperature (140F or thereabouts). This prevents motor damage caused by overheating. If you want to increase the range of your e-scooter, avoid overheating.
Switching the on/off switch to the off position and waiting for the motor to cool is all it takes to reset the breaker. When the motor has cooled to a safe temperature, it will reset itself.
Overheating can be caused by the following factors.
- A scooter that cannot handle the weight of the rider. For instance, the Swagtron swagger class 2 scooter cannot support weight beyond 200 lbs.
- The tire pressure is too low
- The chain is too tight.
- The brakes drag
- Axle bolts on the front or rear are too tight and prevent wheels from turning freely.
- The overheat breaker is not working.
Disconnected or loose connections
Check all of them. If you miss one, your whole day is ruined.
All you have to do is follow the wires. Check for burned, shorted, or broken wires.
A problem with the throttle
Under Components Tests, you can see the throttle test.
A failed on/off or keyed switch:
It’s most likely a broken or loose wire here.
To inspect these connections, you will probably have to remove the switch.
Error in controller
To learn more about testing the Controller, go to the Components Tests section
Failed motor
More information on testing motors can be found in the Components Tests area below.
chain Falls Off Rear Wheel Or Motor
The chain must be inspected and the sprockets must be aligned.
Be sure the scooter chain is tensioned properly and adjust it if required. Check the rear wheel sprocket for proper alignment with the motor sprocket. When properly tensioned, the chain should have approximately 1/4″ of play up and down.
It is important that the rear-wheel-drive sprocket points directly toward the motor sprocket and that the chain is centered on the sprocket without pulling to one side or the other. Loosen the rear wheel axle bolts just enough to adjust the sprocket and then tap the wheel to adjust the tire. After the wheels have been aligned and tightened, tighten the axle bolts. The position of the motor is usually not adjustable, so most electric scooters must be adjusted by adjusting the rear wheel.
The rear sprocket may not be aligned properly after a sprocket alignment or tire and tube replacement. The axle spacers may also be reinstalled in the wrong order if the chain was falling off after any of these maintenance procedures. You might want to try aligning the rear wheel sprocket with the motor’s first, and if it doesn’t help, try rearranging the axle spacers again to get the alignment right. Example of a scooter that uses chain is a MotoTec Mad 1600w 48v Electric Scooter.
Abnormal Brake Sound
Disc brakes are more likely to experience this issue. The abnormal sound occurs when the brake pad on one side rubs against the brake rotor because the distance between the brake rotor and the brake pads is not equal due to the bumps during riding.
In the meantime, please adjust these two screws slowly in order to keep the distance between the two sides equal. Rotating a tire without rubbing sound means the adjustment was successful.
Please seek professional help if you are not able to adjust it well.
The tire is flat
If you ride air or pneumatic tires on your scooter, you should keep an eye out for this type of problem. Make sure the appropriate pressure is in your tires. Low tire pressure increases the tire’s contact area with the ground, thereby increasing the driving resistance. This leads to a slowing down of the scooter. E-scooters for child are safe because they use non-pneumatic tires among other measures. Children are not careful.
You may have a problem with the battery if you’ve checked all of the above. As lithium batteries age, their capacity decreases. The battery should be replaced with a new one after it has served its purpose for three years.
How to fix a flat e-scooter tire
Applying tire sealant is one of the things you can do if your tyre has a puncture. In some cases, it may be more convenient to replace the tyre itself if the puncture is too big. However, depending on your e-scooter model, removing your wheels and tyre can be a bit tricky. You can learn how to change the wheel of the Mearth S Series and Mearth GTS Series electric scooters by reading these guides.
How to reset the controller on an electric scooter?
Resetting an electric scooter isn’t that difficult. It merely requires you to push down the reset button. But you should never overload an electric scooter in the first place.
It should now be clear to you why your electric scooter overheats and needs to be reset.
It is impossible for your electric scooter to function at its maximum capacity at all times. Having too much weight on your scooter can pose problems, however. Another major problem comes from inappropriate riding conditions.
This is why you should only ride on solid, dry roads. With the scooter being able to hold pressure a bit better now, that should help to improve its performance.
A brake adjustment that is not done properly can also cause problems. If you want to know how to adjust the brakes correctly, you need to check the user manual.
Don’t load the scooter too much. By doing so, you will guarantee that your scooter is in optimal condition and has a longer lifespan.
About your electric scooter’s motor
An electric motor or a hub motor is mounted either on the front or rear wheel of most e-scooters, which means the device’s design doesn’t change in any way. Hub motors can move wheels very efficiently since they are attached directly to the wheel they are driving. Hub motors have the advantage of being easily installed and serviced. The hub of your electric scooter operates like a traditional wheel hub when the electric scooter is switched off to return to kick mode. It is important to regularly maintain your electric scooter to prevent it from not running.
Types of motors
Hub motors have some disadvantages as well. The wheels that they power are heavier because they have a motor attached. Additionally, since they require additional wiring to supply electricity, wheel truing and tire changing would be challenging. Therefore, in order to prevent issues with your device’s electric scooter motor, if it comes with a hub motor, you must maintain it properly. yes, you can use e-scooters with hub motors manually.
It is important to note that hub motors come in different designs, and each design has its advantages and disadvantages:
geared and non-geared motors
Motors with gears (geared hub motors) and motors without gears (gearless motors) are smaller and lighter but offer less power and a shorter range. The electric scooter’s gearless hub motors have a lot of torque and power, but they’re usually very big and heavy. Compared to geared hub motors, gearless hub motors are more efficient.
There are brushless motors and brushed motors. Brushless motors have fewer moving parts. They are reliable and capable of enduring most riding activities, even though they are less efficient. However, brushless motors are more fragile than brushed motors, and they may have fewer moving parts and be more efficient. They are prone to failure under challenging conditions.
Electric scooters could be made more efficient and usable by taking good care of their parts and components, particularly their motor. You ought to know what kind of motor your electric scooter is running on if you want to maintain and use it properly, or else you could risk the motor breaking down.
Troubleshooting your e-scooter motor
This is one of the most section of How To Troubleshoot An Electric Scooter.
Your electric scooter’s motor isn’t running. You spent a few minutes trying to figure out what’s wrong. The problem with the motor is that you have no idea what’s wrong with it. You fix whatever you can see or think of, but you still have no idea what’s going on. How do you proceed? The following are some possible solutions to a malfunctioning electric scooter motor.
Examine the motor
Ensure that no wires or wire connectors are disconnected or loose. Make sure all wires and wire connectors are tightened so they won’t disconnect or come loose. Examine all wires or cables connected to the motor. Does anything seem burned or melted? If so, the motor overheated. The insulation of the electromagnetic wire winding could have melted off when the motor overheated.
The motor of your electric scooter won’t start? Make sure that the motor, speed controller, and other components are working properly. Are you smelling burnt rubber or plastic? There must be overheating of the coils and possible damage to the speed controller if there is. The plastic insulation melting off the magnet winding could cause a short circuit and not run the electric scooter. Make sure the motor is replaced right away. High end e-scooters manufacturers such as the Duatron Mini have excellent customer support. You can contact them first.
WHERE TO REPAIR THE ELECTRIC SCOOTER?
Now that you How To Troubleshoot An Electric Scooter, you should seek where to have it repaired
You have a variety of options of places you can have your scooter repaired. The first option is to return it to the manufacturer or distributor. If you are knowledgeable, you can do it yourself. You can also look for skilled mechanics
Return to Distributor
Make sure the electric scooter has a warranty.
Different parts of scooters, such as the battery, motors, and frame, have different warranty periods. The Varla company provides a two-year warranty service. We will help you resolve any manufacturing defects that may occur during your scooter’s warranty period.
Find Skilled Mechanics Online
Concerned about the lack of repair support for electric scooters? Do not worry! There are many mechanics available online. Your best bet is to search yellow pages and online directories.
Because the device won’t have to be repaired, you will save time and resources. You can find mechanics in your area online and schedule an appointment with them by moving your fingers.
Go to PEV/Moped Repair Shops
In most urban areas, you can find PEV repair shops. It is recommended that you take your scooter to an electric scooter repair shop in your neighborhood to let them fix and check it. Electric scooter repair stores are typically staffed with professionals who can fix any problems related to the scooter and get you riding as soon as possible.
A Google search will tell you if there are such repair shops near your home if you are not sure.
Go to a biking Repair Shops
You can try going to a bike repair shop to see if they are able to provide scooter repairs if the problem gets worse and you cannot find an electrician or mechanic near you. However, they can at least fix some simple problems, such as changing tires, adjusting brakes, tightening loose screws, or making sure the scooter is steering correctly.
A bike repair shop is the only option if there are no other options and you are unsure about what to do.
Do It Yourself
Repairing a scooter yourself can happen in only two conditions. First, you understand how an e-scooter works. Secondly, you have access to manual and repair tutorials. There are plenty of tutorials and videos available on the Internet these days, so you can also learn by yourself. Customers can learn how to repair their Varla Scooter themselves with videos from the Varla Scooter’s Tech Tips section. You can change the inner tube or tire, adjust the brake, etc. based on the video instructions. In addition to saving you money on maintenance, you will also gain a better understanding of your scooter.
Please do not rush into repairing an electric scooter if you are not confident about it!
References
David, J. (2021, August 20). Electric Scooter Troubleshooting: E-Scooter Repair Guide. Retrieved from https://gearhonest.com/electric-scooter-troubleshooting/
Andy. (n.d.). Electric Scooter Troubleshooting Guide. Retrieved from https://www.electricscooterparts.com/troubleshootingmotordoesnotruncharged.html
Atkinson, S. (2019, September 09). Tips & Guide How to Fix an Electric Scooter. Retrieved from https://www.electricscooterslondon.com/blogs/electric-scooter-maintenance-and-repairs/tips-guide-how-to-fix-an-electric-scooter
Hubert Pablo, H. (n.d.). The Most Common Electric Scooter Issues and How to Fix Them. Retrieved from https://www.mearth.com.au/blogs/news/the-most-common-electric-scooter-issues-and-how-to-fix-them