A Nutshell Guide to Charger Issues and Battery Issues

What to do if your scooter is plugged in but not charging?

Usually, having an extra charger around can make this step a snap, but if you don’t have an extra charger around consider a plan B to back you up.

When your scooter is not charging, first off inspect everything, both battery and the rest of the system, check if it is in good shape, check if anything has been modified in any way, check that your battery connections are done the right way.

 

Normally, electric scooters are very durable and require little maintenance. But if you have an electric scooter and rely on it for daily commuting, it's necessary to maintain the scooter, especially the battery and charger regularly. If the battery of the scooter unexpectedly fails to work, please follow the tips below and troubleshoot your scooter battery issue.

Charging Issue:

Normal Charging Condition:

Charging: the charger's light turns red when you plug in.

Fully Charged: the charger’s light turns green

 

Defective Charger :

Generally speaking, charging problems are caused by a faulty charger. If you are not sure whether it is the charger or the battery problem, you can also check the charger on another electric scooter of the same model. If it still cannot be charged, it indicates that the charger is faulty. 

• Check battery pack history.

If you have not charged it for more than 6 months, it is likely to be defective and needs to be replaced with a new charger.

• Inspect with touch, smell, and sight.

Check for unusual things, such as the smell of burning rubber or plastic, loose or disconnected wires and wire connectors, frayed wires, swollen batteries, etc. Excessive use and overcharging of electric scooters can cause components to malfunction.

• Check the temperature. 

The lithium battery is easily affected by temperature. If the temperature is too low, for example, below 20 Celsius degrees, it may not be able to charge.

• Use a voltmeter to test the output voltage of the charger.

The voltage should be a few volts higher than the rated voltage. If the output voltage is zero or lower than the rated voltage, it means that the charger is defective. If the charger fails, you need to replace a charger of the same model.

 

Battery Issue

Battery is Defective or Worn-out

There are generally 500 charging cycles for a lithium battery. The specific cycles depend on the rider's riding style. If the battery is subject to a strong impact from an external force, causing a defect or loosening of the connector, the battery cannot be charged normally. If you encounter such a problem and are not a professional repairer, please take the electric scooter to the repair store.

 

Water Damage

If the scooter battery accidentally comes into contact with water, it is easy to cause the battery to short circuit. Given that most scooters' battery is 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. 

If your scooter is in contact with water accidentally:

• Please turn off the power immediately and keep the scooter away from water
• Wipe all the water on the scooter
• Take out the battery carefully
• Be careful not to use the hair dryer to accelerate the drying of the moisture, which may cause more serious damage to the battery circuit
• Let the battery dry in a cool and ventilated place and install it on the scooter to see if it can work normally.

 

HOW TO CHARGE - RECOMMENDED BATTERY CHARGING PROCEDURE

After the required charging time (e.g. Varla Eagle One electric scooter takes 8 to 9 hours), the indicator light on the charger turns green, which indicates that the battery of your electric scooter is fully charged. If the indicator light turns green after charging for a short time, the battery may not be fully charged, so please continue charging for a full period. It'll be better to charge the device after each use, even if the battery is not entirely exhausted.

 

How to Charge:

• Check if you use the correct charger. It must have a suitable voltage for your scooter. Using the wrong charger is one of the reasons why the battery cannot be charged.
• Plug the charger into the charging port of the electric scooter, making sure to plug it correctly.
• Plug the charger into a power outlet. The indicator light should be red.
• Please refer to the manual for the electric scooter battery charging time. If it shows 8 hours, charge it for 8 hours. Don't overcharge.
• When the indicator light turns green, it indicates that charging is complete. Unplug the charger from the socket and charger port. Your electric scooter is ready for use.

 

Refer to the Manual:

 

 

TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ELECTRIC SCOOTER BATTERY LIFE

 

What to Do

Always Use The Correct Charger

Many charger failures are caused by mismatched chargers, you need to use a charger that matches the model to charge.

 

Charge Electric Scooter Battery Once A Month At Least

If you do not use the scooter for a long time, you should charge the battery to 70% before storing it. In addition, it should be noted that with the passage of time, the lithium battery power will also decrease. Once the battery is exhausted, the battery will be unavoidable and cause battery defects.

 

Store The Scooter And Charger In A Cool And Ventilated Place

Lithium-ion batteries' performance depends on temperature. It means that it is directly affected by temperature changes. If the weather is very high, it is dangerous because the battery may catch fire or explode. If the scooter is not used for a long time, you need to store the electric scooter in a well-ventilated area with the proper temperature.

  

What NOT to do

Do NOT Charge Your Electric Scooter In A Warm Place

The charger may generate heat during charging. If you place the charger on a warm blanket, carpets, or fireplaces for charging, this will greatly increase the risk of heat generation, which is not conducive to the heat dissipation of the charger.

Do NOT Fully Deplete The Battery

For lithium batteries, the best way to charge when the battery is at least 10% or higher. If possible, fully charge the battery before riding. Don’t wait until the scooter cannot start.

  

Do NOT Overcharge

Overcharging will cause irreparable damage to the battery and reduce the battery's lifespan. Please read the instructions carefully and charge the scooter according to the recommended charging time.

 

Do NOT Charge Your Electric Scooter Battery Immediately After A Ride

If you are only riding an electric scooter for a short ride, you can charge the scooter immediately after the ride, but if you have long-distance travel, the battery's temperature will be higher than usual at this time. It is best to let the battery cool down for 30 minutes before charging the scooter, which can help you extend the life of the battery.

 

Do NOT Replace Your Electric Scooter Battery Without A Professional Guide

Don't disassemble the deck of the scooter and replace the battery without a guide. This will reduce the waterproof performance of the scooter, which will cause problems such as poor contact and damage to the battery.

 

Do NOT Splash Water Into The Battery Pack

Try not to ride a scooter in heavy rain. And when cleaning the scooter, do not use a high-pressure washer gun for spray cleaning, as it is easy for water vapor to enter the interior of the scooter and cause short circuits.

 

CONCLUSION

When electric scooters become a popular way of traveling in life, the battery is a critical factor if you want a long-distance ride. Therefore, it should be adequately maintained and used. These useful charging tips mentioned above can have a significant impact on the battery's performance.