The electric scooter is part of the new urban mobility. Its number of sales has exploded in recent years. And for good reason, while being as efficient as a bicycle or a scooter, it is practical and accessible to all. However, like any battery-powered device, charging issues may occur over time. It can come from different factors, you will have to try to identify the origin of the breakdown to repair it effectively. Some manipulations can be done on your own, while others will probably require the help of a professional. Without waiting, discover all the solutions to repair your electric scooter that no longer charges.

Why is your electric scooter not charging?

Electric scooter not charging, what to do?

When your electric scooter is not charging, several factors may be the cause. It can be a temporary software bug, a fault in the power source, a bad contact between the connectors or the battery charging port, a bad battery, a blown fuse or faulty charger. Most of the time, the problem comes from the car's battery performance. Indeed, electric scooters are equipped with an electric motor powered by a battery. When it is not charged, the power delivered to operate the engine is not sufficient and your machine becomes unusable.

All batteries have a limited lifespan. By dint of charging and discharging, their cells (composed of batteries) end up getting tired and no longer charging enough. Most batteries these days are made of Lithium-ion. They have an average lifespan of 3 to 5 years depending on conditions and frequency of use. When all their recharge cycles are exhausted, it will then have to be replaced. Also note that an HS battery can occur even after little use, if there is a manufacturing defect, the fuse has blown following a voltage spike or overload, or if you have stored the machine several weeks, and especially in an environment where there are extreme temperatures, which can then impact the cells.

Note: If you do not use your electric scooter for several weeks, be sure to store it with a battery percentage between 50 and 75% and in temperatures between 10°C minimum and 35°C maximum, without direct exposure in the sun or in the frost. 

To solve the problem, you must then try to find the origin of the failure. First, do these some manipulation which can sometimes solve the problem simply:

  • Try toturn off then turn on the scooter again just to make sure it's not a minor software bug.
  • If you have not used or charged the scooter for several weeks or it is new, perform a full charge, or about 8 hours.
  • Charge the electric scooter in a place where the temperatures are suitable, either between 5 ° C and 35 ° C.
  • Unplug the charger from the electrical outlet and your scooter's connector, then plug it back in to be sure that a bad contact is not the cause of the charging problem.

If these few elements have not solved the problem and your electric scooter still does not charge, you will then have to move on to further checks and manipulations.

What to do when your electric scooter no longer charges?

When your electric scooter not charging, you will have to check one by one each element potentially responsible for the failure. Then follow the troubleshooting steps given below in order.

Please note: Risk of electric shock and irreversible damage to the device. If you are not competent for certain manipulations, call on a professional. When performing work on the scooter, unplug it from the power supply and use anti-static gloves and mat. If your machine is still under guarantee, contact the Manufacturer's after-sales service and do not carry out dismantling operations which would cause you to lose your rights.

Check the power source

On most electric scooter models, when you plug it in, the charging light should come on. If your electric scooter no longer charges and the charging indicator does not light up, it is very likely that the machine is not powered. Check the power source first. :

  • Make sure the power outlet is working by plugging another working device into it.
  • Remove power strip and extension cord. Connect the scooter directly to the electrical outlet, without any intermediary. Indeed, these accessories are likely to cause electrical interference and voltage peaks leading to charging problems.

Check the electric scooter charger

When your electric scooter does not charge, the problem can also come from the charger. In this case, the charging light may flash if there is voltage delivered by the charger but it is insufficient to charge the device. There may also be no charge indicator if no voltage is supplied by the charger. For check if the charger is the cause of the charging problem on your scooter, here's how to do it:

First check if the charger seems damaged. If it's stripped, cut, melted, or burned, it's probably out of order. Likewise if the plugs appear bent or damaged. To be certain of the fault, you can either try to charge your electric scooter with another compatible charger, or check the charging voltage at the charger output by proceeding as follows:

  1. Plug the electric scooter charger into a working electrical outlet
  2. Set the multimeter to direct current voltmeter (watch out for short circuit with the multimeter)
  3. Measure the voltage across the charger output plug

If the voltage displayed on the multimeter is approximately similar to the nominal voltage and therefore to that indicated on the charger, then the charger is working. On the other hand, if the voltage is zero or less, this confirms that it is defective and explains that your electric scooter no longer charges. You will then have to replace it so that the scooter can charge again.

Attention, the best remains replace it with a new charger of the same brand. This ensures load compatibility and therefore efficient loading of the machine. In any case, avoid counterfeit chargers which do not always comply with the safety standards in force and be careful to choose a qualitative and compatible charger, ie with the same nominal charging current. Otherwise, you may end up with other charging problems and damage the battery.

Test the battery of your electric scooter that no longer charges

Si you haven't used your scooter for a long timeThat the charging takes longer than before or charging lights never indicate full charge, it's a safe bet that the battery is responsible for the charging problem of your electric scooter. Likewise if you have the impression that the charge is working, but the battery no longer holds the charge and therefore thebattery life is way too short.

Note that the battery is the element most often at the origin of the charging problem on an electric scooter. Indeed, in addition to having a limited number of charges and discharges over time, the battery is an element sensitive to shocks, temperature variations and bad weather. It is therefore often the first part to fail on an electric scooter.

The battery is a set of cells that store and restore electrical energy. Several more or less serious breakdowns can then explain that the battery no longer fulfills its role:

  • its connectors have become disconnected (often following a shock or repeated vibrations)
  • its connections (connectors and wires) or welds are damaged
  • one or more of its cells have died
  • the electronic board (BMS "Battery Management System”) is defective
  • the battery itself is defective because it is too old

Electric scooter models and brands all have different assemblies and components. Depending on the model of your scooter, it will then be more or less simple to test the battery. If it is an integrated battery, the handling will be all the more delicate because you will have to disassemble the scooter. The battery is almost always in the tray (or footrest) Or in the chassis (or the fork) of the device. If your scooter has an additional removable external battery, it will usually be in the head tube. Refer to the user manual for your scooter model to find the location of the battery, as well as all the necessary information on its characteristics (and in particular its voltage).

1 – Test the battery

WARNINGS : You lose your warranty rights if the battery is removed and replaced. If your electric scooter that does not charge is still covered by a warranty, call the manufacturer's after-sales service.

If you don't no electrical clearances, we strongly advise you to call on a professional because testing the different elements of a battery and replacing the defective component are particularly delicate and difficult manipulations. You risk electrocution and irreversible damage to the device (short circuit) if you do not carry out the operations correctly.

If you are competent to carry out the manipulations, then you can test the battery of your scooter which no longer charges. To do this, charge the battery to its maximum capacity, switch off the scooter for the entire time of handling and, if necessary, disassemble the machine to reach the battery. Then carry out the following checks and handling (handling adapted to a battery in Lithium-ion:

  1. Check that its connectors are all well connected by pushing them into their notch, that the wires do not appear damaged and that the welds have not come loose which could prevent the charging current from flowing.
  2. If everything seems correct, you will then need to disconnect all the connectors to remove the battery from the scooter.
  3. Take the opportunity to check that the connectors are clean. If this is not the case, clean them with a soft cloth or an antistatic compressed air spray that is therefore special for electronic devices.
  4. Once the battery is removed from the scooter, then measure the battery voltage at its power terminals using a multimeter set to DC voltmeter. If the voltage is lower than that indicated on the battery or zero (often 36V but to be checked on your scooter model), there is a problem. If the voltage is good, the battery is working and the problem may then be with the BMS board or the fuse.
  5. Using a cutter, open the protective plastic envelope of the battery (usually transparent or blue) lengthwise to gain access to its cells. Do it cleanly because the plastic seals the battery.
  6. Then check the voltage across each of its cells (metal pins) to see if any of them are faulty. If one or more of them are out of order, this may explain a loading problem. In this case, the best thing is to replace the battery. On the other hand, if all the cells are compliant, the problem may come from an electrical discontinuity between the cells. Check that the welds are not damaged or cracked. If this is the case, it will be necessary to resolder using the tin that which is defective. If you don't have the tools or skills to do this, replace the entire battery.
  7. Then finish by testing the BMS board. To do this, measure the input and output voltage using an alternating current voltmeter position multimeter. If the voltages are the same, the board is working. If the output voltage is zero, lower, or not the same, the board is probably faulty. On some cards there is a RESET button. This sometimes fixes the problem. Otherwise, replace the card.

To help you test the battery, do not hesitate to consult video tutorials. Here is a video that may help you: Xiaomi M365 scooter battery repair tutorial.

If you manage to repair the battery of your electric scooter, you will then have to reassemble it, taking care to put its protective packaging back on to ensure the battery is watertight. Close it with tape and adhesive tape all around. Then reassemble the battery and the connectors in the reverse order of dismantling.

Most of the time, when a battery element is defective, it is easier to replace it completely, because, initially, spare parts are not easy to find for an individual, and secondly, if you have minor skills in electronics, you risk damaging other components.

2 - Replace the battery

If the battery is indeed responsible for the fact that your electric scooter no longer charges, you will need the replace. This manipulation is relatively simple since you just have to remove the old battery by removing the screws and connectors, and reconnect the new battery in the same way. Of course, this manipulation is done with the power off and the scooter off.

Note that you have to replace it with a good battery. To avoid affecting the performance or life of your device and for your safety, replace it with a quality battery and if possible of the same brand. Indeed, each battery model has its own characteristics (different voltage and power). Your scooter is therefore designed for a certain type of battery. If you use an incompatible battery with the charger (not the same voltage and not the same power), there is a risk of damaging the battery, your device, and even a risk of the battery exploding or catching fire!

To be certain of compatibility, it is therefore better to similar battery and thus you avoid incompatibility and other failures in the future. You will find the battery on online merchant sites by typing the reference of your scooter model and/or the battery.

In any case, choose a compatible battery, i.e. of the same size and the same charge intensity, quality and avoid at all costs counterfeits which do not have all the required safety standards and certifications.

3 – How to maintain the battery of your electric scooter?

The battery of a scooter has a limited lifespan. However, certain habits and uses can affect it more or less negatively. So, to maintain the battery of your electric scooter and avoid charging problems, here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Avoid deep discharge of the battery. Try to recharge it before it has less than 20% battery left. It is best to charge it after each use. If you do not use the battery for a long time, charge the battery between 50% and 75% to avoid deep discharge which damages the battery.
  • Avoid exposing the battery to extreme temperatures (less than 5°C and more than 40°C) and direct exposure to sunlight or frost. The best thing is to store it in a place where the temperature is between 15°C and 25°C.
  • Watch out for rain and snow. Avoid using the electric scooter in bad weather. If you use it in bad weather, make sure the battery contacts do not get wet. Dry them if necessary.
  • Be careful to inflate the tires well to prevent the battery from straining.
  • Use the original charger to charge the battery. If the charger no longer works, buy a charger preferably of the same brand, or equivalent.

Test the scooter fuse

It may also be that your scooter no longer charges because the fuse has blown. The fuse is an emergency circuit breaker. It is designed to cut off the electric current during an overload or a short circuit. They therefore protect the other sensitive elements of your scooter. It is usually found at the battery level. But again, depending on the model of your scooter, it may be in a different place. To test it, you have to make a continuity test using a multimeter. If there is no continuity, then you will need to replace it with a fuse of the same amperage.

Contact after-sales service or an independent repairer

Electric scooter charging problem what to do?

If you are not suitable for handling or you have not been able to determine why your electric scooter no longer charges, then call a professional.

If one guarantee always covers your machine, contact the after-sales service of the retailer or the manufacturer. Note that in France you have a mandatory 2-year manufacturer's warranty. In the event that your defective electric scooter is no longer eligible for warranty, you can first contact the manufacturer's after-sales service to obtain a personalized solution. Otherwise, hire an independent professional repairer. Don't forget to ask for a quote to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Categories: Electric scooter

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