Electric Scooter Malfunctioning During Recharge

Many electric scooter owners tend to fret when their electric scooters begin to malfunction during a recharge.

Mainly when they use it as a means of transportation to their various places of work. What could be the reason for this sudden malfunction? 

Your electric scooter might malfunction during recharge when the batteries are dead, making it difficult to use. This can be due to a defective battery, inappropriate charging, freezing temperature, and a slow degrading battery capacity. 

Why won’t my Electric Scooter Charge?

Electric scooters are one of the latest inventions of modern technology that has made life very comfortable for its owners.

The best part of this technological invention is that it’s eco-friendly and easy to maintain. However, one of the problems its owners often encounter is when it fails to charge. 

It becomes a considerable dilemma for its owners, especially when they use it to commute to work every day.

Hence, many electric scooter owners begin to wonder why their scooters won’t charge. Now, let’s explore some reasons for this sudden change. 

#1. Bad/defective charger 

Your electric scooter often fails to charge when the charger is bad/defective. Your electric scooter charger only lasts for a couple of years.

So, it becomes defective with time, and you may have to replace it with a new one.

Nevertheless, to test if the charger is the source of your problem, you can use it on another electric scooter of the same model.

If it fails to charge, the charger is defective and needs immediate replacement. 

#2. Bad or Defective Charger Port

When the charger ports are defective, your electric scooter won’t charge. Therefore, you can also examine the wire and connectors to the charger port.

Plus, you can utilize a voltmeter to test the battery’s voltage if it’s not charging your electric scooter. 

#3. Defective/ Worn-out Battery 

The lithium battery for your electric scooter usually has 500 charging cycles. And the cycles often depend on your riding preference.

When you subject your electric scooter battery to harsh trauma from an external force, the connector becomes loose, and your electric scooter ceases to charge.

In this case, it’s advisable to seek professional assistance as you might encounter complications if you fix it yourself without any prior experience. 

How do you Troubleshoot an Electric Scooter? 

Troubleshooting an electric scooter is easy as it requires minimum effort and the correct procedures.

Now, how do you troubleshoot your electric scooter? To do this, you need to follow the steps below. 

• Remember to turn on the power switch. It might be broken if the power switch fails to move swiftly between the on/off positions. Hence, you need to remove it and fix a new power switch. 
• Inspect the fuse or circuit breaker for burns due to overheating or overcharging. You can use a multimeter to check the fuse or circuit breaker. 
• Attempt to push your electric scooter to start.
• Attempt charging the battery pack for full hours.
• Inspect the motor with sight, touch, and smell. Also, check for loose or disconnected cables and swollen batteries. 
• Test the battery charger and the battery charger port.
• Test the battery pack on an electric scooter that functions properly. And test it on an electric scooter that doesn’t function at all. 
• Inspect the throttle properly. You can utilize a 4.5-5V DC power source and a multimeter to test the throttle. 
• Carefully test the speed controller and motor. 

What Happens if you Overcharge Your Electric Scooter? 

Many electric scooter owners often make the mistake of overcharging their scooters, and this adversely affects their lifespan.

In addition, overcharging your electric scooter can cause severe damage to the capacity of the battery. 

When you plug in your electric scooter and charge it for a couple of hours till it’s full, the extra charge becomes harmful.

Now, the additional charge will prompt the plating of metallic lithium. And this obstructs the discharge of ions and electrons, thereby inciting them to degrade. 

In simple terms, overcharging your electric scooter will weaken its battery, and it might begin to malfunction.

Unfortunately, many electric scooter owners overcharge their scooters with little to no knowledge of their charging process.

Notwithstanding, I’ll briefly highlight the procedure you can take to charge your electric scooter properly. 

• Make sure that you use the appropriate electric scooter charger. The charger must possess a suitable voltage for your electric scooter. Plus, if the original charger is defective, purchase a new charger with high quality and compatibility. 
• Ensure that you plug your charger into the charging port of your electric scooter correctly. 
• Now, plug your charger into a power outlet. The indicator light will glow red, showing that your electric scooter is charging.
• It’s crucial to always go through your owner’s manual to know the time you require to fully charge your electric scooter battery. For example, if your manual indicates 10 hours, then charge your scooter for 10 hours. It’s best to stick to instructions and not overcharge your scooter, as you might shorten its lifespan. 
• The moment your indicator light turns green, it signifies that the charging process is complete. So, you need to unplug the charger from the socket or outlet and the charger port. Afterward, you can use your electric scooter at your convenience. 

Why did my Electric Scooter Stop Working During Charge? 

Admittedly, it’s frustrating when your electric scooter stops working during a charge, especially when you have to attend to an emergency.

This unfortunate scenario occurs when dust and debris clog your charging port. When dust and debris clog your electric scooter charger port, it cuts off the current flow. 

To rectify this, unplug your electric scooter from the outlet/socket. Next, examine the charging port to see if dust/debris is in the terminals and connectors.

If dust/debris is present, then use a small stick and remove it gently. 

Refrain from using a needle or other sharp metallic tools to remove debris from them, as you might unintentionally damage the connectors and terminals.

Once you remove the dirt, the current will flow back into the charging port. To test the charging port, plug it into your socket to see if your electric scooter is charging. 

In addition, if your scooter stops working on a charge, you might want to check your fuse or circuit breaker.

If they are burnt, then you have to replace them. However, if the wires are loose, you need to secure them properly. 

Can I Leave my Electric Scooter Charging Overnight? 

Leaving your electric scooter to charge overnight is 100% safe and doesn’t cause any harm. However, this depends on the state of your electric scooter.

For example, if your scooter’s battery is about 0%, then you can leave your scooter to charge overnight. 

But if your scooter’s battery is about 50-60%, then leaving it to charge overnight might not be a good idea.

It might overcharge and adversely affect your battery. Notwithstanding, it’s advisable to charge your electric scooter for 12 hours. 

After the charging process is complete, remove the charger from the socket. Leaving the charger in the socket for a long time might also damage it severely. How Do I Charge a Bird Scooter Battery?

Final Words

Although the electric scooter is a convenient means of transportation, it also has certain problems that hinder its functionality.

Nonetheless, electric scooter owners can easily curb these problems and get their scooters up and running.