So, you’ve run across the frustrating issue of riding your hoverboard when it suddenly decides to play hard to get – shutting off without any warning, leaving you stranded, possibly hurt in the process. To make matters worse, it flat-out refuses to power up again until you reluctantly connect it to the charger.
Based on our extensive repair record, this predicament ranks as the second most common issue with hoverboards, coming in just behind gyroscopic sensor glitches that necessitate recalibration.
Fear not, fellow hoverboard enthusiast, for at Aridejunkie, we boast years of invaluable hoverboard repair expertise. I can confidently state that there’s a 95% likelihood that the culprit behind your ordeal is a failing battery.
However, we don’t rely on guesswork. Let’s upgrade that probability to 100% because, well, there’s always that 5% chance my initial hunch might be off. Rest assured, though, I’m here to guide you through the fix, even if we’re in that rare 5 percentil.
Analyzing the Symptoms of the Issue
Let’s delve deeper into the issue by examining a range of symptoms you might be encountering with your hoverboard. This step is crucial in confirming whether a faulty or bad battery is indeed the culprit.
The most straightforward and effective method to confirm this is by using a voltmeter to check if the battery is still capable of delivering the correct voltage. However, if you don’t have one on hand, consider the following symptoms as indicators of a problematic hoverboard battery:
- Does your hoverboard abruptly shut off during a ride and refuse to power back on?
- When you connect the charger afterward, does the hoverboard turn on?
- If you mount the hoverboard while holding onto something stable to avoid falling and then apply maximum resistance to the motors, does it shut off?
- Does the hoverboard take less time to charge than it’s supposed to?
How to Fix A Failing Hoverboard Battery
If you nodded along to the first two questions, you’ve stumbled upon the common woe of a wonky hoverboard battery. That strong YES signifies your battery has gone bad, triggering its BMS (Battery Management System) to cut the power. It’s a protective measure, shielding your gadget from potential trouble. While still risking injury to yourself.
The remedy is straightforward. Snag a fresh, UL-certified hoverboard battery of the same specification, and our user-friendly hoverboard battery replacement guide will be your trusted companion. Follow the steps, bid farewell to the old battery, and welcome in the new one.
Once this repair is complete, your hoverboard should be back in action, gliding smoothly as if new.
WARNING! Don’t Ride a Hoverboard With a Faulty Battery
Now that you know that your hoverboard is suffering from a deteriorated battery you should put it aside until you have switched it out for a new one. This is mainly due to the risk of injury to the rider.
Do not risk it as the more you ride a hoverboard with a failing battery the worse the battery will work and the sooner and more often it will shut off. At first it might not cut off until it reaches 20-40% power, but as you use it it will get worse and worse. The frequency to how often it shuts itself off also depends on the amount of resistance the motors get. Riding up hills as an example is far more likely to cause it to shut off, even at higher battery levels or “fully charge”.
What if it’s Not a Faulty/Bad Battery?
If you do not have some combination of the symptoms listed above then there is a high likelihood that your problem isn’t with the battery itself.
In order to sort that out, we will have to go through a few more diagnostic steps.
- Make sure your hoverboard is properly calibrated using this guide.
- If your hoverboard shuts off during riding but you are still able to turn it on afterwards. This may indicate that there is a bad connector and rattling/shaking the unit causes it to lose connection. Try starting the unit and shaking it to see if you can recreate the problem at will.
- Remove the plastic cover underneath the hoverboard on both sides. Then inspect and check all the cable connectors and make sure there are no loose screws, bad wires or eroding connectors.
Now your hoverboard should be fully functioning again.
Conclusion
Now we’ve gone to the bottom of why your hoverboard isn’t working as intended and you’ve learned what you need to do to fix it. There is no reason to wait. So put in an order for a new battery and get that hoverboard up and running safely again.
Just remember, the sad state is that a new hoverboard battery will run you around $50, and if your model isn’t one of the more expensive ones, you can easily find a brand new hoverboard for as low as $90. So do put some consideration into if your hoverboard is worth it, or if you’re better off getting a new one. If so feel free to head over to our hoverboard buyers guide where we cover the best models fitting any budget.
Now ride safely, my fellow Ride Junkie!
