While the hoverboard craze is gradually rising here in the US, the reports of damaged hoverboards are also piling up. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports more than 250 hoverboard incidents since 2015 related to fires or overheating. If you inspect what causes these incidents, overcharging would come up high. But when you know the hoverboard battery is overcharged, and what happens if you charge your hoverboard too long?
If you overcharge your hoverboard, you’ll get it into trouble in the long run. Let’s see how overcharging can affect a hoverboard and how you can avoid or resolve such an issue.
What Happens If You Charge Your Hoverboard Too Long?
Overcharging can reduce hoverboard battery life, cause malfunction, and even catch on fire with explosion. However, if you use a genuine, high-quality hoverboard battery, damage chances are pretty minimal.
Hoverboard batteries decay over time like all other batteries. Well, if you have a heavy duty hoverboard for adults, that may last you longer, but not out of the chances of decaying. So they gradually lose their capacity to hold a charge. But this gets even worse if you leave a hoverboard charging overnight or for too long. Batteries constantly lose some stored energy due to chemical reactions, and overcharging adds further stress. The impact, however, is generally less noticeable in the first couple of years.
Think of it this way- if you overcharge the battery 2-3 hours every night, that’s equivalent to 60-90 hours a month! It will surely affect your battery’s longevity, and eventually, may shut down after riding a short distance.
Long hours of repeatedly charging your device overnight also increase the risk of burning up your scooter.
Indeed, hoverboards are not supposed to explode, but this depends on their quality. A low-quality counterfeit model may come with a defective battery installed in it.
In addition, many factories are manufacturing counterfeit batteries that may fail to provide sufficient power for hoverboards. As a result, these counterfeit batteries are more prone to catch fire if left charging for too long.
How Long Does It Take To Fully Charge The Hoverboard?
Hoverboards generally take around two to four hours to charge fully. However, the time may vary from model to model, so you should first read your hoverboard charging instructions. Most commuting and off-road hoverboards come with a Battery indicator that shows the battery’s state of charge.
Unfortunately, many users often lose track of time and overcharge their hoverboards. Charging for too long can lead to battery burnout, resulting in notable performance drops and frequent charging for longer hours than usual. So, try to avoid charging your hoverboard scooter for a prolonged period.
What Type Of Battery Does A Hoverboard Use?
Most hoverboards use Li-ion batteries. These batteries charge faster than traditional rechargeable batteries. There are other benefits of Lithium-Ion batteries such as-
- Operating longer hours between charges due to high energy density.
- Much lower self-discharge rate than other rechargeable cells such as NiMH and Ni-Cad.
- Do not require any active maintenance.
- Higher cell voltage and simplifying the power management.
- Ideal for a wide range of devices from mobile electronics to power tools and electric vehicles.
In addition, you should also look for the UL2272 ANSI certification for personal e-mobility devices such as hoverboards and e-skateboards.
Are Hoverboard Batteries Replaceable?
Yes, like most other rechargeable electronic devices, hoverboard batteries are easily replaceable. Moreover, you can do it yourself without prior experience.
Just make sure you’re purchasing the right battery with proper cell sizes, specifications (voltage, amp, and watts), and UL certification. These easy to understand information are generally available in the user guide.
In order to change the battery, you can follow these simple steps:
Step-1: Switch off the hoverboard. You have to make sure the device is completely shut off before going any further.
Step-2: Unscrew the lower part using a screwdriver and put aside the cover. Also, safely store the screws for later use.
Step-3: Locate the battery and unscrew the frame holding the battery in its place.
Step-4: Unplug it from the battery caps it is connected to.
Step-5: Plug in the new battery and attach it to the frame using the screws. Finally, place the lower part back to its place and screw it tight.
Keep in mind to always purchase a genuine battery from the hoverboard manufacturer and refrain from counterfeit ones to avoid any problems.
How To Tell If Hoverboard Battery Is Bad?
Finding out if your hoverboard battery is faulty can be tricky. Suppose your self-balancing scooter doesn’t turn on or recharge. In that case, there may be an issue with the lithium battery, charger, or internal circuits. However, there are some ways you can follow to decide what went wrong.
Firstly, with the battery charger connected, turn on your hoverboard. If it doesn’t turn on, that could be a result of a bad charging port. In that case, try this procedure a few more times just to be sure. Otherwise, you’ll be needing a new charging port, but not a battery.
If this doesn’t resolve your problem, unscrew and remove the base of the hoverboard to inspect the charging port wires. Afterward, try looking for loose wires or any other faults while the device is completely shut off.
In most self-balancing scooters, a charging indicator turns red when the hoverboard is plugged in. So, connect the charger and turn on your hoverboard. If you see orange flashing in the hoverboard’s battery indicator, but the charger light turns red, that means your battery pack is bad.
Another effective way is to use a multimeter and test the battery voltage. All battery packs come with a voltage mentioned, and anything less than that is certainly wrong. Moreover, you can check the charger output voltage using the multimeter as well.
Conclusion
While cruising with a hoverboard is fun, there are few things to consider to cut the risks. Overcharging not only harms your scooter, but can be threatening for your health as well.
The best way to avoid such issues is to buy hoverboards from renowned brands and avoid charging too long. All electronic devices need proper care and safe maneuver. So, it’s up to you how well you’re going to enjoy each holiday ride.
