It’s in the air! If autumn is here soon, winter is sure to follow. Now, if you own a fast electric scooter long enough, there will be unavoidable situations when you need to ride it in the rain or snow. This season of the year, rainy days might be recurrent.
Electric scooters are very popular in Australia, and more so in the UK, USA, Canada, and Europe, including in many other countries where both rain and snow are frequent, sometimes, throughout the entire year. And as traffic becomes unwieldy, more and more people use electric scooters as a convenient and fast means of transportation.
Although most electric scooters today are water-resistant – to a degree, nothing compares to Owning either one for some time works fine for sure, and chances are it will be able to handle a bit of rain.
Way back, manufacturers of other electric scooters were focused on promoting it as a viable means of transport to the public, so the issue of water resistance was not even a priority.
In case you’re not aware, it is a very important thing to know about the IP rating of your electric scooter. Simply put, the higher the second digit, the more water-resistant the scooter is.
This information is in the manual. If there is no information available about the IP rating of your scooter, there is a good chance it’s not at all water-resistant, and that’s a red flag. There are cheaper versions of scooters around that aren’t so detail-oriented, and so, their products are often less protected against water. Sooner than later, you might end up with junk and you wasted your money. Be careful. There are only a handful of quality electric scooters on the market today.
Now, why is it important to waterproof your scooter?
For example, you live in a wet climate. The answer is right under your nose. The first one to get damaged from water splashes and probable short circuits is the electronics and the inner parts of your electric scooter. Corrosion and rust can happen if water gets inside your electric scooter. There are times when scooters break down on the road because of water getting inside the parts they are not supposed to be in. To avoid all of that, better to waterproof (and weatherproof) your scooter.
Here are some universal tips that can be applied to most electric scooters. Read on for the best tips, hacks, and customizations to make your electric scooter better equipped to handle rain, snow, adverse weather, and water:
- check your electric scooter’s IP rating, and also the battery’s IP rating if it has a separate value
- If your electric scooter is wet, use a cloth or a wet-dry vacuum cleaner to dry it (never use a hairdryer!)
- before you fold your electric scooter, make sure it is dry;
- get a waterproof cover for your scooter early on (it doesn’t cost much, but you’ll be thankful you had the good sense to buy one);
- bring spare clothing in case of unexpected, rainy, or bad weather (you’ll never know);
- applying duct tape is one of the best, fastest, and cheapest ways to waterproof your scooter, so be sure to tape the gaps and holes in the deck;
- always carry duct tape with you and be ready to cover the charging port if you intend to ride through the rain; (about 80 percent of the waterproofing of the scooter can be done exclusively with duct tape); if for whatever reason you decide to remove the duct tape, you can do so very quickly, and without any consequences to the scooter;
- put o-rings around non-sealed screws and holes with wires or cables to avoid water from going through them;
- carefully seal non-functional holes either with silicone or superglue;
- protect the power button, screen, controls, and other electronic parts with a transparent sticky cover;
- use a silicone-based conformal coating to waterproof the connectors and solders, then let it dry for 12 hrs;
install extended mudguards to avoid dirt or mud splattering all over your back and legs while riding in wet weather;
- before riding, grease the motor wheel axles;
- never leave your scooter outside wet after riding in the rain. Thoroughly wipe any water droplets off it before storing it inside;
- don’t fold the scooter when wet to avoid water droplets of water sliding down the stem and ending up on the LED screen or the throttle;
- don’t set the handlebar at a negative angle; it makes the stem of the handlebar higher than the handlebar itself;
- reduce your speed to about 2/3 of your normal drive if riding on wet roads or in the rain;
Lastly, avoid it if you can — don’t ride in rain, snow, hailstorm, ice, mud, or puddles of water. Taking this precaution will help avoid accidents on the road. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
