Many people enjoy the fun and freedom of riding an electric skateboard but, as with all mechanical devices, you can run into problems or troubleshooting issues. Luckily an electric skateboard is not very complicated and most Skateboard Troubleshooting problems are easily solved.
We will focus on providing a few common solutions to those who find themselves in need of fixing their board.
There are some common electric skateboard troubleshooting problems.
Board Does Not Turn On
If your electric skateboard does not turn on, first check if it has any lights indicating that it is powered on. Disconnect the battery and reconnect it after a few seconds to see if this causes any change.
Check Battery
Sometimes your electric skateboard just stops working for no apparent reason. Like most things with an electric motor, there’s a good chance that something is wrong with the controller. Thankfully it’s pretty easy to diagnose your problem and fix it if you can get out a multi-meter!
Step 1:
First things first, check both of the batteries that go into your electric skateboard. If they are plugged into each other then they should be showing the same voltage at all times.
One of them may be lower than the other, but as long as they are equal your problem is most likely not related to your batteries. If one of them seems higher or lower than the other then try charging it all the way up and testing again.
Step 2:
Now if both batteries seem fine then you can move on to checking the voltage coming out of your electric skateboard. Grab your multimeter and probe the little connection coming out of the controller labeled “+” or “V+” on most electric skateboards.
If you are getting voltage there then that’s great! You may have a bad wheel or power switch that is interrupting your circuit. If you don’t have any voltage there, however, then you’ve probably found your problem.
The most likely cause is a burnt-out controller, but there are a few other things you can try before giving up!
Check Disconnected Wires
First, check and make sure none of the wires coming from your wheels are touching where they shouldn’t. Sometimes people accidentally cut them while hooking things up or while cleaning their electric skateboard.
If you have any copper wire, like speaker wire or phone charging cable, check for continuity between the wheel terminals and the other ends of the wires.
Check Power Supply
Check that you are using the correct power supply for your board. Many boards work with multiple types of chargers, which can be easily swapped out by removing the battery from the board itself.
The voltage supplied should match what your board needs to work properly, typically 24-48 volts depending on the model of the board you have purchased.
Try Different Wheels
Try swapping out different wheels to see if it’s just one bad wheel. There are a few different possibilities so don’t be afraid to experiment! Also keep in mind that the wider the wheels, the more resistance they have.
Resistance is just another term for how much work it takes to get the motor spinning at a given speed. So if you’re having trouble moving in one direction then try switching your front or back wheels with ones that have less resistance.
Check Lights
If there are no lights or indicators on your board check to make sure all connections are secure between the motor controller, throttle control, wheels, and the battery pack itself.
Also, make sure both ends of each connection are tightly secured as loose wires may not send electrical currents throughout parts of the system correctly.
Replace Battery
If you find that your electric skateboard is completely dead after charging it fully, the issue may be with your battery. First, try charging the board directly without it being plugged into the wheel or throttle control boards to see if the light on the charger turns from red to green.
If this light changes, chances are it’s not a problem with your battery but with one of those other components. If your battery will not charge at all after following each procedure listed above then it most likely has developed a fault and will need replacement.
You can purchase new batteries online or contact customer support for more information about where they can be purchased.
Also, make sure that you are using an appropriate voltage charger; if you use one that provides too much voltage then you risk damaging your battery as well as the charger.
Slow / Sluggish Acceleration
If your board takes a long time to accelerate or only goes in one direction, first ensure that all connections are tight and free from any dirt or debris.
Check Loose Wires
Loose wires may cause the control boards not to recognize the movement of the wheels, resulting in a sluggish or nonmoving board.
You can check for dirt on the solder points where the wires connect to each other and to components by using a small brush designed specifically for cleaning this type of connection.
With no power on the board, carefully remove each wire connector and clean it with isopropyl alcohol before reconnecting it securely into place. Dirt left over from manufacturing could have accumulated here from being dropped during shipping or being used in a dusty environment.
Replace Faulty Components
If this does not resolve the issue, your components of the electric skateboard may have become faulty and will need to be replaced. This is often indicated by burned-out fuses or other damage to the boards themselves.
If you find any physical damage here you should replace the damaged part before using your board again as it could pose a danger due to electrical malfunctions that are caused by using these parts.
As with replacing the battery, contact customer support to purchase replacement parts for your specific model of electric skateboard if needed.
Board Only Goes Straight Or Veers To One Side
Check Board Controller
If your electric skateboard veers too far to one side, check for loose connections between all wires coming from the wheels and controller boards. There are many different types of controllers for electric skateboards so take note of where each wire connects to before removing it.
The wheels can easily become unaligned when bumped or dropped so if you do not see any obvious damage try turning each wheel in both directions manually while the board is turned off. If this causes the board to veer in one direction, slowly turn the offending wheel towards the center of your board until it runs straight again.
Once you have made this correction, secure all wire connections tightly and cover them with electrical tape for extra safety then reattach them into place securely like they were before.
Check Fuses On Motor
If that does not work then check your fuses on your motor controller boards; they are typically green in color and look like small cylinders about half an inch long with two metal ends poking out at opposing angles where wires can be connected.
Inspect these for burned-out spots on the inside where it appears melted; if any are faulty then replace them with new ones of the same voltage.
Make sure that you get the polarity correct when you install them by matching up one end of the fuse to the negative (-) side of your controller board and using masking tape to label each end. This will prevent incorrect fuses from being used which can cause electrocution or damage to other components in your motor controller boards.
Control Board
Any remaining electric skateboard troubleshooting problems could be caused by a problem in one of your control boards so replace both throttle and wheel control boards if needed.
These parts are available online at most retail websites. So, contact customer support for more information about how to purchase replacements before continuing to use your board.
Closing Thoughts
The most experienced electric skateboard users will be able to resolve these problems by troubleshooting the electric skateboard on their own. But if you are new and have tried troubleshooting your board by yourself and cannot figure out what the problem is?
Contact customer service for assistance as soon as possible so that your product does not suffer any enduring damage.
If you want to buy Skateboard for yourself you can visit our latest article on Best Skateboard Brands For Beginners.
