Why is my electric skateboard dying so fast? (Repaired)

One of the things that may bother you while riding an electric skateboard is how quickly the battery runs out, especially if you have a premium motor higher than 300 watts.

In this case, you will not only need a large battery, but you will also need to modify your riding style and take some preventive steps that will increase the range of your battery.

Therefore, in this post, I will discuss with you the possible reasons that may lead to the electric skateboard battery running out quickly, and also what you can do to avoid this problem.

Why is my electric skateboard dying so fast?

As a general rule, there are many reasons that lead to the electric skateboard battery running out quickly, but the most important of these reasons are:

Damage to a cell or group of cells inside the battery
BMS damage
The third most important reason is poor storage in winter

Now let us discuss all the possible reasons that lead to the electric skateboard battery draining quickly.

1: Damage to a cell or group of cells inside the battery.

The electric skateboard currently on the market works with a lithium-ion battery, and although this type of battery is considered the future in the world of batteries and is currently used in the manufacture of most Electric vehicles, but this type of battery requires a controlled protection system to ensure that no fire or explosion occurs inside the batteryز

Accordingly, this type of battery is designed to operate according to the efficiency of the lowest cell inside it.

In other words, if you have 13 cells inside the battery, all of them charged at 100% except for only one cell, which is charged at 50%, the BMS system will manage the entire battery on the condition that all cells have a charge rate of 50%, and when this cell runs out of charge, the battery will be completely shutdown.

After we have explained the reason, we must answer two important questions at this point:

How do I know if I have a damaged cell?
What should I do if I confirm that there is a damaged cell?

Let’s start with the first question

How do I know that I have a damaged cell inside the electric skateboard battery?

Here you should measure the voltage within all the cell groups one by one using a multimeter

There is also a method, based on my experience, that you can use to confirm that there is a damaged cell without using a multimeter or opening the battery in the first place.

This method depends on monitoring the charging time of the electric skateboard battery, meaning if you charge the battery in 4 hours and notice that this time has significantly decreased, this is evidence that there is a damaged cell.

Now the turn for the second question:

What should I do if I confirm that there is a damaged cell?

If the battery is a year old or less, most often all you need is to rebalance the internal cells by placing the battery on the charger for 12 hours and disconnecting the BMS cable.

If the skateboard battery is somewhat old, the damaged cell must be identified and replaced (it is preferable for this process to be carried out by a specialist to ensure that the battery cells are soldered correctly).

2: A Damage BMS

The second most common reason for a rapid battery drain is damage to the BMS or battery management protection system
The idea is that when the BMS is damaged, its reading of the cells voltage will be incorrect, and therefore you will notice that the skateboard suddenly shutdown.

The solution to this problem is to first test the BMS, then try to do a reset, then change the BMS if it does not work to do a reset.

recently I wrote a detailed article that explains in an illustrated way how to test and reset a BMS

You can view it here

How To Test & Reset battery BMS? (Explained with PICs)

3:Poor Battery storage.

There are many opinions on how to store the electric skateboard battery, but in reality all of these opinions revolve around the correct percentage of charge that the battery should have before storing it.

In order to clarify this point, the matter depends on two main points:

The first point is the storage period.

If you intend to store the battery for a long time, the charge should be between 30% and 50% to ensure that the battery is not damaged.

However, if you are going to store it for a short period, the charge percentage should be between 70% and 30%.

The second point is the place where you will store the battery.

If you live in a very cold area in the winter, you should turn on the battery at least every month or two, discharge the charge, and recharge it again.

The goal here is to ensure that the cold does not stop the chemical processes occurring inside the battery.

After we have explained the most common reasons for the rapid depletion of the electric skateboard battery, we will move in the following sections to the reasons that have some effect on the speed of battery depletion.

4:Battery Health.

Battery life is measured by the number of charging cycles, i.e. from 20% to 100% is considered a complete charging cycle
On average, the battery life is between 700 and 1,000 charging cycles, which is equivalent to two to five years

If you are using the electric skateboard continuously, it is possible that the battery is approaching the end of its lifespan and the range may be reduced.

Here you should change the battery

5:Temperature.

High or very cold temperatures directly affect the battery range, although the effect of high temperature differs from the effect of cold on the battery, but in the end the noticeable effect for you is a reduction in the range and the speed of battery depletion.

For high temperatures:

During the operation of the battery under normal conditions, the battery produces some heat as a result of the passage of electric current and the movement of ions. If the temperature surrounding the battery is high, it will significantly affect the movement of ions, and thus the battery will run out faster.

Note: In high-quality batteries, the maximum temperature inside the battery is 30°C, and I am talking about the temperature inside the battery, not the weather temperature.

For extremely cold temperatures:

In the same way as before, the movement of ions inside the battery cells is very little due to the extreme cold, which may cause the battery to quickly run out or stop working completely.

Note: The internal battery temperature must not be less than zero for the battery to operate efficiently.

6:Riding Style.

Your style of riding the electric skateboard will also affect how quickly the battery runs out. If you are accelerating all the time and using the brakes a lot, you will consume the battery much faster than if you were using a moderate method of riding the electric skateboard.

7:Rough terrain or uphill.

When you ride the electric skateboard on steep hills, it requires extracting intense torque from the motor, which requires rapid battery consumption in a short time.

On the other hand, difficult terrain affects the motor’s battery consumption

Note: This point greatly affects the battery range in all electric vehicles. I even notice it in my electric car (Tesla Model S). A mile from my house there are some hills, and when I cross these hills, the charge rate decreases by about 7%.

Therefore, if you avoid the hills on your way, you will save a significant percentage of charge in the electric skateboard battery.

8:Mechanical Issues.

Any mechanical issues with the skateboard, such as a dragging wheel or a misaligned motor, can cause the motor to work harder, using up more power.

9:Firmware/Software Problems.

Sometimes, issues with the skateboard’s firmware or software can cause abnormal power usage. Updating the firmware might help in such cases.

10:Charging Habits.

If you frequently overcharge or completely drain your battery, it can lead to reduced battery life over time. Lithium-ion batteries have a limited number of charge cycles.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, Apart from internal cells issue & BMS and using the right storing method, maintaining your electric skateboard’s battery life requires mindful consideration of various factors.

From battery health and riding style to terrain and charging habits, being aware of these elements can significantly impact the longevity of your skateboard’s battery, ensuring optimal performance and a longer lifespan for your electric skateboard .