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Waterproof your electric scooters

The dream of everyday use of clean personal transport has always had a drawback in the form of rain, so understanding if your chosen e-scooter is waterproof is a really important issue. E-scooter build quality and waterproofness go hand-in-hand, and these factors vary between brands and models, which can make choosing an e-scooter that can handle real world, everyday conditions a real minefield.

So, here we demystify waterproofness in e-scooters, and what it means for you.

Is my e-Scooter waterproof?

Only around 40% of electric scooters are equipped with water-resistance ratings. To avoid bad weather spoiling your good mood, you’ll need to be sure it is waterproof.

And even those 40% electric scooters are not truly waterproof today. Being waterproof is a standard technical form, it has a strict definition, that no electric scooter fully satisfies. It does handle some driving through rain or snow, and won’t get damaged, but they are still not waterproof.
The waterproof rating is an important element in buying your electric scooter, you should know how to use it and acknowledge what the will warranty cover, as water damage is rarely covered by any electric scooter policy.

Usually by saying ”waterproof” we mean that it is ”very resistant to water damage”. Defining electric scooters’ water resistance we use International Protection (IP) rating. It is a standard measurement of how resistant is an electric scooter to various ingress (water). It is presented as two digits 0 (also X) and 9. We are paying attention to the second digit for water resistance. As the number increases, so does the protection.

Waterproof ratings

The first one indicates how resistant it is when it comes to solid objects (dust, foreign bodies, etc.) and the second one shows how resistant the e-scooter is when it comes to water (moisture, sprinkles).

1st number:

  • 4 – protected from solid objects over 1mm
  • 5 – limited protection from dust
  • 6 – totally protected from dust

2nd number:

  • 4 – protected from water splashes from all directions
  • 5 – protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction
  • 6 – protected from high-pressure water jets from any direction
  • 7 – protected from short periods of immersion in water
  • 8 – it can withstand long periods of immersion in water

Here’re the most common examples you can come across:

  • IXP4 – Resistant to splashes from any directions
  • IPX5 – Resistant to a sustained, low-pressure water jet spray
  • IPX6 – Resistant to high-pressure, heavy sprays of water
  • IP54 – Protected from water spray from any direction
  • IP55 – Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.
  • IP56 – Protected from low-pressure water jets from any direction.
  • IP57 – Protected from immersion between 15 cm and 1 m in depth

The rain got me, what to do?

While light rain won’t do damage to the electric scooter, heavy rain and waters will surely damage the electrical system in your electric scooter. Disabling the electric scooter for future use. The tires on an electric scooter are waterproof, having a maximum grip. Disk brakes are powerful and allow you to make controlled stops no matter weather conditions.
Other parts are very sensitive and contact with heavy rain or waters can make your scooter inoperable. Do not drive in rain, try to find shelter for you and your electric scooter to avoid damage. 

But if your electric scooter gets exposed to more water than it can handle, you need to take some steps:

›› Turning off an electric scooter
›› Removing electric scooter’s battery
›› Drying electric scooters battery and electronics with towels or napkins to pull water out (they can corrode if dried naturally)
›› Put the electric scooter battery in uncooked rice; one day should be enough.
›› Try turning on your electric scooter; if it is not turning on, try plugging in the charger. If it is still not working, you will probably need a new battery or take your electric scooter to the mechanic to get it fixed.

Don’t use a hairdryer – it may push some water drops inside the electronics!

How to waterproof your electric scooter?

What follows are methods that include modifying your scooter in some ways. Some are completely external, harmless, and reversible, almost cosmetic even. These are the first things you can try and not even risk losing your warranty.

The other methods (waterproofing electronics by conformal coating) may include opening up your scooter, or diving deep into its most sacred electronic parts. Naturally, these methods are riskier, we do not recommend them and you will almost definitely lose your warranty.

Make sure your scooter is powered off before you do any of the following methods.

1. Tape Up The Deck & Charging Port

Applying duct tape is one of the best, fastest, and cheapest way to waterproof your e-scooter. You will not mess with its internals, so you don’t risk losing your warranty.
If for whatever reason you decide to remove the duct tape, you can do so very easily and without any consequences to the scooter. In many cases, about 80% of the waterproofing of the scooter can be done exclusively by duct tape. Such a simple solution, and you can achieve so much. You may have to redo this every few months. It is literally a duct-tape solution, far from a permanent one. But you get it done by yourself, in no time, and for free. So going through it once every few months is more than worth it.

2. Put o-rings around non-sealed screws and holes with wires or cables

A great, relatively safe way to make your scooter more resitant to water. You will need to open the deck for this, and do some disassembly. Before reassembling, simply put a fitting o-ring around cables and lights that are hanging out of the deck.  Screw back the screw around the wire.

3. Waterproof with silicone

One of the first waterproofing methods you can safely try is silicone fillings. Many scooters have small, non-functional holes throughout their deck, stem, or around the handlebars. The tricky part is determining whether the hole is truly non-functional or is there for a reason. However, these are very rare on scooters. Maybe there is some sort of an exhaust hole on your scooter, but otherwise many holes can be filled. 
You can do a little test if you’re not sure about a particular hole. Put the deck of the scooter on a higher object, so that the wheels are off the ground. Press the throttle, and see if there’s air coming either in or out of that hole. If it isn’t, you can probably safely fill it with silicone.
Some of the places that are typically filled with silicone to achieve great effects are tiny little spaces and holes around the screws in the backlight, or some holes on the top / bottom or on the sides of the deck, and in fact, every place where there’s a wire coming out of. You may have to redo this every time that yous e-scooter deck will be open. If you are not sure how to do it, let our technical team do it for you. It costs only CHF 35,- and you scooter is for sure 90% safer from water damage. Make an appointment NOW!

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4. Protect the power button, the screen, and the throttle

Another vulnerable piece of electronics on the scooter is the power button and the LED screen. There are two basic ways to protect the screen:

  • stick a transparent plastic cover over it (like the ones you see on a brand new cellphone)
  • put adhesive tape over the power button (it’s not like you’ll forget where it is)
Protecting the throttle will be somewhat different for every e-scooter. Some are already pretty water-resistant and may not need much more protection. For others, users have either got completely new, waterproof throttles and replaced the old ones, or put some extra layer around the throttle, like wrapping a balloon around it.
WATERPROOFING YOUR ELECTRIC SCOOTER display

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5. Extend the mudguard

Some electric scooters have shorter mudguards than they need to have. In wet weather, users have often complained that it sprays mud and dirt all over their legs. The electric scooter community combats this issue with ingenuity,  and again, some duct tape. Mudguard extenders are simple, functional, and best of all way to stop mud from ruining your clothes.

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6. Grease the motor wheel axles

Just simply apply some thick grease to the motor wheel axle and no water will be able to get inside the motor. Your scooter can have motors in the front wheel, the back wheel, or both. You will need to find out and apply the grease there. Mostly ignored but a very simply thing to do and very important part of keeping your motor running for a long time, same with the guarantee. After 1000 km the motor screws get loose and there is definitely no grease on the motor wheel axles. E-scooters that have not been maintained in accordance with the instructions in the user manual, ie. H. Every year and/or every 1000 km, are excluded from the guarantee.

Best waterproof electric scooters for riding in the Rain

If you live in an area with unpredictable weather, then you’ll know that rain has a habit of coming from nowhere. One minute you’re enjoying a pleasant, sunny ride. Next, you’re slaloming through puddles trying to save your shirt from a soaking. Have a look of the best waterproof electric scooters 2023:

  • The Kuickwheel S1-C PRO – IPX7 (below CHF 1000,-) has been designed with these conditions in mind. With its elongated fenders and IPX7 water resistance rating, both the scooter and your back will be safeguarded from splashes of water.
  • The Inmotion AIR PRO Swiss – IPX7 (below CHF 1000,-) combining best-in-class performance metrics with an IPX7 water resistance rating, a low maintenance build, and an ultra-portable design, it’s an everyday workhorse that can withstand unpredictable weather while keeping you safe.
  • The Apollo Air 2023 – IP66 can not be classed as a budget scooter (around CHF 1000,-), but my goodness, does it represent outstanding value for money – especially if you’re looking for an everyday model that makes light of rain with consummate style.
  • The Apollo City Pro 2023  – IP66 is one of very few scooters that comes with an IP66 rating. The all-new, highly anticipated Apollo City Pro 2023 is one of them. Put simply, this is a model made for rainy journeys through the city.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to make your electric scooter more waterproof. Often, you won’t need to do anything at all. This is especially true if you live somewhere relatively dry. For the rest of us, some extra waterproofing is simply necessary.  Before you think about choosing to waterproof your electric scooter, you should always make sure you select the best waterproofing level (IP rating) that suits your budget and operational requirements. Strong water-resistant features mean there will be less work for you to manage, and you can enjoy using your scooter.

If you need to perform some basic waterproofing functions, following the tips above will ensure your e-scooter is protected in wet weather and snow.

Most importantly, enjoy the convenience electric scooters offer! If maintaining a car is too costly, and your idea of a nightmare is battling your way through the crowds to access public transport, then the e-scooter could prove to be the ride of your dreams.

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