eScooters and the Rain

People who are new to riding e-scooters have one major concern — whether they can be used in the rain because electricity and water are not a good combination. Riding an e-scooter requires close contact making people scared of being zapped (real or imagined, the thought of it happening is an unpleasant one) – turns out the chances are very low.

You need to consider how water is going to affect the electronic components. If your scooter does not have any form of waterproofing, the electrical components may be damaged. If the scooter has waterproofing, you are advised to keep it away from deep waters. Many scooters with high waterproofing ratings can withstand jets of water, although they will not work well when submerged in water. I’m sure we aren’t telling you anything you don’t already know, but it needs to be said.

The good news is that your escooter comes with some sort of water rating. It may not be overly clear what this is or where to find it. Here at iScoot, we’ve spent quite a bit of time figuring out which manufacturers have taken the time to provide this. As people, like you, that actually use the escooters (as opposed to just selling them) this is a pretty important factor. Everyone likes to know they can get home at the end of a work day and if you’re scooter is it, then you’d better be able to ride it.

You also need to consider how to handle a scooter in the rain. As mentioned earlier, wet surfaces can damage your scooter. If you find yourself driving an e-scooter in the rain, you should pull over and wait for the rain to subside and then proceed. This protects not only you, but others. When you are on the roadway, make sure you put on a helmet, reflective clothing and good shoes.

Other tips to riding e-scooters in the rain include:

Riding slow

Traction is reduced on wet grounds. E-scooters have small wheels (Mercane offering the best stability with their Widewheel range) meaning that stability will be reduced on wet grounds. Riding slow helps you adjust and break in time.

Close the charging port

During wet conditions, ensure that your charging port is covered with rubber. Water can affect the electrical circuit damaging your scooter.

Take slow turns

The scooter does not react the same way on wet grounds as in dry grounds. If you don’t pay attention while taking sharp corners, your scooter may slip.

Clean the scooter

You are advised to clean that scooter after you use it in the rain. Lots of water, dust, and mud can cause rust and destroy the scooter. Clean your scooter right after you use it.

Ninebox Max are likely the best in the rain – their water rating is IPX7.

This is described as;

“IPX7 Testing:

· IP X7 immersion testing is defined as immersion in up to one meter of water.

· The IPX7 waterproofness test requirement is that the ingress of water is not considered to be in harmful quantities. This determination is made when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time.

· The defined conditions could be water at a certain temperature. It could also be liquid of a certain salinity or the use of other chemicals.

· The test details include a test duration of 30 minutes and a water depth of less than one meter.

· A product IPX7 rated is able to meet the requirements of this water ingress test.”

· https://keystonecompliance.com/ipx7-ipx8-water-immersion/

If you’d like to find out what the water rating for your ride is, visit us on 32 Doggett Street, Newstead in Brisbane or call us direct on our iScoot Hotline: 1300 948 605 or post your question on Facebook for the benefit of the community.