Segway under the rain

[sribas]

I would like to hear your experience and use of Segway under rainy days.....or how much watterprof is a Segway?
Can we use a rubber protection to the key port ?

[pam]

I've never had a problem with rain - just be sure the charging port cover is closed.

Now, I wear a cheap poncho, which I've draped across the handlebars, careful not to catch the poncho in my hands (if you do, it makes it harder to lean back to stop). That has protected the various ports on the handlebars, but if you wanted to you could get some 3" clear cello tape (or packaging tape, as we call it here in the states) and just run a strip across the ports and it would protect them.

The only other thing to keep in mind is that the surface you're gliding on might be a bit more slippery and not glide at top speed unless you're sure of your gliding surface.

Pam

[Sal]

I posted this a WHILE back... my old 167 would shut down in the rain. This does not happen with my 170 or 180.

When it initially happened with my 167, it was POURING here in Indy... Luckily I was only a block away from home. I even took it into a building lobby and disconnected/reconnected the control shaft cables... no luck. It wouldn't start, I got a red face/wrench. Platform fault.

I left the segway against my foyer wall for a good two days (until it "dried" out) then all was well.

I then took the 167 to the canal (there are a few fountains there) and as I glided through the mist (mind you it was a minimum of mist) of one fountain, I got the same fault... but this time, I sat for a few minutes and all was good, it restarted and worked fine.

From that point on, I do what Pam does: COVER THE KEYPORT when it's "watery" outside! LOL

-Sal

[voiceguy]

I wonder if anyone else had this problem:

I finally had to glide home in the rain about two weeks ago -- and didn't have the charging port taped over, just closed (which of course is a definitely not a great seal)

In any event, I got home and plugged 'er in as usual and walked away.

The next day when I went to glide, the bars showed I think it was 1 1/2 bars down -- same as when I finished the previous day's glide.

I don't know exactly what happened but noticed that I would plug it in -- it would show solid light (both sides) for a few secs and then would then go out.

Well, I decided to glide anyway that next (dry) and so came back 2 or 2 1/2 bars down.

I plugged it in and .. same thing, solid and then go out.

I removed and swapped the front and rear Li-ions and it didn't seem to change.

In any event, I just left it plugged in and after a few hours, the lights were blinking and the Seg showed a full charge. it has so far been charging fine ever since.

Has anyone else had this experience -- the charging unit going out after a wet glide only to work again later? Would swapping the batteries have any bearing on the situation, or is it more likely that rain created a short somewhere and that it just dried out?

[terryp]

I would like to hear your experience and use of Segway under rainy days.....or how much watterprof is a Segway?
Can we use a rubber protection to the key port ?
I've ridden both my 167 and 180 on very rainy days (this *is* Seattle, after all), and never had a problem, in spite of not taking any extra measures to waterproof the HT. I generally don't commute if it's raining hard in the morning, but I take my chances on what it will be doing on the way home. One day I got caught in what turned out to be the heaviest rain on record for Seattle, and made it home (6 miles) soaked, but without incident.

Now I carry thin waterproof pants and jacket and a small umbrella in my bag if there's any chance of rain.

If you do get a shutdown for some reason, you will have to get the keyport dry before you can restart, and that can be difficult in heavy rain.

[GlennO]

I only got stuck in the rain once, but I was ready. I got a plastic sandwich bag and cut the bottom out and slipped it over the left handlebar, centering it over the keyport. Then I got 2 Velco straps - one on each side, to hold it in place.

I have a poncho too, but I didn't have to drape it over the keyport. I only had to go about 1 mile, but it worked very well - and it was pouring!

Glenn

[Desert_Seg]

Well, it doesn't rain much here in Dubai but when it did (all three times) I went gliding, just to prove that I would do it.

Two things:

1. I didn't use protection (say it isn't so!) and had nary a problem. Nothing ever went wrong and I used it as I would use it on a normal 110 degree sunshiny day.

2. I made a HUGE miscalculation on how fast I should take off when I left our building. The front walk is all marble and, as you may know, marble is slippery when wet. Well, not wanting to get too wet I leaned forward with one purpose in mind...dodge the raindrops. A few seconds of tire spin later, and me gracefully (at least in my minds eye) sliding off the Segway, I was standing next to the Segway smiling at everybody.

So, while I have had no problems riding int he rain I would caution you to be well aware of the take-off and stopping speeds....slow and steady is the trick!

Steven

[pegg696]

Same goes for mud.... Tires slip in the mud and you instictivly lean forward... then the tires grab and the whole things shoots out from under you leaving you on your can.

Ask me how i know.... :)

[SegwayDan]

I've glided in rain fairly often. The last heavy rain got man and maching pretty wet, but there were not any immediate negative effects on the machine. I glide through puddles and try to keep the speed down so as not to swamp my chassis with the back wash from the wheels.

But one thing happened a few days after the rain: I noticed that the machine would suddenly start to turn ON ITS OWN while in glide mode. It was a small turn to the right. I could correct it with a counter twist, but it was very disconcerting.

I pulled the control shaft and disconnected the cables to notice that the connectors were wet. I looked down into the CSB with a flashlight to see that there was a little water in the bottom. I soaked it up with paper towels and Q-tips.

I left the CS off for a day or so to let it dry out. And when I re-assembled the CS, the "turning on its own" seemed to have stoped.

I suppose the water got in through the charging port, as I've never done anything extra to close it up against water.

[KSagal]

Well, it doesn't rain much here in Dubai but when it did (all three times) I went gliding, just to prove that I would do it.

Two things:

1. I didn't use protection (say it isn't so!) and had nary a problem. Nothing ever went wrong and I used it as I would use it on a normal 110 degree sunshiny day.

2. I made a HUGE miscalculation on how fast I should take off when I left our building. The front walk is all marble and, as you may know, marble is slippery when wet. Well, not wanting to get too wet I leaned forward with one purpose in mind...dodge the raindrops. A few seconds of tire spin later, and me gracefully (at least in my minds eye) sliding off the Segway, I was standing next to the Segway smiling at everybody.

So, while I have had no problems riding int he rain I would caution you to be well aware of the take-off and stopping speeds....slow and steady is the trick!

Steven

For the few times it rains there, you may want to try Zorba's metal studded tires. They are designed for maximum traction in woods or snow, but metal on wet marble would be slppery indeed! I am sure all those spinning metal studs would leave there marks on the marble as well, and you would be forever remembered by the owners of the building...

on second thought, maybe you would be better just greasing your own tires and calling it a day!