Buy A REAL Samsung Battery For Your Hoverboard - Don't Catch On Fire!!!

Lately I've been getting a lot of questions from people who bought admittedly "cheap" hoverboards and are concerned about the safety of their battery.

Honestly, if you follow the charging instructions and don't overcharge the board, and don't charge the board when your not home there's really nothing to be concerned about.

That said if it makes you more comfortable knowing you have a properly wired Samsung battery with a fuse, you can buy a replacement.

It's very easy to pop in a new battery, it just involves taking off the back case which is very easy, just remove the 9 screws holding the case on.Plug in the new battery, put the case back on and you are good to go.

If you do want to pickup a new battery here's a REAL Samsung battery available on Amazon

http://amzn.to/1ToLvzQ

Hoverboard Self Balance Scooter Survey - Please Answer Questions In Comments Section Below

Hey guys, I was just curious about how many people have bought Hoverboards this holiday season as well as from a buyers perspective what people are looking for. What are the most important questions with your purchase decision? Style, Quality Battery, etc?

If you woudln't mind take a quick minute to answer the following questions and submit as a comment below...

1. Did you buy a Hoverboard this Holiday Season?

2. Who did you buy it for? Yourself, a nice or nephew, your child, a friend?

3. What were you looking for when making your purchase? What aspects were at the top of your list? A safe battery? The color or style you wanted? A specific brand? What made you purchase what you purchased?

4. Where did you buy from? Did you buy from someone off craigslist, eBay, Amazon, a local shop?

5. Are you worried about the media hype about fires and explosions due to batteries and chargers?

6. For those of you who have already ridden your Hoverboard how is it holding up? Has yours broken already?

7. Are you still enjoying your purchase or are you bored of it already?


Please answer the questions above in the comments section below. Thanks!!!

What Does A Quality Hoverboard Battery Look Like?

What is a quality Hoverboard Battery?

One of the biggest questions Hoverboard buyers have is about the battery. It's understandable as that's a key component of the board, however people are way too hungup on making sure they get a Samsung or LG battery.

Most boards out there which claim to have a Samsung or LG Battery have a chinese battery with a fake or counterfeit Samsung sticker.

It really doesn't matter what brand a battery is, you just want a quality battery. If you check out the picture below you will see how each battery cell is individually wired. On the cheaper boards there are little metal squares which link together all 12 batteries together so all charge at the same time.

Properly Wired Hoverboard Battery - Each Cell Individually Wired

Unlike the cheap ones, as you can see from the picture below each cell is wired individually. When batteries are wired like this each cell is charged and also monitored indivudally. This is a safe battery.

On the cheaper boards, I don't have a pic at the moment but will post one later, all cells are wired together. If one charge is faulty, it will overcharge another cell to compensate. Having overcharged or undercharged cells are both unhealthy for the battery and also a fire hazard. 

Now this makes it tough as a buyer as most sellers aren't going to open up a battery pack and show you what the battery looks like inside, but ask as much about the battery as you can.

If you already have a hoverboard and are concerned about the fire risk you may want to pickup a replacement battery.

The battery below is a properly wired and safe battery and can be picked up for $85. It's very easy to swap out the current battery in your board for a safe replacement, only need to take out 12 screws total. 

http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/RvJUv3N3N

Going to be a lot of Disapointed Kids who don't get Hoverboards for Christmas

There's going to be a lot of disapointed kids who don't get hoverboards for Christmas.

With all the media hype about hoverboards exploding and catching fire, customs has understandably clamped down on allowing hoverboards through. Many self balance scooters will not make it through because they lack certifications, while others who do make it through may not arrive well into January or February because of all the delays.

It's rumored customs is literally going to open up not only every container holding hoverboards, but will literally be opening up every box. With a container holding 700 or more boards, that's going to take a whole lot of time to open up and inspect all those boxes.

To really illustrate the scale of how long this backup is going to take, there are some single importers with over 100,000 units held up in customs and that can be one importer, so times that by however many other importers are out there and you get a picture of how long all these will take to clear.

US Customs doesn't seem to be as strict as the UK, however a recent news story talked about out of 89,000 Hoverboards waiting clearance in the UK, only 9,000 actually were approved and made it through.

We did an article yesterday titled "Why Hoverboard Prices Could Triple By Christmas" and this post today really illustrates the point of why that soon could become a reality. 

Amazon urges customers to throw away their hoverboards

Amazon to customers: dispose of your hoverboards

Customers who have purchased hoverboards for Christmas gifts have been told to "dispose" of them and take a refund, after three of England's biggest retailers stop sales of the chinese made Self Balancing Scooters, better known as Hoverboards.

Reportedly seen in an e-mail by the Telegraph, Amazon, the internet retailer asked customers to take their self balancing scooters aka hoverboards to a local recycling point for electronics and electronic equipment. Two other retailers, Argos and John Lewis had also stopped selling Hoverboards after reports came out about the popular toy of the year catching fire and exploding.

Guestimates suggest that around half a million people in England have bought hoverboards as Christmas gifts. Another million or more are considering purchasing them.

Many people thought only "cheap chinese made" hoverboards were the ones with fire risks, however it's recently emerged that Swagway, one of the leading brands have also caught fire.  The truth of the matter is all of these are chinese made and mass produced. Though a varying quality of boards can be found, there really hasn't been one company who's emerged as having a safe, reliable and well built product.

A spokesman for Argos said customers with concerns about its Nevaboard products, which it has taken away for testing, could obtain a full refund no matter when they bought the products.

Amazon customers with models suspected to be faulty will be issued with automatic refunds for the full price which can range between 200 pounds and 500 pounds, which for our USA readers is over $750 will be issued a refund within days.

One person recently interviewed regarding this issue said...

"I wasn't expecting to get a refund – my hoverboard has had no problems and I've had it for four months.

"I don't use it that much any more anyway – it was fun for a while then just gets boring. Like most trends I think this time next year hoverboards won't be on people's Christmas lists."


Amazon has stopped selling all hoverboards while it investigates. It confirmed that it had sent the emails and would be processing refunds, but declined to say how many customers were affected.
It has removed all hoverboards from its website, including Swagway models.

Why Hoverboard Prices Could Triple By Christmas

Why The Price Of A Hoverboard Could Triple By Christmas

For those of you out there who are last minute shoppers and planning on buying a Self Balancing Scooter as a gift for someone, you may want to act sooner rather than later.

There are going to be huge shortages on Hoverboards and that is sure to cause prices to soar, if you're even able to get your hands on one.

Why Hoverboard Prices Could Triple By Christmas!!!

It's no secret hoverboards have been in the news recently for catching fire. The Feds are actually opening a investigation into the issue. This has caused customs to clamp down on not only hoverboards but really anything with a lithium ion battery. Any hoverboard which does not have all the proper certifications is going to be refused entry.

After speaking to a few importers and wholesalers, many I spoke with have anywhere from 700 to as much as 100,000 units or pieces of merchandise held by customs. They said "if" they get through, and that's a big "if", there are sure to be fines. 

Both the shortage of available inventory, as well as the importers being fined and having to make up that money, are sure to drive hoverboard prices through the roof. 

This is an industry that moves quickly. We saw hoverboard prices a few months ago which were typically $700 to $2200 drop down to as low as $259 with Free shipping from New Egg and many other large online retailers so we saw pricse quickly slashed. That said there are now shortages and the cost to bring hoverboards over is increesing which means the price to the consumer is also going to increase.

Now saying they are going to triple in price is probably on the high end but I would not be at all surprised to see a standard original hoverboard with no bluetooth going for around $600 or more in the week leading up to Christmas.

How To Fix A Vibrating or Shaking Hoverboard

How To Fix A Broken Hoverboard - Vibrating

Does your self balance scooter vibrate when you stop on or off of it? Does your Hoverboard move on it's own or ride in circles with no rider on it? Your problem could be an air pocket under your foot pad.

Rest easy, it's a fairly simple fix. By making a slice or poking a hole in your foot pad you can get rid of the air pocket and your board should resume working normally.

So here's how to fix it. Look at the picture below. On the side of the footpad closest to the wheel, not the side near the center of the board, make a slice or cut a chunk out of the footpad. You will want to do this as we mentioned, on the side closest to the wheel dead center in the middle of the pad at the area shown in the pic. This will let out the air and your board should stop vibrating and should stop riding on it's own.

If this fails to solve your problem the next likely culprate is a bad gyroscope.

Why Are Hoverboard Self Balancing Scooters Exploding?

Hoverboards, Monorovers, Segways, whatever name you call them, I'm sure you're all familiar with the hottest Christmas gift item of the year, the Self Balancing Scooter.


Part Segway, part skateboard, these self balancing two wheeled scooters have been around since 2013 or so, however have only recently gained huge popularity due to celebrities and Youtube stars riding them and featuring them on social media and in Youtube videos.


It's also definately no secret that these things have been in the media a ton lately for the problems with the scooters both exploding and setting on fire; sometimes while charging, and on some occasions even while being ridden.


Over the weekend Amazon pulled down about 99% of Hoverboard listings, only allowing those to remain up who can show they have all the proper certifications on their board. The Jetson Self Balancing Scooter is one of the few left on the site. 

Is The Danger Of Hoverboards Overhyped?

 

I would have to answer that with a resounding yes. There's been about 9 stories about fires. All lithium ion batteries have the capacity to explode or start on fire. There have been stories of iPhones, smartphones, RC cars, tablets and laptop computers exploding and injuring users. So why all the attention and hype surrouding hoverboards?

It's no secret that these things are made in China, and both the quality of materials as well as assembly in some cases leaves much to be desired. Though there are companies like iOHawk who sell much more expensive boards, essentially all these things are made from similar components and made in China, though some may have a bit more attention to quality of materials and detail in assembly.

The reason Hoverboard Self Balancing Scooters are both exploding as well as catching fire has to do with the batteries and the chargers. Not only are the batteries mass manufactured and cheaply made, but just due to the nature of the device, something that is ridden, and often abused, a battery which is punctured or battered about has the capability to short circuit and either start a fire or a small explosion.

How To Fix The Dangers Of Hoverboard Batteries & Chargers

A friend who works on scooters, golf carts and other electric devices explained it to me like this. A quality battery works where each individual cell is charged and monitored. On a Hoverboard battery it's charged as a whole. This means if one cell fails to charge, another cell will overcharge to compensate. Both over charged and under charged cells are not only harmful to the longterm health and function of the battery, but are also a fire hazard. Many of these scooter batteries also lack a fuse.

As for the chargers, the fault lies in them not turning off when a battery is fully charged causing the batteries cells to overcharge, as well as many of them lacking fuses and/or fans to keep them cool.

Why Are Hoverboards Catching Fire?

Do I Feel Safe Owning A Hoverboard?

I am not at all concerned. With that being said I do excercise a few common sense things. First, I only charge my hoverboard when I am at home and monitoring it. I would never charge it while away or overnight. I also excercise the same cautions I do with all Lithium ion batteries which is not charging them too long, not over charging them, and trying to let them cycle once a week by charging the battery fully and then draining it fully. A battery is like a muscle and needs to be excercised.

What are your thoughts on Hoverboards and all the recent hype in the media? Are you worried? Do you own a Hoverboard? Would the recent news attention cause you not to buy a hoverboard for yourself or as a gift?

Are Fires and Explosions Really A Concern if you Own a Hoverboard Self Balance Scooter?

In the past week I must have gotten nearly a dozen texts, facebook messages, and tweets from family and friends commenting on hoverboards exploding and catching fire.

Is it really a valid concern to have though?

Anything with a lithium ion battery can explode or catch fire. iPhones have been known to explode or blowup while people are talking on them. Kids who play with RC cars and planes have had those explode and start fire. Even power tools with lithium ion battery can explode or catch fire.




So how much more dangerous are hoverboards than these other common devices we use everyday?

This is purely my opinion but I think the fires in the news are kind of overhyped. Millions upon millions of these hoverboards have been sold and there's been a handful of incidences.

Though it is true that quality of batteries and craftsmanship putting these together is lacking on some boards, as long as you don't charge the board when your not home and around, and as long as you don't overcharge your board fires and explosions are really a pretty minor concern in regards to hoverboards.

I've even heard some with conspiracy theories that the fires are media plants put out by IOHawk and other higher priced boards to try to scare people into buying a $1500 board over the cheaper generic chinese boards that sell for $200 on Ali Express.

Do lithium batteries have the ability to cause accidents and start on fire, absolutely they do. If you follow a few safety procedures that you should follow with all battery powered devices it's really not that big of a concern.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below. Would the recent news about scooters prevent you from buying one for yourself or your child?

Is it too late to order a Hoverboard and get it in time for Christmas?

If I Order a Hoverboard will it arrive in time for Christmas?

Many people have been sending me online listings for Hoverboards lately and asking me if it's too late to order and hope to receive it by Christmas? 

Most people are inquiring about buying from China. Hoverboards bought from China will be significantly cheaper than those already imported into the USA, hoever they will also take longer to arrive. 

Personally I have received some orders in as little as 8 days and had others take over 44 days. I would say 2-3 weeks is average.

All this having been said, if you order now will you get it in time for Christmas. It's possible but also likely you will not. You are really rolling the dice with that purchase. If you do want to save a few bucks message some sellers and inquire if they can gurantee if your item will arrive in time for Christmas. Some sellers promise fast Fedex and wind up shipping Air Cargo or EMS which is cheap and slow. It really depends on if the sellers has the boards made already or assembles them with each order as well as how quickly they ship out after receiving your payment. 

If you want to order, message some Ali Express sellers and ask if they can gurantee Christmas Delivery.

Can I Ride My Hoverboard In The Snow?

Ever Wondered How A Hoverboard Performs In Snow?

If you've ever wondered how a hoverboard will perform in the snow, check out this video below. It's quite snowy, yet this dude on the hoverboard manages to zip around through pretty thick snow, even going up some pretty steep hills and grades. Only time will tell how the boards hold up to the moisture, however it seems to perform pretty well as I'd never expect it to be able to make it up a good size hill, let alone one covered in snow.

Have you taken your hoverboard out in the snow? Send us a video to hoverboardfaq@gmail.com and we'll post it on our channel.

3 Types of Batteries Self Balancing Scooters Have

 5 Things To Look For In A Quality Self Balancing Scooter Hoverboard

Though there's only a few different models of Self Balancing Boards out on the market, the degree of quality between manufacturers spans from wow this is amazing; to I hope this thing doesn't fall apart beneath my feet and throw me to my death.

There's a couple ways to easily check how well a board is put together. If a friend has a board and your considering getting one from the same seller here's a few quick easy things to check to see if the seller puts together quality boards.

Poorly Assembled Board With Knockoff Samsung Battery

1. Paint Job - Is the paint job well done and look like a new car paint job, or is there bubbles and differences in the tone of the coloring of the board? How much quality they put into the plastics and paint will also tell you how well the interior of the board is put together.

2. Screws - Most boards have 9 screws holding the case on each foot platform. Does your board have all the screws in place? It's amazing sellers would try to cut time and cost on screws but they do. About 4 out of 10 boards I've seen are missing 3-4 screws holding the case on the board.

3. Battery - Is the battery a quality Samsung or LG battery or do you have a generic Chinese Battery?

4. Plastic Casing - If you open up your hoverboard and look inside below each foot pad some boards have a plastic box or casing holding the computer boards and pressure sensors while others will just have the board right on the top. Personally I prefer having the computer chips protected in a plastic casing.

5. Battery Box - This may seem trivial but does your boards battery have a plastic casing holding it in place or is it just sitting there with wires randomly poking out?


The above 5 points are 5 very easy things to check on a hoverboard to tell if it was well built and well put together. If you're considering buying a board and are able to check it out or look at a sample look at these elements. It's not perfect but if will give you an idea how much they either spent or skipped on suppliers and how much they cut corners putting these boards together.

Crazy Hoverboard Tricks - Amazing Video

Watch this great video showing a couple guys with hoverboards pulling off some crazy tricks from riding around fountains, jumping stairs, doing foot reversals while riding and so much more.

Now we wouldn't recommend doing this if you value the longevity of your boards, but it does look fun.

How To Calibrate Your Hoverboard Self Balancing Scooter - Easy Trouble Shooting

Have you ever had problems with your self balancing scooter shaking, vibrating, not moving forward or backward correctly?

The most common problem these boards has is the calibration may get out of sync. These boards work with two independent sensors which sense your position and foot movement. Whether through normal use or taking a fall, rolling the board, etc; these boards can get out of sync.

It's a really easy fix, all you have to do is calibrate the board. It's as simple as setting the board on a level surface, holding the power button in for 5-10 seconds until the headlights flash blue, and then turning the board off. Your scooter is now re-calibrated and ready for use.

If you actually want to see this process in action watch the video below...