Li-Ion Battery FAQ
From SegwaySocial
I'm still working on this FAQ. Feel free to contribute!
Common Questions about Li-Ion Batteries
How do I charge my battery when my HT/PT first arrives?
In order to maintain the best performance from your Segway HT Battery Packs, fully charge your Battery Packs for at least twelve hours, once a month, or once every twelve hours of operation— whichever comes first. Make sure that your Battery Packs are within the specified charging temperature range when charging.
How do I charge my batteries
- Like this...
How do I keep my batteries in top shape?
- Like this...
How long does it take to charge?
- This long...
What should I do if I’m not going to use my HT for an extended period?
- Do this...
What do the blinking lights under the charging port mean?
- Gen 1
- Solid green LEDs. FAST CHARGE - The majority of charging takes place during this stage.
- Green pulse; slows down over time. CELL BALANCING - Lasts a few minutes to several hours, depending on how much balancing the cells require.
- LEDs are unlit for approximately 5 minutes. FULLY CHARGED.
- Several fast green pulses every few seconds. BATTERY MAINTENANCE
- Gen 2
- Like this
I plugged in my Segway, but it won’t go into full charge mode, why?
- Here's why...
Li-Ion Battery Performance Questions
Why was my battery better at first than it is now?
- Here's why...
How much range should I be getting?
- This much...
How long is my battery going to last?
- This long
When will I know my battery is dying?
- This way
How much do new batteries cost?
- This much...
What is the deal with heat?
- Here's the deal
What is the deal with cold?
- Here's the deal
My first bar lasts much longer than my last bar- why is that?
- Here's why
NMHi Battery - Tips & Tricks
Can I "Top-Off" my battery?
- Answer
Can I charge my Segway in the car?
Yes, buy an AC inverter. Plug it into your lighter and you can charge while you motor/boat/fly/etc. It is advisable to use at least a 150 Watt inverter. Note that while you could charge two Segways in your car, you would need at least a 300 Watt inverter and an inverter of this rating should be wired directly into the vehicle's power system, not plugged into the lighter. You would be wise to have your inverter separately fused with spare fuses in the glove box.
Li-Ion Battery - Technical Questions
What are the battery specifications?
(cut and pasted from official Segway information)
How much current do the charging batteries draw?
- This Much
How much does it cost to per charge?
A fully drained Segway has been reported to consume about 1.2 kWh during a 8 hours charging cycle
- At $0.25 per kWh (California Rates) that's twenty-four cents.
For the Geeks
Can I use power from my batteries for external accessories?
We’ve heard no reports of anyone successfully tapping into the Segway batteries to power external accessories. Current wisdom holds that attempting this may cause serious safety concerns if not outright damage to the machine. Attempt this at your own peril. (but send us an update if you make it work)
Can I change the cells in my battery myself?
Nope
Can I piggyback external batteries to my HT?
We’ve heard no reports of anyone piggybacking external batteries to power their HT. Several owners have successfully attached wet cell batteries and inverters, in an external case, to their HT. This arrangement is used to charge while not near a power outlet.
Purpose of this document
This document was created to help increase public awareness of the Segway and the batteries that power them. This document is intended to supplement official Segway, Inc. technical and support documentation with a specific slant towards "real world" experiences gathered from the Segway community. In every case please accept any information conveyed here as inferior to official Segway, Inc. documentation.
