What happens when the battery is getting low

I definitely overloaded the battery, because I got no warning. This is what the manual says happens when the Lithium Ion battery is running out of power. Your assignment is to go read ALL your battery manual, so you can learn from my experience. :-)

With the Li-Ion battery, you will see a steady yellow-red phase on your battery meter for about the last 1/2 mile. For proper travel distance planning you need to observe early signs of battery weakness, typically occurring during the last 2-3 miles. There is a brief switch from green to yellow on inclines or when accelerating from a stop, and returning to green when reaching normal driving conditions. Also keep in mind that a battery in this state of discharge is more prone to an overload shut-off.

Dealing with a Lithium Ion Battery Overload

Here's what the owner's manual for the TravelScoot's Li-Ion Battery says about battery overload. It sounds like exactly what happened to me. I still prefer this battery. I'll just be better prepared if/when it happens again.

Unlike SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) and NiMH (Nickel-Metal-Hydride) batteries, the Li-Ion battery has a Protection Circuit Board (PCB), which controls charging and discharging. An important feature of the PCB is the overload protection.

Light duty batteries, such as those commonly used in light-duty scooters can be overloaded easily when used a prolonged distance on inclines or off-road conditions, especially when heavily loaded. SLA and NiMH batteries are generally not protected against such rigors and are subsequently subject to premature deterioration.

The overload protection inside the Li-Ion battery prevents this type of abuse and shuts off the power instantly. You will notice no light on the battery meter.

In order to restore power, a brief charge to the battery is necessary. Unless you are in a building, you might have no immediate access to an electric outlet, so you need to do it differently. You need to get off the scooter and with the power switch ON, give it a strong brief push while staying standing. The motor will act as a generator and reset the battery. During the push the light is red and will return to green. A few attempts may be required.

Since this procedure is a bit annoying, you need to be smart and avoid such situations in the first place.

It's in the bag

One of the things I bought at Walmart on Saturday was a laptop bag to carry my battery in. I have the lithium ion battery, and I can't leave it in the trunk of my car with my TravelScoot because if it gets too hot it's a fire hazard. This bag gives me a cute and efficient way to carry my 4 1/2 lb. battery with me and keep it protected. And it only cost $20.

Open Bug, Insert Scoot

From Lynn Ellen:

I put the scoot in the back of the VW Bug and it fits just fine, front tire and all. I didn't put the seat in yet, but there's room, as well as the battery. I am thrilled!!! This means I don't have to sacrifice the back seat (where I keep the collapsable nylon dog crate, for the dog to ride back there). And as far as I am concerned, the Scoot will live back there to be available whenever I need it.

I am finding that the scoot, folded and seatless and battery-less is heavy, but not at all too heavy to carry and lift into the car. Now my next task is to find a tote bag that will comfortably carry the battery and seat, as well as the charger, in case I go somewhere where I want to recharge. woo hoo!

Oops... my bad.

In retrospect I should have known this might happen -- I pushed my TravelScoot too far today. I zoomed through one Walmart, and then a second Walmart. A motorcycle guy walked into Walmart at the same time I did, and he was obviously impressed. "Wow, you got on that thing and in here fast!"

After a break at home I did BOTH floors of a huge mall, then Sam's Club. I was by myself and moving fast. But even so, that was all just fine. The fatal mistake was deciding to drive from Sam's Club across the Sam's Club parking lot, across the street, across the Walmart parking lot to my third Walmart of the day. I was going in the door when it happened. The battery light flashed yellow and then it flashed red, and then all power was gone.

I think I overloaded my lithium ion battery, but I didn't have my charger with me to fix it. I folded my scoot up and put it in a cart and took it back to my car. The battery is charging now.

I'm thinking a backup battery might be a good thing. Especially for days like today. (Or going to the Smithsonian at the end of July!) I also need to read the battery manual again.

What was I looking for in Walmart? A specific brand and model of a digital camera. I want one small enough to carry in my purse. It's now on its way from Amazon.com. ;-)

Are you embarrassed to be seen on a scooter?

Tools to help you walk, like a scooter or wheelchair, are built on the most ENABLING of early technologies -- the WHEEL. Without wheels there wouldn't have been an Industrial Revolution, we'd have no trains or automobiles, no jet engines, no way to transport goods and services, and little ability to travel.

I know there are people reading this blog who are embarrassed at the thought of using a scooter. Maybe you can't walk far enough to enjoy the zoo or traverse an airport. Perhaps you don't want people looking at you, thinking you've given up or you're just lazy.

The wheels of my scooter enable me to briskly move where I would have been walking slowly and with pain, or more likely not walking at all. My wheels energize my world while saving my knees. I am more active with my TravelScoot.

It is up to us to empower ourselves without concern for what others think.

If we limit our world over what someone else MIGHT be thinking then we never go sleeveless, never put on a bathing suit, and miss out on grand things the world has to offer us -- museums, big stores, airports, visiting loves ones at the hospital, shopping for ourselves.

If you're having trouble walking but are hesitant about using wheels to enlarge your world, please put yourself out there. It gets easier every time you do it. Start with trying a scooter at Walmart, Sam's Club, or Target. (Although good luck finding one that actually works and has a charged battery at Target!) By the time you graduate to a TravelScoot you'll be so thrilled with how it changes your world that you'll be telling everyone. Just like me.

Grass

Here are Lynn Ellen and Misha again, and THIS time she's riding on grass, but it was flat and not thick. Misha is sitting at perfect attention.

My understanding is that TravelScoot doesn't recommend riding on grass or gravel, but obviously with certain types of grass and gravel it works. At least for short stretches.