Mten4 announced!

[Paul A]

44 minutes ago, Eucner said:

contamination

Yes.  Pure water, free of any contamination would not be conductive.

 

The contamination is already present on the electrical surfaces.

The motherboard was observed to have plenty of dust on it.

Even if pure, non conductive water were to ingress... it would become conductive.

 

The crux of the issue seems to be that Begode's QC is lacking.

Poor waterproofing.  

Delicate motherboard damage from direct contact with battery pack.

These have been detected early on and will be rectified by this member.  

 

What of all the other owners?

 

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Paul A

[UPONIT]

 

3 hours ago, Paul A said:

The contamination is already present on the electrical surfaces.

The motherboard was observed to have plenty of dust on it.

Even if pure, non conductive water were to ingress... it would become conductive.

 

The crux of the issue seems to be that Begode's QC is lacking.

Poor waterproofing.  

Delicate motherboard damage from direct contact with battery pack.

These have been detected early on and will be rectified by this member.  

 

What of all the other owners?

 

 

Did you miss this post:

On 1/1/2023 at 8:24 AM, joeboots said:

 I stupidly left my mten4 outside in the light rain for a few hours yesterday, when I brought it inside it turned itself on and started flashing the display lights and headlights. I got it to turn off and stay turned off, and this morning it seemed fine. Went to charge it and the charger light flashes red/green rapidly and the charging port starts to smoke immediately. Do I have a short in the charging port area caused by moisture? Should I just let it continue to dry? Any other ideas? Thanks!

[Paul A]

6 minutes ago, UPONIT said:

Did you miss this post:

 

If water ingress has caused the fire/smoke, that is disturbing.

If water ingress has not caused the fire/smoke, that is even more disturbing.

 

[UPONIT]

IMHO, this EUC has been subjected to conditions it wasn't designed for, and then worked on by someone who may not be as familiar as they should be with electronics. Smoke, sparks, etc.

How is that Begode's fault? My point isn't to defend Begode. It's to be honest with a forum member who might be doing something that might have a bad outcome that he may not be fully aware of. He can take the two cents or leave it on the table.

I would welcome somebody being honest with me if the roles were reversed.

8 minutes ago, Paul A said:

 

If water ingress has caused the fire/smoke, that is disturbing.

If water ingress has not caused the fire/smoke, that is even more disturbing.

 

HE LEFT IT IN THE RAIN.

Not shouting, just confused

 

PS: I feel like I'm beating a dead horse, and I like horses, so I'm shutting up about this.

Edited January 4, 2023 by UPONIT

[Paul A]

37 minutes ago, UPONIT said:

HE LEFT IT IN THE RAIN.

 

The member stated:

This indicates that the design of the wheel by Begode is so poor that a lot of dirt and dust has been able to enter.

This would also indicate that water would be able to easily enter.

Alternatively, Begode installed a very dusty motherboard, into a "noticably" (sic) dirty box.

 

 

37 minutes ago, UPONIT said:

this EUC has been subjected to conditions it wasn't designed for

An EUC that hasn't been designed to keep out a lot of dirt, dust, light rain, seems to be of poor QC.

Other makes and modes of EUC's do not seem to have instances of penetration of a lot of dirt, dust, or light rain into the critical electronics of the motherboard.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Paul A

[joeboots]

Hey, sorry to have started a kerfuffle! I appreciate all the insight!

I should clarify, although I did leave it outside in the rain (light rain!), I have also been riding it quite a lot in moderately wet/drizzly/slushy conditions. The weather in NYC has been garbage. My suspicion is that most of the dust and dirt that migrated into the box did so under (what I would consider) ordinary conditions. I want to prevent that from happening in the future, I think. I was concerned that I should be worried about heat build up after sealing it, though.

@UPONIToare you saying that you think it's a bad idea to gasket the whole cover attachment like I'm contemplating?

I am also definitely going to protect the backside of the charging port, which is TOTALLY unprotected from by the mfgr and was definitely the primary cause of the failure of my wheel.

The rubbing of the circuit board on the battery protection also seems like a real design flaw to me. Whether or not it caused any damage in my unit, those circuit solders are fragile and it doesn't seem like they should be subjected to that kind of stress, especially since (as with the charging port) it seems like it would be relatively trivial to have done it right in the factory - if I'm correct that coating the back of the circuit board with a layer of silicone would be an improvement.

Anyways, I really do appreciate all the help!

[UPONIT]

@joeboots Hey, no problem. No kerfuffle.

I don't know enough about thermodynamics to say either way about gasketing. I do know that overheating is a major concern with any EUC. I would definitely ask for a more knowledgeable person's advice before totally sealing up a metal and plastic compartment so that no air can flow over the board. Overheat = cutout = ouch.

I'm curious if anyone else has the marks on the circuit board like your unit. I re-opened mine and there aren't any marks. I'm a fairly sedate rider, but I definitely sent it flying several times when first getting used to it...

 

@Paul A I'm not sure if you're joking?

This indicates that the design of the wheel by Begode is so poor that a lot of dirt and dust has been able to enter.

This would also indicate that water would be able to easily enter.

It doesn't mean any of that.

Joe said:  "I did leave it outside in the rain. I have also been riding it quite a lot in moderately wet/drizzly/slushy conditions. The weather in NYC has been garbage. My suspicion is that most of the dust and dirt that migrated into the box did so under (what I would consider) ordinary conditions."

Begode specifically warns against using the wheel in those conditions because it is not rated to withstand those conditions.

It isn't anything against Joe. I mod things all the time and use things in ways they weren't meant to be used. But I don't then blame bad outcomes on the manufacturer, as you seem to want to do. I can't bring my microwave into the bathtub and then blame LG because I got electrocuted.

An EUC that hasn't been designed to keep out a lot of dirt, dust, light rain, seems to be of poor QC.

What EUC can be left out in the rain for HOURS with no bad effects?

Anyway... I'm gonna go take my Mten4 for a swim in the Bay then blame QC if it doesn't grow gills.

[Cerbera]

1 hour ago, UPONIT said:

What EUC can be left out in the rain for HOURS with no bad effects?

Well mine can, but I still wouldn't ! But judging from the sheer amount of crap inside Joe's machine there must be quite a large area where water can be getting in, and I'd wanna find out where that was coming from if for no other reason than to see if this was going to be something common to all Mten4s or if there is something wrong with just this one. @joeboots as you are replacing motherboard, have you got the battery out, and had a good look round the case to find where it's been coming in ? As other post mention - I would be cautious about blocking airflow because there doesn't seem to be any external facing heatsink for that board. What sort of temps were you getting during normal riding - maybe make a note of those so you can see what changes after you do any sealing.

As for what to do it with, I like aquarium silicone sealant which sticks equally well to plastic, glass and metal and comes in smaller tubes which make applying it easier. It dries almost clear which is tidy, but harder to see where you have been as you apply it. It also smells grim when curing but that fades ! You mentioned potting compound earlier, but that's a horribly messy and permanent solution, and may not be practical with the board sitting on the battery (you don't wanna be potting that) so I would choose a painted or sprayed on conformal coating instead just on the vulnerable areas when you have identified them.

I'm also worried about the holes in that yellow plastic sheet. Why are they black ? Is that burn marks, or is it just the foam pad under the plastic layer has been exposed ? Either way it seems that the battery pack is pushed hard against that circuit board in a way that it hasn't been in other teardowns (Ecodrifts most notably - his yellow plastic was pristine although I think that machine was unridden). Could it be I wonder that your battery pack either isn't sitting fully flush or is slightly out of tolerance and thicker than it should be resulting in undue / unmitigated pressure there ? You can add a very thin layer of additional foam above the yellow plastic which might help IF it doesn't exert yet more pressure on the board by adding thickness. Or perhaps if there isn't room for that you can try a layer of that ultra strong threaded clear tape I see people using, which your sharp solder points shouldn't be able to penetrate.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Cerbera

[joeboots]

Not burn marks - just the black foam that's been exposed.

I should note that I replaced the board already myself, after the first one failed with no discernable cause after a few days of riding. (Alienrides warranteed it for me.) I had a hard time getting the cover to fit back over the assembly snugly and ended up using some force to get the screws reinstalled. So it's possible I caused the rubbing issue as well - though I really still don't see how, as the cover screws go thru the frame before locking into the board. It's clear that in addition the the wear on the battery protection, the conformal coating on the back of the board has begun to wear away.

[Munsense]

Just received my mten4. Could someone please tell me how to unlock an mten4 that’s locked in transport mode? I could only find instructions for unlocking a begode wheel with a cutoff switch, but the mten4 hasn’t got one.

[alexbrunoeuc]

https://youtu.be/oSxPJCJKaW0

Watch this unboxing. He is unlocking it. 6:06 timestamp 

 

It's something like

Power button press and hold till beep

then press it 5 times in a row till you get a long beep

Restart the wheel ( off/on) 

Edited January 4, 2023 by alexbrunoeuc

[Paul A]

Gotway Safety Advisory

July 31, 2021

ElectricUnicycles

Marty Backe 

 

 

 

[winterwheel]

My MTen4 came in last night. Rode it around some last night in average winter conditions -- it was great! Commuted to work on it this morning. That's something I never expected to be able to do, something I've never even considered doing on an MTen3. Conditions were -15c so not too cold, but very slippery everywhere, a mountain bike with studded tires slipped out on some ice ahead of me at one point, the MTen4 didn't even notice it.

Love being able to ride at walking speed when I'm with or around pedestrians. Love that I can just pick the wheel up easily. I could see having a waterproof bag to transport it into and out of the office on snowy days so I don't track dirty snow-water everywhere. Awesome wheel to keep in the car. 

Only issue for me is the pad setup is super painful on the plant-leg to start out with, I'll have to put some neoprene on there to make it a bit more comfortable. Also I do miss suspension, winter commuting has a lot of super bumpy surfaces where long-term snow gets packed down by bikes and what not; those are a bit rough. If I didn't have the S-18, or if that wheel goes down, this wheel makes a great backup.

In the meantime this will be my downtown daytime wheel.

[Clem604]

The street tire on the MTen4 is AWESOME! No more vibration from the knobby, it feels like you're riding a magic carpet. The employees at Eevees test rode it too and they liked it so much they are considering bringing in some street tires for customers with knobbies that would want to swap. 

10/10 would recommend

Edited January 5, 2023 by Clem604

[novazeus]

1 minute ago, Clem604 said:

The street tire on the MTen4 is AWESOME! No more vibration from the knobby, it feels like you're riding a magic carpet. The employees at Eevees test rode it too and they liked it so much they are considering bringing in a bunch of street tires for customers with knobbies that would want to swap. 

10/10 would recommend

ya, i love the profile of that tire. i miniature motorcycle racing tire. i hope the production mten4's turn out great!

[BKW]

3 minutes ago, Clem604 said:

The street tire on the MTen4 is AWESOME! No more vibration from the knobby, it feels like you're riding a magic carpet. The employees at Eevees test rode it too and they liked it so much they are considering bringing in a bunch of street tires for customers with knobbies that would want to swap. 

10/10 would recommend

Thanks for sharing! I keep flip-flopping if I want the knobby or the street tire when it's sent to me. Probably the street tire is best idea since it's all street here and I won't be riding in snow very much if at all...

What do you think about the trolley handle? Does it get in the way at all or add anything negative to the wheel? I'm kind of afraid it'll be damaged on a crash, but I really like the idea of the trolley handle

[Clem604]

33 minutes ago, BKW said:

Thanks for sharing! I keep flip-flopping if I want the knobby or the street tire when it's sent to me. Probably the street tire is best idea since it's all street here and I won't be riding in snow very much if at all...

What do you think about the trolley handle? Does it get in the way at all or add anything negative to the wheel? I'm kind of afraid it'll be damaged on a crash, but I really like the idea of the trolley handle

The knobby is more versatile for varying terrain but for me I ride almost all street with the occasional light gravel path which these tires will get me through no problem. The biggest thing for me is the lack of vibration, it rides SO SMOOTH, no regrets here.

The trolley handle is decent, I have no complaints with it other than it feels kind of flimsy. Despite this, it still works as advertised and is "good enough" for all your trolleying needs.  It might break off during a crash but I can't really confirm that as I haven't (yet) crashed on the Mten4, knock on wood. It's not too expensive to replace if it breaks though so that's a plus.

For anyone else interested in a street tire for their Mten4 I bought mine from here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003311547821.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.22.1f5d1802AhWHeh

Edited January 5, 2023 by Clem604

[novazeus]

8 minutes ago, BKW said:

Thanks for sharing! I keep flip-flopping if I want the knobby or the street tire when it's sent to me. Probably the street tire is best idea since it's all street here and I won't be riding in snow very much if at all...

What do you think about the trolley handle? Does it get in the way at all or add anything negative to the wheel? I'm kind of afraid it'll be damaged on a crash, but I really like the idea of the trolley handle

if i did get one, the trolley handle acts as a kickstand, so that might be nice. i never put on my z10 trolley handle, so i feel ya.

if it's free, i'd want it.

[Clem604]

1 hour ago, novazeus said:

if i did get one, the trolley handle acts as a kickstand, so that might be nice. i never put on my z10 trolley handle, so i feel ya.

if it's free, i'd want it.

I forgot to mention that one benefit. The trolley does act as a kickstand, one that is better than the factory stand IMO.

Edited January 5, 2023 by Clem604

[BKW]

26 minutes ago, Clem604 said:

The knobby is more versatile for varying terrain but for me I ride almost all street with the occasional light gravel path which these tires will go through no problem. The biggest thing for me is the lack of vibration, it rides SO SMOOTH, no regrets here.

The trolley handle is decent, I have no complaints with it other than it feels kind of flimsy. Despite this, it still works as advertised and is "good enough" for all your trolleying needs.  It might break off during a crash but I can't really confirm that as I haven't (yet) crashed on the Mten4, knock on wood. It's not too expensive to replace if it breaks though so that's a plus.

For anyone else interested in a street tire for their Mten4 I bought mine from here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003311547821.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.22.1f5d1802AhWHeh

A little off-topic here, but...

It's funny how things that aren't EUC-related are kind of what you'd expect price-wise. For instance, this tire you linked is a scooter tire? If it was made by an EUC company that probably would at least be double I bet.

But yeah, as long as the trolley handle doesn't get in the way as far as maneuverability or hitting my legs or anything then I'll like it. The kickstand idea of it is cool too

[Clem604]

41 minutes ago, BKW said:

A little off-topic here, but...

It's funny how things that aren't EUC-related are kind of what you'd expect price-wise. For instance, this tire you linked is a scooter tire? If it was made by an EUC company that probably would at least be double I bet.

But yeah, as long as the trolley handle doesn't get in the way as far as maneuverability or hitting my legs or anything then I'll like it. The kickstand idea of it is cool too

Yeah, they are similar tires that you would get on 11 inch e-scooters (Kaabo Wolf Warrior, Nami Burn-E, etc.) I didn't actually answer your original question about manoeuvrability but the handle doesn't get in the way in at all and the riding experience is the same as before. It doesn't hit my legs and weights almost nothing so handling is not affected

Edited January 5, 2023 by Clem604

[UPONIT]

6 hours ago, Clem604 said:

I forgot to mention that one benefit. The trolley does act as a kickstand, one that is better than the factory stand IMO.

 

The trolley handle made a ton of difference for me. You can't really carry the wheel around in a store. The trolley handle makes it like walking a tiny dog that stays when told.

Again, I really like the color scheme you've got going there, @Clem604  !

5 hours ago, Clem604 said:

Yeah, they are similar tires that you would get on 11 inch e-scooters (Kaabo Wolf Warrior, Nami Burn-E, etc.) I didn't actually answer your original question about manoeuvrability but the handle doesn't get in the way in at all and the riding experience is the same as before. It doesn't hit my legs and weights almost nothing so handling is not affected

They are scooter tires, for sure.

BTW, if anyone needs a valve stem for this wheel before dealers start to carry parts, I have some extra, no charge. They are an odd size and length (~9.5 mm rim hole?) and were a little hard to find. They only came in bags of 10. I was so impatient and they were so cheap, I ordered from a couple of sources to see which would get here first. 

On a totally unrelated topic, if you are deflating your wheel to preferred pressure and think you can leave the gauge attached to the valve stem and stand on the wheel to try it out without moving, see my offer above... 

[Clem604]

6 hours ago, UPONIT said:

The trolley handle made a ton of difference for me. You can't really carry the wheel around in a store. The trolley handle makes it like walking a tiny dog that stays when told.

Again, I really like the color scheme you've got going there, @Clem604  !

Thanks and I totally agree on the trolley handle. I thought I would be using the grab handle but in reality it isn't as useful as I would have imagined, mostly due to the Mten4 being heavier than I had first anticipated. Adding those heavy Begode spiked pedals didn't help .

Edited January 5, 2023 by Clem604

[Cerbera]

Yeah, there isn't any EUC made anymore that I wanna have to carry for longer than 30 seconds at a stretch...

Edited January 5, 2023 by Cerbera

[BKW]

On 12/31/2022 at 8:55 AM, rebeuc said:

I think most of us still lingering in this thread are here because we don't actually have the wheels yet, and so are unlikely to be able to answer.

On that note, the container ship with the mten4's for ewheels arrived in port early this morning; hopefully in the next week or so they will make their way to the ewheels warehouse! (really not sure how long it takes for them to be unloaded, make it through customs, and be shipped overland)

If anyone could please continue to give updates on the shipment of mten4s with ewheels it will be greatly appreciated. For some reason I have not received any updates as far as shipments, etc.

As rebeuc has already stated, it appears the next shipment may arrive at the facility this week or next