I just sank my 16X, hence question... R.I.P.?

[andon]

Hello,

My pleasant journey ended abruptly today - tire slipped on a narrow, angled trail and my wheel rolled down to the pond in no time. Now it rests few meters under the water. Thankfully, I am ok and haven't gone down with it. Do you have any experience as for reviving completely flooded wheels? Does it make any sense or do I have to rather get over it? Thanks.

[meepmeepmayer]

Oh no!

Consider the batteries toast. I would never try using them again, as they might catch fire any moment the water shorts them but no longer cools them. I'd remove them from the wheel as soon as possible (in that place, if possible).

If you're lucky, the rest of the wheel is still ok. You could try rinsing it with fresh water (after battery removal) and then letting it dry thoroughly.

Question is, what do you do then? Probably not cost-effective to get new batteries, and you don't even know that the rest of the wheel is still good (and trustworthy?).

I think you have to get over it... meaning you can explore the exciting world of new, shiny, suspension powerhouse EUCs like the Patton etc.

[andon]

Thank you. For now, I am not able to get it out anyhow, I will soon be consulting a fireman, on what to do with it - I do not want to leave it there, not too elegant a behaviour. It is hard to imagine how I could disconnect batteries right away, risking a fire in the face while disassembling it, though.

I really took took care of it, babying the batteries, and all, funny how life can be. So if there is no 100% method of making it reliable again, I wouldn't want to risk my health riding it after this. As to then new one, I still got my first Ninebot One S2 to support my basic needs, and KS was worth more than my monthly income, so I guess I will pause for now. But no one will prohibit me from scrolling suspended wheels ads, of course...

 

 

[meepmeepmayer]

The fire danger was a bit exaggerated by me. The batteries are likely already discharged from being in the water if water got into the battery, though I'm no expert on this, so I don't know. You can probably remove the wheel safely from the water, I don't think you need a fireman for that, they don't explode randomly, just when they heat up too much from being shorted. I would remove the batteries for recycling (maybe remove the foil so no water can stay in there) and then see what you can do with the rest of the wheel (like does the motor still rotate smoothly etc.), but probably you just throw that away too. Sucks

But definitely do not try to charge the batteries ever again, too much that can be wrong with them that you couldn't see, that would really be dangerous. And I wouldn't store them anywhere where a fire could be a problem.

Edited August 11, 2023 by meepmeepmayer

[andon]

I meant fireman in terms of diving in the pond with some equipment - a line with a hook maybe - as the pond (kind of city lake) is quite large and deep and water cloudy, and securing it from possible fire hazard as well; I want to consult a pro, maybe they already had a similar situation. Thanks for your advice, meepmeepmayer.

[woke rider]

In Denver there are a lot of Lime scooters that scooters behaving badly just threw off the bridge, and there they sit, under water.

[alcatraz]

New packs could cost similar to an entire 2nd hand wheel. Maybe look for one. 

If you want to recover some cash I'm sure with some work you can sell the parts from your old wheel. Some could be valuable but it takes time or money to verify that it works. Bms, shell, motor... questionable condition.

[Cerbera]

Sorry for the loss, and I think it IS a loss, rather than a 'rescue and repair' job - sadly, that's a very expensive way to learn a lesson on the value of leashes / tethers when riding in areas with big drop-offs or water close by.

I would have an extremely hard time trusting any wheel that had been fully submerged ever again, and for that reason couldn't, in all honestly expect to sell any electronic or mechanically moving part of it to anyone else either. TBH only the case, padding, (maybe) suspension components and pedals are likely to emerge from a prolonged submersion event relatively unscathed and re-usable.

Quite apart from the battery pack issues already mentioned a flooded motor isn't going to be much fun to restore either unless you have a lot of time, skill and patience to throw at the clean-up, and are entirely comfortable with its total disassembly / reassembly.

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Cerbera

[sbb]

9 hours ago, Cerbera said:

skill and patience to throw at the clean-up, and are entirely comfortable with its total disassembly / reassembly

I'm just visualizing all the ferrous parts as I read that.

[Scubadragonsan]

I'd just leave it in the pond and let it become history. The city may charge you for pulling/lifting it out of the pond and disposal fees. Something to think about....

[Robse]

On 8/11/2023 at 6:11 PM, andon said:

Hello,

My pleasant journey ended abruptly today - tire slipped on a narrow, angled trail and my wheel rolled down to the pond in no time. Now it rests few meters under the water. Thankfully, I am ok and haven't gone down with it. Do you have any experience as for reviving completely flooded wheels? Does it make any sense or do I have to rather get over it? Thanks.

Just want to say I'm sorry for you, really, that sucks!  This really hurts.  The 16X is such a nice wheel in these days where all new wheels are heavy an all to expensive.  

[Robse]

22 hours ago, andon said:

I meant fireman in terms of diving in the pond with some equipment - a line with a hook maybe - as the pond (kind of city lake) is quite large and deep and water cloudy, and securing it from possible fire hazard as well; I want to consult a pro, maybe they already had a similar situation. Thanks for your advice, meepmeepmayer.

I know it may sound stupid, but here we go: 1: Is the wheel visible?  2: If yes:  it's no more than 3 meters under surface <=> you or someone familiar with swimming can easy dive and pull a rope throug the handle;  Back to surface and pull up the wheel.  At least all the parts  (with the exception of the electronics) can be used as spare parts / sold.

[andon]

Thank you all for a great response. I will allow myself to extend this post a bit, as I didn't expect such a feedback from our community.

@earthtwin I didn't want to leave it there mainly due to ecological influence, as battery may (possibly, I am not sure yet), leak eventually, and there are ducks that visit the pond. I've watched a video by someone getting out of water a Xiaomi scooter that has been resting there for a year. That is also why I need a view from a fireman on it. All electronic parts either to be replaced or re-soldered with new components, battery new, so makes no sense.

@alcatraz I got my 16X ca. 5 weeks ago, used, but with only 160 km on it, battery in great shape (allowed me to once do 99 km with 4% left, 0.13 ohm internal resistance), so this time used one turned out to be a great choice. But with suspended ones (as - if I was to buy a monoC again - I would probably look for one), more things can go wrong and, possibly, they may receive a more cruel usage, due to being more off-roadish, so I would rather look for a new one. For now I can think of NyloNove pedals I've recently installed that would remain intact out of this unpleasant situation, maybe external body covers as well. I want to be 100% sure first, that it will not blow, hence I will consult a fireman - today I visited an FD nearby, but there was nobody there... It's a voluntary service, that's why, still quite funny.

@Cerbera Thank you. As for leashes, both before and right after this event I thought about one, but in this particular situation, high chances that I would have been dragged along with the 24 kg wheel right into the water, as there was nothing to hold on to, and a cement decline in this very spot was steep and slippery enough to cause it; everything happened in about 3 seconds. As for using/selling submerged parts, I agree, I wouldn't want to test it on myself or anyone else for that matter, hence my initial question was considering a chance that anyone has successfully revived an EV in such a case to make sure, but as I looked upon a few clips, I gave up on the idea. Pedals will remain untouched for sure.

@sbb A pinch of a good humor goes a long way.

@Scubadragonsan I agree, so - if i decide to get it out - it will be not with the help of authorities for sure, as they only make things more difficult for us people.

@Robse Thank you. I've really taken care of it until shtf. The wheel allowed me to experience new things, as - instead of traveling from point A to B with a car - I could travel through new, often unknown before areas - parks, trails, estates, all the nooks and crannies. As I live outside the city, I put my wheel into the trunk and within city limits I would use it instead of the car. And the greatest thing associated with the wheel was - and it may tilt the scales in favor of a new purchase - that I had been able to initiate a conversation with "strangers", kids as well, because the wheel naturally was catching their attention as sth. in most cases unseen b4; at least a few such encounters every time - like a messenger from a different dimension riding a flying carpet. Not to mention it helped with a rehab of my broken lately thigh bone.

The wheel is not visible - deep enough and water cloudy/not transparent at all. Doesn't sound stupid to me as my idea was the same. After a talk to the fireman I will make the decision on what to do with it.

 

To be fully straight with you all - it could have been avoided, even twice-fold. Firstly, I asked my inner voice: right (wider, asphalt path going up) or left (90% asphalt, but 10% narrow trail with steep, angled end). And reply was: right. If only I knew. But I thought: I will go left, as there were quite often students or other people around the pond - so I went left. And secondly: it was second time I would pass this point on my ks, and first time it also was risky, but only falling from the wheel would come to my mind and at very low speed and not wheel falling into the water. Still, to make sure, I could have just walked these few meters trolley-style instead of being on the wheel.

I am only beginning to learn gratitude for certain things and this is a fine opportunity - easily I might have slipped along with the wheel or even broken my ankle or wrist even before diving there unwillingly. So still it could have been far worse (like in this fine '85 Swedish movie "My life as a dog"). And if only I had listened to my inner voice, I wouldn't have ever known, what could have happened in the first place. But hey. I have received an unexpectedly nice response here from you, so - as always, only depending on the timeframe - from evil/bad comes good, eventually. And who knows, maybe there is some hidden merit to it as well. Eventually, it was not the first time a similar - barely imaginable - situation happened to me.

 

 

[meepmeepmayer]

33 minutes ago, andon said:

I got my 16X ca. 5 weeks ago

Oh wow this makes this doubly sad

[EUC Custom Power-Pads]

12 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Oh wow this makes this doubly sad

Yeah, and on top of that he just bought my Power-Pads and NyloNove pedals. 

I would try to get the wheel out of the water for that reason alone. Pedals, Power-Pads, shell, tire, rim and other small parts are useful spare parts. 

As a small consolation you will get the lost Power-Pads for your next wheel for free, then you will have a complete set again. (just in case you can't pull it out of the water)

A friend of mine has 2 mint 16X with NyloNove pedals and Power-Pads from me that he wanted to sell. Should I ask if that is still current? I think that even residual warranty from Oneride.eu is available. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by EUC Custom Power-Pads

[Robse]

3 minutes ago, EUC Custom Power-Pads said:

A friend of mine has 2 mint 16X with NyloNove pedals and Power-Pads from me that he wanted to sell. Should I ask if that is still current? I think that even residual warranty from Oneride.eu is available. 

an extra bonus to this is probably, that these "used" wheels comes WITHOUT the new stupid ridiculous useless factory fitted "pads" from KS

[Paul g]

12 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Oh wow this makes this doubly sad

I never rode my wheel anywhere near water when I was a beginner. Even now I do it with great care/ fear 😰 

[andon]

@EUC Custom Power-PadsThank you very much, Frank, much appreciated. As soon as I resolve if - and if yes, than how to do it, some leftovers will be acquired, pedals and pads from you for sure. Thank you for your kind offer. Sure, if you can ask him, that will be good to know. (I can finally edit posts) By the way: you've used the word consolation - in Polish konsolacja is a term used to name a ceremony, gathering of a family and people close to a deceased one after a funeral...

@Robse yep.

@Paul g Now I will remember about it indefinitely!

Edited August 13, 2023 by andon
Another complementary thought came to my mind and I didn't want to create a new post for it

[andon]

Guys, I have a concept on how to take it out: a snorkeling mask and a pipe with attached another, long and flexible pipe to keep me breathing. And a long rope to wrap it around the handle and pull it all out. It can be done. The main question is: are batteries (from last friday) 100% empty not to cause fire after emerging the wheel... How can I be absolutely certain of this? Do you have a clue?

[Robse]

1 minute ago, andon said:

Guys, I have a concept on how to take it out: a snorkeling mask and a pipe with attached another, long and flexible pipe to keep me breathing. And a long rope to wrap it around the handle and pull it all out. It can be done. The main question is: are batteries (from last friday) 100% empty not to cause fire after emerging the wheel... How can I be absolutely certain of this? Do you have a clue?

you can not breathe through a pipe when you are more than 50 cm / 2 feet under water. Its the water pressure that prevents you from breathing in air at ground level pressure. It's either free dive or scuba gear with tank and regulator.

[andon]

1 minute ago, Robse said:

you can not breathe through a pipe when you are more than 50 cm / 2 feet under water. Its the water pressure that prevents you from breathing in air at ground level pressure. It's either free dive or scuba gear with tank and regulator.

Are you sure, Robse? In one of my favorite movies (based on facts) - Le Grand Bleu - with Jean Reno, one diver was wearing a special, old fashioned helmet on his head with a super long pipe on the top that allowed fresh air from surface while he was diving.

[Robse]

Just now, andon said:

Are you sure, Robse? In one of my favorite movies (based on facts) - Le Grand Bleu - with Jean Reno, one diver was wearing a special, old fashioned helmet on his head with a super long pipe on the top that allowed fresh air from surface while he was diving.

yes, but the air is fed to him via a compressor

[andon]

Back then it wasn't (there was no such thing at the time), nowadays yes.

[Robse]

Just now, andon said:

Back then it wasn't (there was no such thing at the time), nowadays yes.

oh yes there was, cranked by hand

[meepmeepmayer]

14 minutes ago, andon said:

The main question is: are batteries (from last friday) 100% empty not to cause fire after emerging the wheel... How can I be absolutely certain of this? Do you have a clue?

I don't think you need to be worried about a fire. You can always remove the batteries from the wheel on the spot right after you fished it out, and slice the foil so no water is inside. Then they should be safe. It's not like they go up without reason.

My fire warning was meant so you don't try to re-use the batteries after fishing them out of the water, even if they "still look good" or something. I believe that can end very badly and is too risky.

Here's a disassembly article for the 16X. You might need only a screwdriver to get to the battery packs.

https://ecodrift.ru/2019/06/24/kingsong-ks-16x-disassembling/