Cheap knock off, will not work

[devvdude]

So i purchased a chinese knock off of what i believe to be the air wheel(lol hard to tell), and it doesn't appear to be working at all.

 

When you turn the unit on, it goes forward, backward, then maintains a constant BEEEEEP, until i turn it off. 

 

When i plug the charger in, no indication lights come on that it is charging.

 

The company gave me a refund, and let me keep the unicycle, and so i would like to try and fix it, I am fairly tech savy, and have checked to make sure the charger and battery are both working.

 

any ideas what else it could be?

 

much appreciated on the help!

[esaj]

Does your wheel turn 3 revolutions to both ways and then beeps? Sounds like the calibration-wires could be shorted inside, and the wheel is always in calibration mode...

 

Here's what I think is wrong. Gimlet has posted instructions on how to calibrate some cheap generic here: http://forum.electricunicycle.org/topic/67-level-calibration-for-eyuco-may-apply-to-other-cheap-imports/#comment-218

  Quote

 To re-calibrate just stand the wheel upright, I found a workmate to be the perfect support to allow the wheel to spin freely. Strip the ends of the two protruding white wires and short them together whilst you turn on the wheel. The wheel spins about 3 revolutions in each direction then stops and beeps. Turn it off and the job is complete, check it works as expected. If all is well grip the stripped wire ends with a pair of pliers and ease the insulation back a little then snip off and pull the insulation forward again to protect the ends. You cah add a dab of glue or mastic to seal it if you like but it shouldn't be necessary. Poke the wires back in and you're done.

So I think that at the factory, someone was doing the calibration for the wheel, but forgot the calibration-wires together, or the wires are bare and have moved in shipping, touching either each other or something metallic which connects them. So do the calibration (keep the wheel level with the tire off the ground, let it spin both ways, beep and stop), so you got it calibrated right, then shut it down, open it up, look for two connected wires (they are probably not soldered together or anything) and disconnect them. Make sure they can't touch each other or anything else (like cut them so that the strands aren't poking out and tape them to side or something). And then check if it works. If it does, you just got yourself a free working wheel.  

 

[devvdude]

that is exactly what it does. Although I couldn't get the batteries to charge either.

 

I just took the thing apart, and removed the battery from the unit. Somehow I managed to get the batteries to charge outside of the unit.

 

I am going to saughter the battery connector back together thisevening (I noticed one of them was slightly loose so I disconnected both wires from the connector.

 

I wish the factory would have told me that it could be a calibration issue before I went exploring through the unit. Luckly I am tech savy enough to put it back together.

 

Thanks again. (I know there is a set of two small blue wires coming out of the main board and they are stuck together by some black substance?

would that be the calibration wire?

 

thanks again for the help!.

 

with any luck I will have a working unit soon enough.

 

Also, not to keep asking questions, but I removed the protective covering from the battery pack, is there a quick fix to putting another coting back on? electric tape? or is the cover even necessary? (cover being the plasticish material the pack was wrapped in)

 

Thanks again!!

 

[esaj]

that is exactly what it does. Although I couldn't get the batteries to charge either.

I just took the thing apart, and removed the battery from the unit. Somehow I managed to get the batteries to charge outside of the unit.

I am going to saughter the battery connector back together thisevening (I noticed one of them was slightly loose so I disconnected both wires from the connector.

If it charges just fine outside the unit, sounds like there's just been a loose wire connection somewhere (probably at the charge port-connector). Solder or otherwise connect it properly and put some electric insulation tape or heat shrink tube there and the charging should work.

 

I wish the factory would have told me that it could be a calibration issue before I went exploring through the unit. Luckly I am tech savy enough to put it back together.

Thanks again. (I know there is a set of two small blue wires coming out of the main board and they are stuck together by some black substance?

would that be the calibration wire?

Probably the reseller doesn't even know that there's such thing as calibration, most generics seem to be the same OEM-versions from common factories, the resellers just order the units and sell them forwards.

Hard to say about the wires, but could be. I'd expect the wires to not be soldered together or anything, just somehow connected together.

 

Also, not to keep asking questions, but I removed the protective covering from the battery pack, is there a quick fix to putting another coting back on? electric tape? or is the cover even necessary? (cover being the plasticish material the pack was wrapped in)

You should put SOMETHING around the battery pack, just to keep the battery pack together in general, and especially if there's any metal around the batteries in the compartment. The outside of the cells has a thin layer of plastic or something, that could get easily scraped off, and underneath that the metal shell of the cell acts as the negative connection, so you don't want them to touch anything metallic to prevent any short circuits or such, same goes for the BMS-circuit board. Electric insulation tape could work, large heat shrink wrap would probably be preferable (I think that's what they use originally).

Thanks again!!

No problem, hope you get it sorted

 

[devvdude]

I figured it was just a loose wire with the charger, but I am glad to see the charger working right. The batteries themselves are actually not what I was expecting (a series of 8650 2200mah), the BMS board isn't exposed, as it was wrapped with an additional covering over top of it.



I guess the wires aren't really soldered together, just stuck together with some black material.

So chances are those are in fact the calibration wires.

I will try to follow the tutorial for them when I get home thisevening(I am at work right now)

 attached is a picture of the main board(and the other 2 boards) in the unit.

 

Thank you again, you have been a huge help. I already got the refund for the product, and they told me to keep the wheel as it would cost more to ship back than to keep, so if this works I have my money back and a working wheel!

Thanks again!!

 

[devvdude]

also sorryto keep bothering you, but it appears those two wires are removable from the board. Would taking it off the board unbridge the connection as well? I am beginning to think that on this model when they make it in factory they insert the wire thing (already connected together) on the mother board to calibrate it, and then when done they remove it and use it on the next one(as these wires look quite weathered in comparison to the others)

 

Thank you again, You seriously made my day!!!

[esaj]

also sorryto keep bothering you, but it appears those two wires are removable from the board. Would taking it off the board unbridge the connection as well? I am beginning to think that on this model when they make it in factory they insert the wire thing (already connected together) on the mother board to calibrate it, and then when done they remove it and use it on the next one(as these wires look quite weathered in comparison to the others)

Yes, removing the connector altogether is the same thing as disconnecting the wires from each other. Also, if it's not the right wires, you can then always just plug it back in.

Also, about that picture you posted, it seems you have ripped of the battery discharge wires from the XT60-connector (the yellow block with thick wires going in it):

http://www.aerial-cinematography.eu/promulti/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/09/xt-60-connectors.jpg

When resoldering the wires back together, remember that the battery discharge wires are always LIVE. Do not short them! Although the BMS short circuit protection should kick in, better not risk it, short circuiting this big battery pack could lead to cell damage, fire and in the worst case, explosion. So, take the XT60-connector apart (it's going to be tight, but they will come off), keep the battery discharge wires separate (prevent them from touching each other), and solder them back one at a time, ie.  take one wire (say, the black one), solder it into the connector, insulate it with tape or heat shrink tube, and only after that take the other wire and do the same thing. Only after you're done, re-attach the connector female and male-sides (it may spark a little).

Here's a good video of soldering a XT60:

 

 

Oh, and also, check that you put the wires right way around, ie. the black that comes from the board goes to the black from the battery and same for red one  

[devvdude]

yes, the battery discharge wires were already loose, which is why I removed them. I have them both capped off right now. They didn't even have them soldered on, they had heat shrink around it and that was it.

Thanks for the safety advice, I am also into Vaping, and the same rules apply when building your own vaping mods, so I am used to dealing with high drain rate high MAH batteries and live wires. (and yes when you reconnect the pins it does spark slightly but nothing serious)

Once again thank you again and I will update you about how the repair goes.

 

Researching online I can't figure anything else that those two blue wires would be, (I have accounted for the 4 lights, the power button, the Bluetooth speaker, and the charging indicator lights, as well as the main wireing for the actual motor and what not.

Here is to hoping I can get this beast working.
 

I might replace the speaker it came with in the near future as well if I can find a better quality one at some point.

 

Thank you again (for the 200000th time), as without your input I would still be sitting here scratching my head frustrated.

 

[esaj]

yes, the battery discharge wires were already loose, which is why I removed them. I have them both capped off right now. They didn't even have them soldered on, they had heat shrink around it and that was it.

This must be a (one) new low for the cheap generics, those wires and contacts deliver big currents, so they should be really well soldered   The worst one so far I had heard about was one with a battery made from used laptop-cells, and the battery would always run out after a couple of kilometers.

Thanks for the safety advice, I am also into Vaping, and the same rules apply when building your own vaping mods, so I am used to dealing with high drain rate high MAH batteries and live wires. (and yes when you reconnect the pins it does spark slightly but nothing serious)

Once again thank you again and I will update you about how the repair goes.

Yes, I'd be interested to hear if you get it working this way.

Thank you again (for the 200000th time), as without your input I would still be sitting here scratching my head frustrated.

You're welcome, but the biggest thanks should go to @Gimlet, had he not mentioned about the tire rotating both ways during the calibration, I would probably just have guessed that the mainboard was faulty.

 

[devvdude]

I assumed they should be connected by something other than heat shrink.

The unit also had hot glue all over the inside where it looked like a small Chinese child was putting it together.
 

The battery pack is actually surprisingly good quality, although the Mah isn't all that impressive (I may make my own pack out of higher quality 18650s I already have laying around the house that have a 2600mah a piece) I shall message gimlet as well and thank him for the tutorial.

 

I will be sure to post back here if and when I get it working!

 

thanks again!

 

[cg]

Here's a good video of soldering a XT60

Very nice video indeed

[hobby16]

Thank you again, you have been a huge help. I already got the refund for the product, and they told me to keep the wheel as it would cost more to ship back than to keep, so if this works I have my money back and a working wheel!

 

Oh yeah, it will work. Esaj was spot on. I recognize the X3 clone mainboard and even see the blue wire pair with glue at the tip. It acts as a strap, shorting the 2 pins to put the wheel in calibration mode. Once the calibration done, remove it or cut the tip to cancel the short. It's like a ribbon cut that brings you a brand new and functionnal wheel, for free. Voilà.

Congrats, you are making the most lucrative "ribbon cut" in the history of monowheels.

[devvdude]

Everything is working great now! Can't believe they left the calibration wire attached to the board. The EU works perfect now....I have no idea what I am doing on it yet but that will come in time....I hope.

 

 

Thanks again everyone! Super excited to figure this thing out and start riding it 

[Jag_Rip]

nice job! now you just wait for the second free one! wooteeh!

[devvdude]

thanks again everyone for the help. I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with memory foam or padding for the generic EU's?

 

I am thinking about getting Velcro strips and velcrowing Memory foam to the sides of my generic in an attempt to save my ankles and calves from being destroyed ,

 

[hobby16]

thanks again everyone for the help. I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with memory foam or padding for the generic EU's?

 

I am thinking about getting Velcro strips and velcrowing Memory foam to the sides of my generic in an attempt to save my ankles and calves from being destroyed ,

 

protection is not necessary because your body is reinforcing itself (muscle & bones) by micro shocks and microfractures (like walking barefoot).

As cruel as it seems, just take time to rest and you'll see, you won't feel pain anymore with pratice. The idea is to protect parts that don't have shocks (knee, elbow, head, palm) and to not protect parts that take shocks. Don't know if I was clear enough, lol...

[devvdude]

jumped on it last night, and it just kind of clicked, I no longer needed to put pressure using my ankle to maneuver the EU. The first few days though...that was painful, had knots on my shins and ankles. Swelling has gone down now, and I am riding with no pain at all. Took a 2 or so mile ride yesterday (after having a few margaritas) and was completely fine .

 

Thanks again all

 

Yes I know drinking and riding isn't the smartest thing in the world, but I wasn't "drunk", just a bit more relaxed. I feel like the less tense I am the easier it is to stay balanced, almost like the EU is an extension of your body.

 

[Hunka Hunka Burning Love]

Hello,

I just joined this forum, but I've been lurking around and casually reading a bit here and there.  I've got a post about these EUC's and TWEBS (well that's what I call them - Two Wheel Electric Balancing Skateboards) over at Redflagdeals.com.

Someone recently posted a problem with their EUC - an Airwheel X3 knockoff I believe, and after reading Gimlet's thread here and this one I was wondering does anyone know why the makers of these EUC's don't simply incorporate the calibration mode into the power button like they do on some TWEBS?  On my TWEBS, with it off, I simply long press the power button with the board level, and it goes through the calibration sequence.  They could have done the same thing on these EUC's with the power button to help avoid needing to take it all apart.

[tum13n]

Do you have trying to do this reset :
http://forum.electricunicycle.org/topic/1107-how-to-fix-balance-default-at-start-video-tuto/