Help with KS18S maintenance

[euc'er]

Okay... I'm getting so, so, so frustrated with my EUC experience. I really need help.

I got my KS18S in late September. I started regularly riding it in late October. In January, it malfunctioned and threw me, sending me to the hospital.

The company gave me a new EUC, but since my tire went flat, it's been a shitshow. It took me a while to order the special inner tubes, but I've reassembled the EUC thrice, with it malfunctioning in different ways each time I've tried starting it. I don't think changing a tire should involve directly plugging/unplugging delicate things into the circuit board. The last couple times I assembled it, it accelerated uncontrollably when turned on. Now it synchs with Bluetooth and a loud female voice shouts something intelligible at me, and the EUC itself doesn't move.

Overall, I've been having a terrible experience with my EUC. I've been sending emails back and forth with the retailer, but these companies should be providing more support.

What's your experience with EUC maintenance been like? Does Gotway provide better customer service?

[meepmeepmayer]

Where did you buy from?

How bad were your injuries?

How exactly did the wheel malfunction every time that happened?

--

Btw no manufacturer offers any customer service, so if you expect anything, you'll be disappointed. Only the dealers may.

[Scubadragonsan]

I have 3 KS--2 KS16 and 1 KS18--and haven't encountered any problems like yours. I am not a fan/worshiper of anything. I have found KS to be very reliable, that's why I got 3. I also have a Gotway MSuper V3 and I found it's not as well constructed and designed as KS. My next purchase would be the KS18L. Sorry, you have a bad wheel... perhaps it's just bad luck!

[Cloud]

Trying to fix the wheel can be frustrating and it can feel like an endless ordeal. I went thru that too with some other kingsong models a while ago due to a number of reasons. Kingsong has come a long way since then though and have significantly improved the quality and tried to mitigate weak points in the wheel construction.

Let us know what exactly happened, maybe we can help shed light on some of the malfunctions. Other than that, like meepmeepmayer said, its important to have good after sale support from the dealer.

[outcast00096]

Interesting how you mention a loud female voice. The only thing that an 18s does is say, "bluetooth connected". But it's a loud male voice with a lot of bass. I don't think you got what you think you got. You might have been given a KS18a or KS18ay. Just thoughts though. I have a KS18. Reliable and solid. If you bought an 18 then I assume you bought it from @Jason McNeil (I don't know of any other US based seller who sells a KS18). If it is so then you will find that he is more than willing to help you. 

[Jason McNeil]

7 hours ago, euc'er said:

I've reassembled the EUC thrice, with it malfunctioning in different ways each time I've tried starting it. I don't think changing a tire should involve directly plugging/unplugging delicate things into the circuit board. The last couple times I assembled it, it accelerated uncontrollably when turned on

If the motor is installed the opposite way round, e.g. 180°, the Wheel will spin uncontrollably, what the fault is now, needs to be examined further.
 It's unfortunately the case that changing a tire on nearly all Electric Unicycles is not without the possibility of causing damage to the machine, the KS18S has the triangular motor cable & clip-in hall sensor cable, which is considerably better design than Gotway have for this procedure.

I've sent you an email asking for a video clip so the problem can be analyzed in more detail. It could very well be that during the removal/replacement of the motor, this damaged the insulation to the motor wires, I've come across this a couple times before. 

I'd also like to take this opportunity to apologize for the slow responses with email & elsewhere, going through rough patch, where we're having to make some necessary staffing changes to bring about long term improvements, that is temporarily effecting service & support.  

[Rehab1]

2 hours ago, outcast00096 said:

Interesting how you mention a loud female voice. The only thing that an 18s does is say, "bluetooth connected". But it's a loud male voice with a lot of bass. I don't think you got what you think you got. 

The Green Travel and Lingerie Shop carry the female version.

[Tbx Nicolas]

On the KS18S it's easy to put back the motor in the wrong direction and the board will go crazy and rolling it a 50km/h both directions!!! 

Here is a photo with the good direction of the motor. 

[The Fat Unicyclist]

7 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

The Green Travel and Lingerie Shop carry the female version.

That WAS you I saw in there then... I almost didn't recognise you with the dark glasses and trench coat.

I waved and called out, but you must have been late for an appointment as you left really quickly!

[Rehab1]

3 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

That WAS you I saw in there then... I almost didn't recognise you with the dark glasses and trench coat.

I waved and called out, but you must have been late for an appointment as you left really quickly!

Sorry! Normally I’m more more polite but when I saw what you were wearing I had to leave. 

 

[euc'er]

When my first KS18S malfunctioned, I was going ~ 10 mph on a sidewalk. Despite having ~ 95% charge, it cut out and threw me. Unfortunately, it was a very pleasant day of winter, so I wasn't wearing any protective gear and was enjoying the weather. I got lacerations on my brow and lip, requiring a total of 5 stitches. Bad scrapes on my knuckles and knees. Also, I think it might've broken or fractured the bone around one of my joints in my left index finger — months later, after the swelling went down, the joint looks weird. But I don't wanna pay for that examination.

Yes, I bought from Jason McNeil. I asked for a new KS18S and they gave it to me. In retrospect, I should've asked for more.

This new wheel got a flat tire. My friends and I replaced the tube, but when we turned it on, it accelerated out of control. Jason told me that the motor was backwards. A couple nights ago, I disassembled it and turned the motor around. Now it just shouts at me (c.f. video).

29281022_1033546216783778_3151035862318317568_n.mp4

[US69]

41 minutes ago, euc'er said:

When my first KS18S malfunctioned, I was going ~ 10 mph on a sidewalk. Despite having ~ 95% charge, it cut out and threw me. Unfortunately, it was a very pleasant day of winter, so I wasn't wearing any protective gear and was enjoying the weather. I got lacerations on my brow and lip, requiring a total of 5 stitches. Bad scrapes on my knuckles and knees. Also, I think it might've broken or fractured the bone around one of my joints in my left index finger — months later, after the swelling went down, the joint looks weird. But I don't wanna pay for that examination.

Yes, I bought from Jason McNeil. I asked for a new KS18S and they gave it to me. In retrospect, I should've asked for more.

This new wheel got a flat tire. My friends and I replaced the tube, but when we turned it on, it accelerated out of control. Jason told me that the motor was backwards. A couple nights ago, I disassembled it and turned the motor around. Now it just shouts at me (c.f. video).

29281022_1033546216783778_3151035862318317568_n.mp4

Sorry for your bad experience...

Honestly: Send it back to Jason for repairs!

As nicolas said, yes, when the motor is backwards it can come to uncontrollable acceleration.

Now with this female voice, really, i have a LOT experience in wrong behaviour of KS wheels, but that is new to me :-)

So i would go for have it repaired by Jason and his mechanic!!

Really bad luck for you, normally the 18S is known to be very reiliable and safe.....

[steve454]

1 hour ago, euc'er said:

When my first KS18S malfunctioned, I was going ~ 10 mph on a sidewalk. Despite having ~ 95% charge, it cut out and threw me. Unfortunately, it was a very pleasant day of winter, so I wasn't wearing any protective gear and was enjoying the weather. I got lacerations on my brow and lip, requiring a total of 5 stitches. Bad scrapes on my knuckles and knees. Also, I think it might've broken or fractured the bone around one of my joints in my left index finger — months later, after the swelling went down, the joint looks weird. But I don't wanna pay for that examination.

Yes, I bought from Jason McNeil. I asked for a new KS18S and they gave it to me. In retrospect, I should've asked for more.

This new wheel got a flat tire. My friends and I replaced the tube, but when we turned it on, it accelerated out of control. Jason told me that the motor was backwards. A couple nights ago, I disassembled it and turned the motor around. Now it just shouts at me (c.f. video).

29281022_1033546216783778_3151035862318317568_n.mp4

It sounds like "motor fault", is what the female voice is saying.

[Cloud]

3 hours ago, euc'er said:

When my first KS18S malfunctioned, I was going ~ 10 mph on a sidewalk. Despite having ~ 95% charge, it cut out and threw me. Unfortunately, it was a very pleasant day of winter, so I wasn't wearing any protective gear and was enjoying the weather. I got lacerations on my brow and lip, requiring a total of 5 stitches. Bad scrapes on my knuckles and knees. Also, I think it might've broken or fractured the bone around one of my joints in my left index finger — months later, after the swelling went down, the joint looks weird. But I don't wanna pay for that examination.

Yes, I bought from Jason McNeil. I asked for a new KS18S and they gave it to me. In retrospect, I should've asked for more.

This new wheel got a flat tire. My friends and I replaced the tube, but when we turned it on, it accelerated out of control. Jason told me that the motor was backwards. A couple nights ago, I disassembled it and turned the motor around. Now it just shouts at me (c.f. video).

29281022_1033546216783778_3151035862318317568_n.mp4

I agree with everyone else,. acceleration out of control was probably due to the reverse motor connection. It happened on my 14 inch KS a few times a while back.  Yes, connect with @Jason McNeil, he is great with after sale customer care. He helped me out so many times in the past, ive lost count.

Let me ask you a stupid question, just in case - are you sure you reconnected the hall sensor when you reassembled the wheel?

[Marty Backe]

14 hours ago, Tbx Nicolas said:

On the KS18S it's easy to put back the motor in the wrong direction and the board will go crazy and rolling it a 50km/h both directions!!! 

Here is a photo with the good direction of the motor. 

I still haven't opened a KingSong wheel. It's interesting to me that you can put a motor in backwards. This is impossible to do with Gotway based of how the wires are routed and the location of the the control board.

Good to know about this KingSong idiosyncrasy - something I'll pay close attention to if I ever have to remove the motor.

[Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer"]

How exactly is it possible to put the motor in backwards?Especially on a wheel such has the 18s that is not designed with a one way forward shell.Unless "putting the motor backwards" refers to not correctly phasing the 3 motor wires?

[Tbx Nicolas]

if you put the motor backward, the hall sensors are not in the right direction, as a result, when the board feel unbalance it will turn the motor the level the wheel. But as the motor will ride on the opposite direction the board will keep spinning because it has a wrong answer from the hall sensor. I don't know how to explain it correctly but it is like you are falling forward and you brain tells your leg to go backward...

[US69]

3 hours ago, Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" said:

How exactly is it possible to put the motor in backwards?Especially on a wheel such has the 18s that is not designed with a one way forward shell.Unless "putting the motor backwards" refers to not correctly phasing the 3 motor wires?

It has just to do with the direction/standpoint of the hall sensors to the board!

If the hall sensors (because of wrong direction) are on another position than before, the board gets confused...

 

That is something different that driving your wheel backwards...as here the hall sensors always have the same standpoint to the board.

[Marty Backe]

10 hours ago, KingSong69 said:

It has just to do with the direction/standpoint of the hall sensors to the board!

If the hall sensors (because of wrong direction) are on another position than before, the board gets confused...

 

That is something different that driving your wheel backwards...as here the hall sensors always have the same standpoint to the board.

But how do you physically install a motor backwards? The motor wires come out one side of the axle. On Gotway wheels you have no choice but to install the wire side of the motor on the control board side of the wheel.

I guess when I soon open my KS14S to replace the control board I'll see what's special about how KingSong does this.

[US69]

1 hour ago, Marty Backe said:

But how do you physically install a motor backwards? The motor wires come out one side of the axle. On Gotway wheels you have no choice but to install the wire side of the motor on the control board side of the wheel.

I guess when I soon open my KS14S to replace the control board I'll see what's special about how KingSong does this.

Ok, i try my best to explain with my first school year english :-)

The 18S has motor wires coming out right side and sensor wires coming out left side...Thats the main difference to GW...with this KS can use thicker wires on the motor wires.

 

With this installation, lets say the hall sensors “sit under” the capacitors of the board.....to the front of the wheel.

Now imagine installing the wheel with motor wires on left side and sensor wires on right side.

(as the board is in the middle, that is possible)

NOW the hall sensors would be to the back of the wheel...on the other side of the motherboard.

Because of this, now the hall sensors have a different placement to the board/gyro, as before.....

 

I guess the main problem here to imagine this is that most people dont know that both axles have wires coming out...so you might “exchange” that when not paying attention....

 

AFAIK on the 14S all motor/sensor wires are on one side? Not totally sure...

On the 18S thick motor wires are needed because of the massive amps/power needed, so they get one axle for the motor wires alone, with the sensor wires on the other side.....

[Marty Backe]

36 minutes ago, KingSong69 said:

Ok, i try my best to explain with my first school year english :-)

The 18S has motor wires coming out right side and sensor wires coming out left side...Thats the main difference to GW...with this KS can use thicker wires on the motor wires.

 

With this installation, lets say the hall sensors “sit under” the capacitors of the board.....to the front of the wheel.

Now imagine installing the wheel with motor wires on left side and sensor wires on right side.

(as the board is in the middle, that is possible)

NOW the hall sensors would be to the back of the wheel...on the other side of the motherboard.

Because of this, now the hall sensors have a different placement to the board/gyro, as before.....

 

I guess the main problem here to imagine this is that most people dont know that both axles have wires coming out...so you might “exchange” that when not paying attention....

 

AFAIK on the 14S all motor/sensor wires are on one side? Not totally sure...

On the 18S thick motor wires are needed because of the massive amps/power needed, so they get one axle for the motor wires alone, with the sensor wires on the other side.....

OK, so the way that KingSong routes their wires through the shell, it's possible to feed the motor cables where the hall sensor cables go, and vice versa.

I'll be sure to mark my cables when I open the KS14S. Then again I assume I won't have to remove the motor to replace the control board.

Thanks for the explanation.

[US69]

1 hour ago, Marty Backe said:

OK, so the way that KingSong routes their wires through the shell, it's possible to feed the motor cables where the hall sensor cables go, and vice versa.

I'll be sure to mark my cables when I open the KS14S. Then again I assume I won't have to remove the motor to replace the control board.

Thanks for the explanation.

Yeah, for board change, you did not need to remove the motor at all.....

Just open both “outside” shells, so that you can unscrew the middle part sitting over the board, then sliding the middle part up.

To do that and have enough place you also need to unscrew the handle so, that the middle part can be put to a side.

The rest is unplugging cables etc etc etc....

 

I would guess you document that by video? :-)

[Marty Backe]

2 hours ago, KingSong69 said:

Yeah, for board change, you did not need to remove the motor at all.....

Just open both “outside” shells, so that you can unscrew the middle part sitting over the board, then sliding the middle part up.

To do that and have enough place you also need to unscrew the handle so, that the middle part can be put to a side.

The rest is unplugging cables etc etc etc....

 

I would guess you document that by video? :-)

Of course I'll be making a video 

[The Fat Unicyclist]

6 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Of course I'll be making a video 

Because... In Hollywood, if it isn't on video it never happened!

[mrelwood]

16S has all the cables coming out the left side of the motor, I’m pretty sure 14S has as well.