1. Check the battery appearance
Check the casing: Check the battery casing for swelling, deformation, cracks, or leakage. Swelling or leakage may be a sign of internal short circuit or damage to the battery and needs to be replaced promptly.
Check the terminals and connections: Check the battery terminals for corrosion or looseness. Corrosion may cause poor contact and affect battery performance. You can clean the terminals with baking soda and water, but make sure to disconnect the battery before cleaning.
2. Measure the battery voltage
Prepare the tools: Use a multimeter to measure the battery voltage. Make sure the multimeter is set to DC voltage mode.
Measure the total voltage: Insert the black probe of the multimeter into the COM port and the red probe into the VΩmA port, then connect the probes to the positive and negative terminals of the battery and record the voltage reading.
Measure the voltage of a single cell: If the battery pack has balance leads, you can measure the voltage of each cell. In a healthy battery pack, the voltage of each cell should be close to the same. Excessive voltage differences may indicate that the battery is unbalanced or damaged.
3. Check battery balance
Use a balancing charger: If the battery pack contains multiple cells, using a balancing charger can ensure that each cell is fully charged. An unbalanced battery pack may cause overall performance degradation.
Periodic inspection: It is recommended to check the voltage balance of the battery pack every 6 months to ensure that the voltage of all cells is consistent.
4. Observe battery performance
Range: After fully charged, observe whether the range of the electric scooter is significantly reduced. If the range is significantly reduced, it may be that the battery is aged or damaged.
Charging time: Pay attention to whether the time required to fully charge the battery is extended. If the charging time is longer than before, it may be a sign of battery degradation.
5. Check the battery management system (BMS)
Functional inspection: If the battery is equipped with a battery management system (BMS), ensure that it is working properly. The BMS can prevent overcharging, over-discharging and overheating, and extend the battery life.
6. Regular maintenance
Cleaning the battery: Clean the surface of the battery regularly to avoid dust and dirt accumulation, which affects heat dissipation.
Storage conditions: If the electric scooter is not used for a long time, it is recommended to maintain the battery charge at 30%-50% and store it in a dry, cool place.
7. Pay attention to safety
Avoid extreme temperatures: Using or storing the battery in high or low temperature environments may affect its performance and life.
Short circuit protection: Check whether the battery charging circuit and output circuit are equipped with protection devices such as fuses to prevent short circuits.
