+++
categories = ["build"]
tags = ["electronics","hoverboard"]
date = 2025-08-10T11:00:00-05:00
description = ""
draft = false
slug = "hoverboard-battery-salvage-replacement"
title = "🪫 Hoverboard Battery Salvage, Replacement"
author = "nicholas"
+++

I came into the possession of a malfunctioning hoverboard, volunteering to attempt a repair -- at the very least a diagnosis. The nature of the malfunction was not known, but my initial guess was that the battery died. I took it home to see if I could fix it, hoping that I would be lucky and need only re-connect a loose connection.

## 🔍 Troubleshooting
I open up the electronics enclosure to expose the wiring to confirm my suspicion.

- ✅ AC-DC power supply produces correct 42 V
- ✅ 42 V was being applied to the battery pack
- ❌⚠️🚨 **Correct battery pack voltage (36 V)**🚨⚠️❌ 

The battery pack was reading ~ 30 V, far too low to be caused by an otherwise functional but depleted battery. Bad news, the whole pack will need to be replaced (I *could* replace the offending batteries with working ones, but this would require an effort beyond what I can justify to myself).

{{< image 
    src="images/hoverboard-inside.JPG" 
    caption="Inside the hoverboard" >}}

## ♻️ Salvage and Scrap 🗑️
Presumably, I thought, some of the batteries in the pack would still be functional and may yet have a purpose, so I carefully broke them out of their assembly for testing. All but 4 were usable. Two were totally dead, giving voltage readings of ~ 2 V, and another two had a layer of oxidized metal at the terminals, but gave otherwise normal voltage readings. I disposed of all four, leaving me with **six (6)!🙂** working batteries.

{{< image 
    src="images/salvaged-batteries.JPG" 
    caption="Salvaged 18650 batteries" >}}

These batteries are not especially good quality. In fact, they are dirt cheap, low capacity (2000 mAh) and it is no mystery that they died. I don't care, I'll keep using this garbage anyway. My flashlights use 18650 batteries, and it will be good to have them around. I discharge them to storage voltages, record it in my battery management spreadsheet, and say goodbye for now.

## 🔄 Replacement
I was intending on buying a replacement **battery pack** but I was instead gifted an **entirely functional replacement hoverboard**, at a price I am told was less than the price of a new battery pack alone due to strange shipping prices for batteries. Many such cases.

{{< image 
    src="images/hoverboard-new.JPG" 
    caption="Replacement hoverboard" >}}

🔋 Done.