Even the best hoverboards aren’t immune to the woes that plague most electronic devices. One of the most common problems that people run into with their hoverboards is a lost or broken charger. If you find yourself without your hoverboard’s charger, don’t fret. There are a few things you can do to fix the problem. Alternatively, if you are in the market for a new hoverboard, check out our guide on the top 8-inch hoverboards.
How to Charge a Hoverboard without a Charger
Missing your hoverboard charger? Follow these steps to get back to normal battery charging.
A Word of Warning
There are many articles and YouTube videos online that detail a variety of different methods for charging your board without an official manufacturer’s charging cable and power adapter. We highly recommend you avoid following these tutorials because they are generally not safe. Using a charger that isn’t approved by your hoverboard’s manufacturer can lead to a voided warranty or even something as drastic as a battery fire.
Steps
1. Replace the Charger
The very first thing you should consider when missing your original charger is to purchase a replacement. The easiest way to replace a missing charger is to reach out directly to the hoverboard’s original manufacturer and ask if they offer replacement chargers. If the company doesn’t sell them, turn to online sellers on websites like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Amazon. Check your user’s manual and look at the charging port to determine what kind of charger you need. Be wary of purchasing a replacement from online sellers; cheap hoverboard chargers can cause more damage in the long run. When looking for new chargers, consider UL certification for added safety. You’ll also want to read hoverboard charger reviews for more information. If you invested in the best kid’s hoverboard for your child and they lose the charger somehow, no worries, these things happen. Replace the charger with an exact replacement so you can get peace of mind that this new charger will work with your hoverboard. If your charger isn’t lost but is not charging the hoverboard, check out our article on how to fix a hoverboard charger. And if you like DIY projects like that, you can also learn how to make a hoverboard.
Tip: The easiest way to replace a missing charger is to reach out directly to the hoverboard’s original manufacturer and ask if they offer replacement chargers
Warning: Be wary of purchasing a replacement from online sellers; cheap hoverboard chargers can cause more damage in the long run
2. Does the Charging Port Need to Be Replaced?
If you haven’t lost your hoverboard charger, but it’s simply not working, you may need to replace the charging port. If your hoverboard is operating normally, you’ll see a green light. However, if you’re getting a different color light, then you may be experiencing a problem with the board’s physical components. If this is the case, you may need to follow the steps for replacing a hoverboard charger port.
3. Does the Battery Need to Be Replaced?
If you have your charger and it’s not working, you may not need to turn to unapproved charging methods. Instead, you might just need to replace the battery. Consider what type of battery your hoverboard contains and purchase a new one, whether it be a lithium-ion battery or something similar. Then, follow the steps for replacing a hoverboard battery. Remember that these lithium-ion batteries in hoverboards can’t be taken on a plane if you are a frequent traveler. However, if you need to travel with your hoverboard, you can check out our article on how to bring a hoverboard on a plane for alternatives.
4. Manually Roll Your Hoverboard Back and Forth
If you truly can’t purchase a new hoverboard charger, then there is one unverified method you can try that won’t pose a safety risk to you or your device. Determine which side of the hoverboard houses the battery. There are a variety of different types of hoverboards, and the battery can be on the left or right. To determine where the battery is located, simply lift up your hoverboard and feel which side is heavier. That will be the side with the power unit. Place your board back on the ground and then roll the battery side back and forth with your hand for about 10 minutes. That may generate enough charge to power on, but be aware that this is not a long-term solution. Your hoverboard battery life won’t last long with this method.
- Related Post: What is the Difference Between Wheel Sizes on Hoverboard
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Tip: To determine where the battery is located, simply lift up your hoverboard and feel which side is heavier
Warning: be aware that this is not a long-term solution
What Not To Do
There are a few crazy methods out there for charging your hoverboard without the charger. The most prevalent method involves using a laptop charger placed on a single pin on your hoverboard’s charging port and then propping the board in a way that keeps the laptop charger in place. We cannot stress enough that this is not a reliable or safe way to charge your hoverboard! If you see this method recommended to you in your online research, we recommend avoiding it altogether.
Warning: We cannot stress enough that this is not a reliable or safe way to charge your hoverboard!
STAT:
A blinking red light on your hoverboard means the battery life is at less than 5% of its total capacity.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-balancing_scooter
The History and Evolution of the Hoverboard – by Charles Watson
https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/Hoverboard-Safety-Alert.pdf?mSAM5F_iz1JtmMI8UvtzohHxB6xSqARX
https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/HoverBoard.ashx
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-abG3OUtRA
*https://www.razor.com/blog/hoverboard-battery-life/
