Hoverboards have easily become one of the most popular alternate ways for people to move around.
But one of the first questions that new users will ask is: how long does it take for a hoverboard to charge?
It is incredibly frustrating to be cruising around on your hoverboard one minute and then getting the fateful message “low battery, please charge.”
Because a hoverboard battery does not have an extended lifespan, you will need to be able to plan for how long it will take to charge it.
Or, if you are a parent, you will undoubtedly want to know in order to ease the questions from your child.
Additionally, you should also know how to charge your hoverboard safely, how to be sure it is working, and even how you can extend the life of your hoverboard’s battery.
Here’s what you need to know about charging your hoverboard.
How Long Does A Hoverboard Take To Charge?
To begin with, let’s answer the question that is really on your mind.
If you have a healthy battery and you are using the proper charging cord for your hoverboard, you can generally expect your hoverboard to take between 1 and 5 hours to reach its full charge.
This is largely based on how long your battery was before you plugged it in.
Hoverboards use a lithium-ion rechargeable battery.
Some of the more advanced and higher-end hoverboards may be able to charge in only an hour, but hoverboards are cheaper or that use the old batteries, can take up to 5 hours to reach a full charge.
Charging Your Hoverboard Safely
Beyond knowing how long a hoverboard takes to charge, you will also need to know how to be able to charge the hoverboard safely.
Charging the hoverboard properly will ensure that you do not damage the hoverboard, that you can extend the life of the hoverboard’s battery, and that you do not cause damage to the electrical outlet.
This means you must:
- Use the appropriate charger. Use the charger that came with the hoverboard, not a charger that might fit. If you have to replace the charger in the future, you will need to match up the specs of the previous charger to make sure it is the right voltage and fit. It can be really tempting to get a less expensive charger to charge up your hoverboard, but doing this might result in more of a headache than spending the extra money to get a better charger would. You really will get what you pay for.
- The lights should turn on when the charger has been plugged into an outlet and the hoverboard. As long as it is an appropriately working outlet, the charging lights should come on when you have connected it. The charging lights might be on the charger itself or the hoverboard.
- Continue charging the hoverboard until the charge light has either turned green or stopped blinking, depending on the type of board that you have. Unplug it once charging has been completed. Simply leaving it plugged in while it is fully charged can wreck the battery overtime and reduce its lifespan.
How To Know Whether It Is Charging
Different models and different brands will indicate charging in different ways, but there are some commonalities. This includes a charging light somewhere on the board or on the charger.
Some chargers light up and blink when they are charging while some boards have the lights that show that charging is taking place.
If no light is coming on, it would be best to double check the connections and see why the light is not on.
How To Know When It Is Done Charging
As we mentioned above, there are different models and brands of hoverboards, so the way to know that the hoverboard has completed charging will vary between the boards.
This means that for some boards, the charging light will change from red to green.
Other boards may have a blinking light that changes to solid when the board is done charging. Others just have the lights turn off altogether when the board has finished charging.
Even if you are not quite ready for a ride, you should unplug the board when you know that it is finished charging.
If this is your first time charging it, you should time it to get an idea of how long it should take in the future to get a full charge.
Should You Charge Your Hoverboard Overnight?
It is incredibly tempting to just leave your hoverboard charging overnight. After all, a board that is dead at bedtime will be good to go when you get up in the morning. But, charging overnight is a bad idea.
The first issue with charging it overnight is that your will kill the battery overtime.
The average battery takes between 2 and 3 hours to fully charge, not 8 or 9 hours, keeping your battery on a power source much longer than it needs to be.
The other big issue is that if you have a cheaper board, or perhaps a less quality replacement charger, the overcharging will lead to instant overheating and cause the board and the charger to short circuit.
This can burn out the board or, worse, if the electrical system in the outlet is less than ideal, you might wind up starting an electrical fire.
Battery Lifespan
On average, a hoverboard battery can last about one hour of constant activity before needing a charge, but this will depend on the quality of the board and the battery itself.
The more powerful the hoverboard, the quicker the battery will run out. More basic hoverboards will last longer than the high-end hoverboards, because they require less power to operate.
The way that you use your hoverboard will also affect the lifespan of the battery. It requires more power and energy for a hoverboard to go uphill and over rough terrain.
If the hoverboard uses up a lot of power to get itself around, you might drain the battery within 30 minutes and not get the full time.
If you are cruising on a smooth, flat terrain, you should be able to get the full hour without problem.
Boosting Your Hoverboard’s Battery Life
You might be wondering what you can do to increase the lifespan of your battery. Here are some suggestions that you can use to boost the hoverboard’s life and get the most out of your ride.
- Let your board charge fully every time. Don’t charge it for a few minutes and then try to take off. It needs the whole charge.
- Always charge it before you ride and use the appropriate charger for it. Don’t try to use a random charger, because it might not have the right specs to do the job correctly.
- Keep your hoverboard away from rough roads and head to prevent damaging your hoverboard.
- Keep the hoverboard away from extremes, whether that means extreme heat or extreme cold. They cannot go in water or snow and should not be out in high summer heat.
- Respect the hoverboard’s weight limit. The limits are in place for a reason. Make sure that you confirm what the hoverboard’s weight limit is before allowing someone else to ride it or even taking off yourself for the first time. If someone heavier than the limit goes on the board, the board will have to work a lot harder than it is designed to do, killing the battery quickly and potentially damaging the board.
Troubleshooting
If you are asking yourself how long it will take for your hoverboard to charge and it is taking forever, perhaps the hoverboard is not charging at all.
If it seems like your hoverboard will not charge, there are some things that you can do to make sure that your hoverboard is working ok and get it charging.
The first thing to check is whether your hoverboard is switched off.
Do not try to charge the battery if your hoverboard is still on. Some hoverboards cannot charge at all if they have been left on. It is a good practice to switch a hoverboard off before charging regardless.
If the hoverboard is off and still not charging, check the connection. Is the charger connected to the hoverboard securely?
Is it connected to an outlet securely? If it is a two-part charger, make sure that both parts of the charger are connected as well.
If you have confirmed that everything is plugged in correctly and are still not getting results, then you should double check that the outlet is working.
If you have accidentally plugged it into a non-working outlet, you will want to find one that will work.
The problem might be that you need a replacement charger or battery. You can purchase these from the manufacturer directly most of the time.
You might be able to find a less expensive brand that has the same voltage and requirements, but you will have better luck if you get an exact replacement of the model and brand of your hoverboard.
A knock-off might work, but will not have the same components as the brand of your hoverboard itself.
You might want to have a second battery regardless if you use your hoverboard for more than play.
Some people like to use their hoverboards as a way to commute, so having a backup battery might be a good plan for them.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, to answer the question of how long does it take for a hoverboard to charge, you will need to look at the type of hoverboard that you have, the quality of the hoverboard, and how well that you have been treating the hoverboard.
As long as you have been charging the hoverboard all the way, unplugging it when it is fully charged, and keeping it on smoother terrain, you should get a long life out of your battery.
It is important to follow the requirements that come with your hoverboard.
Treating your hoverboard well will give you the longest lifespan possible for your hoverboard. Be kind to your hoverboard and it will be kind to you.