Battery Usage With the Alarm Activated
 

I left my Segwayin a garage at work for about 5 hours with the alarm on. I was concerned that the battery would drain (like an iPhone's), but to my pleasant surprise, I didn't even notice one lowered bar.

Does activating the alarm drain the Segway's battery? If so, how significantly?

I cannot imagine leaving it out of sight without the alarm ON, and there are no outlets in this garage.

When you searched previous posts, did you see http://forums.segwaychat.com/showthr...ain#post172627 ?

I should imagine that it is hard to declare, as just being in alarm mode uses very little energy, but locking the wheels, and making the squeal (by alternating current to the motors) will use a tremendously greater amount…

I suspect your total energy drain would depend on how often your machine is moved or touched in your absence…

Providing your machine is relatively unmolested, and your stated short distance to work, I would think you are in no danger at all of energy depletion.

One thing to consider, that I have found very effective, is that I rarely park my machine with the handlebar toward the wall, and the platform exposed… I have found that this is rather inviting to those who don’t have much sense of personal responsibility, and they may step onto the platform…

If you park it the other way, and back it in to the wall, with the handlebar facing out, people would have to turn it around to step on. If they do this, the alarm will ring, but many who would step on uninvited will stop before they actually turn it around…

One problem with having it ring in alarm and having no one come or hear it, is that a would be thief will soon figure that the alarm is not doing much…

Again, Good luck.

I added bentbiker's info to the wiki

After a couple of unpleasant encounters with people stepping on the platform (and leaving it laying over backward), I too have taken to backing it against walls and poles(with lock cable), etc. And actually, the alarm does more than just ring - it also locks the wheels, making roll-a-ways virtually impossible. It also guards against people turning it around to step on it.

I did not mean to leave the impression that the lock was not a worthy mode to leave it in. I think it is very good.

Nothing will stop a determined thief, but the lock mode will reduce the tampering from less motivated types...

The wheels have a great deal of drag on them. The machine can still be dragged, but the wheels will not spin free, and it clearly is fighting the movement, and that alone may be all the deterrent that is needed...

I too have had people step on my Segway, and when I've confronted them, they've actually given me dirty looks!...as if they've done nothing wrong!

Oddly, too, I have been flagged down while gliding, with a "demand" that I allow them to ride it!

It's a different society than it used to be.

I typically respond to them by 'demanding' they go get their car so I can take it for a test ride.

Unfortunately, it is often a clunker (I don't even want to go off on that tangent) or their mom's car that they are driving, so they are too often willing, and I am not...

I've lost count of the number of folks that I have allowed (even encouraged) to ride my Seg (always in 4mph turtle mode)...mostly because I love to see the look on their faces as they "discover the wonder" of it, but I'll be darned if I ever allow anyone to ride that demands it!

Interesting too, when I asked one of the local Sheriff's Deputies (our finest, dont'cha know)...I was told that there is nothing that can be legally done about anyone that "steps on your scooter", as they have actually broken no laws...but if I were to confront them, I could technically be charged with assault!

Sadly, we don't glide into town nearly as often as we used to.

Perhaps you should ask what would happen if someone decided to step onto or sit on one of their police bikes, either bicycle or motorcycle... That should put it into perspective for them... I think they may offer up a different plan for how they would handle that...