gliding in cold weather

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by KSagal

Does anyone know if leaving it in security mode will go around this problem? I have used security mode in the past, and not experienced this cold weather issue, but again, I had my radio board replaced many years ago, and have not had this issue since...

I am thinking that if a person is concerned that this problem may still affect their machine, it may be worth the effort to leave it in security mode, if this will prevent the radio board from shutting down...

My i2 had chronic cold start failure if left without security mode in cold weather. Leaving it in security mode completely avoided the problem. Now I have an updated radio board, but I still leave it in security mode just in case.

[KSagal]

Originally Posted by PeteInLongBeach

My i2 had chronic cold start failure if left without security mode in cold weather. Leaving it in security mode completely avoided the problem. Now I have an updated radio board, but I still leave it in security mode just in case.

Thank you. That is what I suspected, and thought I remembered, but did not want to advise it, on the chance that I might help to create a situation where a person gets stranded...

And we are in a very similar situation. I did not have the chronic problem, but a very occasional one, (I only saw it twice, both times at home) and fixed it years ago, but still pretty much always leave it in security mode. It has never used enough power, or I have never left it long enough for the power consumed to be a problem.

But, I have also not used it for commuting or other type activities. Longest I have ever left it in this mode was for dinner, or possibly shopping....

[terryp]

I rode my other (newer) i2 to the same destination as before, again in the low 30s, and when I was ready to leave, the Infokey would not even turn itself on. Momentarily popping the coin cell cured the problem. Its battery had been replaced about a week earlier, and it was in my pocket for a few hours before I left, so apparently this was a case of the Infokey getting into a weird mode during the cold ride.

The Seg may be rated to operate in lower temps than this, but you have to be able to get it running first.

[PeteInLongBeach]

If we ever get cold weather here again this winter, I'll leave the i2 outside the building for a few hours without security mode and see if the new radio board works. I didn't want to test that functionality 5 miles from my hotel in Las Vegas last weekend, but it was sure cold enough...

[rwoynaro]

Originally Posted by PeteInLongBeach

If we ever get cold weather here again this winter, I'll leave the i2 outside the building for a few hours without security mode and see if the new radio board works. I didn't want to test that functionality 5 miles from my hotel in Las Vegas last weekend, but it was sure cold enough...

We are in an arctic blast of cold weather this week. I have an hr drive into work with my I2 riding on the back bumper on a segVator. This morning the temp was 14 degrees at my destination. The I2 started fine, but I would get the warning exclamation point on the info key, and it would seem to try and slow down a bit (like when the leansteer backs up to slow you down.) The exact same thing happened with my other I2 yesterday in equally cold weather. Once they warmed up a bit, all was normal.

Still, I am totally greatful that the segs seem to be able to handle this cold blast reasonably well, as I have no alternative, I need the seg to get around.

[KSagal]

Originally Posted by rwoynaro

We are in an arctic blast of cold weather this week. I have an hr drive into work with my I2 riding on the back bumper on a segVator. This morning the temp was 14 degrees at my destination. The I2 started fine, but I would get the warning exclamation point on the info key, and it would seem to try and slow down a bit (like when the leansteer backs up to slow you down.) The exact same thing happened with my other I2 yesterday in equally cold weather. Once they warmed up a bit, all was normal.

Still, I am totally greatful that the segs seem to be able to handle this cold blast reasonably well, as I have no alternative, I need the seg to get around.

I am glad your machines are weathering the cold well, and I believe that reduced performance from batteries that cold is perfectly normal and expectable till they warm up a bit with use, and that seems to be happening.

I have a 12 electric blanket that I keep in the car for when wife or kids get cold, and I don't want to heat the car too much (makes me drowsy at the temps they sometime like.) Somehow my wife is never satisfied with the two zones for heat... anyway, back on topic...

I wonder if using a blanket wrap of this sort on the batteries to warm them up just a few degrees while on the segvator will make it easier to glide with better performance sooner. You do not want a lot of heat, but a nice gentle warm source of heat may help.

The other thing that does give heat to a battery is charging. Do you charge the batteries while on the way to work? I wonder if that would also give them a little internal heat that may shorten your early reduced performance period from the cold batteries.

[rwoynaro]

Originally Posted by KSagal

I am glad your machines are weathering the cold well, and I believe that reduced performance from batteries that cold is perfectly normal and expectable till they warm up a bit with use, and that seems to be happening.

I have a 12 electric blanket that I keep in the car for when wife or kids get cold, and I don't want to heat the car too much (makes me drowsy at the temps they sometime like.) Somehow my wife is never satisfied with the two zones for heat... anyway, back on topic...

I wonder if using a blanket wrap of this sort on the batteries to warm them up just a few degrees while on the segvator will make it easier to glide with better performance sooner. You do not want a lot of heat, but a nice gentle warm source of heat may help.

The other thing that does give heat to a battery is charging. Do you charge the batteries while on the way to work? I wonder if that would also give them a little internal heat that may shorten your early reduced performance period from the cold batteries.

A bit warmer this morning, low 20's and there was no exclamation point on the infokey, nor any detectable change in behavior from normal. The metal leansteer was not a freezing cold today either, yesterday it was bitter cold. So I think low (0-20) was an issue, but it seems that low 20's on up seems not to be to hard on it. I have a 12v electric blanket that I had used last season and it seemed to work; I have to find it and start re-using it, I moved and have not unpacked everything yet. putting the electric blanket on it and a cover may ultimately be my best plan. Thanks Karl.

[Seginaway]

Originally Posted by KSagal

I am not a hood guy, but the hood on my new work jacket (mine is from Dickies, but there are also Carhart similar ones) that the company gave me, is large enough to go around a hard hat or helmet. That is one option for those who want warmth and a helmet.

Of course, a hood will reduce your ability to turn around look.

In prior years, I have used a Hooded Jacket which did cover the helmet, though the helmet didn't fit that well over the ear covering and face mask that was required to prevent frostbite in the 15F and below temps. Also, as you mentioned, visibility is substantially reduced with the hood as I glide with my head & eyes constantly surveying everything around me. Much more so in the winter as autos go sliding on the snow and ice all around me with little driver control by most.

I still use that Hooded Jacket in 15F & below temp, just with the Bomber Hat and without the helmet. Perhaps the answer for me is to get a new helmet that fits better in the winter(perhaps my ski helmet) and still provides adequate protection. The visibility issue would still remain however with any hood.

"Less Safe" or "Un-Safe" doesn't really matter if my head hits the pavement without a helmet whether it's my own fault or someone else, substantial injury could occur. To me, my opinion only, a helmet is appropriate (always have used one and it is also sets a good example for the children); it's just that this year I decided to go another way (fully aware of the added risk since Trigger has thrown me many times over our gliding history, some resulting in injuries that lasted weeks).

Helmet or not, each to his own. I was just expressing a history of how I have glided in freezing and below zero temps over the last eight (8) years, responding to the topic. Sunshine gliders don't know how good they've got it, though gliding in 15F & below can be an adventure as well.

Last night it was 7F on the glide home.

[gracefuli]

Please summarize for me- is it ok to store i167 in cold garage? Plugged in? I live in NJ so it may get cold in the garage, but the water bottles in there haven't frozen yet... It has not been plugged in for a few days. moved Tuesday from my warm office, where it was always plugged in, to my garage. It was not plugged in right away, so now I don't know if I can just plug it in, even though it is cold? Placed a blanket on the platform and tucked it in under the back of the unit. Please advise ... Txs

[Civicsman]

Please summarize for me- is it ok to store i167 in cold garage? Plugged in? I live in NJ so it may get cold in the garage, but the water bottles in there haven't frozen yet... It has not been plugged in for a few days. moved Tuesday from my warm office, where it was always plugged in, to my garage. It was not plugged in right away, so now I don't know if I can just plug it in, even though it is cold? Placed a blanket on the platform and tucked it in under the back of the unit. Please advise

Using a blanket by itself doesn't do much, especially if more than a few hours passes. The Seg is essentially "off", and doesn't provide an internal heating source, so the Seg eventually gets to the garage ambient temperature. On the good news side, you probably don't need a blanket at all.

Plug the Seg in, by all means. The worst thing that can happen is that if you don't keep the batteries charged, the state of charge might drop low enough that the Seg software says, "Oops! Batteries are too low, so they might be bad. Not charging them anymore". If that should happen, you'll need to talk to MTO Battery.

Plugging in the Seg, even after a few days in your 32F+ garage, won't hurt the batteries! Cold batteries might limit the available riding distance, but they'll warm up when you start riding, and some of that available battery charge will come back as they warm up.