Day-old i2-SE: E08E, creaking sounds, broken kickstand and whistling batteries - erk!

[DaiPlusPlus]

On Thursday I purchased an i2-SE brand-new from a dealer in Oregon (taking advantage of the 0% sales tax) and transported it to where I'm based in Seattle. The dealer had fully pre-assembled and pre-charged the Segway for me in-advance on Wednesday - this also included the official kickstand accessory.

E08E

Around 3pm yesterday I unloaded it in my office and took it for a spin around the grounds outside on concrete. Things were fine, until about an hour later when the unit performed an emergency stop and displayed E08E on the InfoKey and shut-down. Undeterred I power-cycled the PT and it seemed fine - but then the E08E message happened again about 30 minutes later. Since then, I get the E08E approximately every 5-10 minutes I ride the PT. I contacted Segway my phone immediately but their offices were closed due to the time-zone difference, but I shot them an email. They replied back this morning (Friday) and instructed me to swap the batteries around.

Their email:

I’m sorry to hear of the recent issues you are having with your new i2 SE, The E08E error is a Motor Drive Fault and one of the most common reasons for this fault is that the machines batteries are not seated properly or one of the batteries might be defective. I would ask you to remove the two batteries from the machine and to then reattach them. If you find you are still getting the error then I would suggest swapping the two battery positions, front to back and back to front. If the error then goes away then you know the front battery is most likely the issue.

(they then continued to say that if it persists, to take it to my dealer for a warranty repair)

Whistling batteries

I removed the batteries from my PT about 20 minutes ago and I'll install them back (swapped-around) in the morning, I read that it's a good idea to leave them un-installed for a while.

I noticed that the serial-numbers on the batteries were inverse to what the registration document says - i.e. the dealer had installed the batteries back-to-front - not that this would make any difference as the batteries are meant to be identical - just an observation.

After I removed the batteries I noticed that both of them were giving off a very faint high-pitched/high-frequency noise (like an old CRT, but very quiet). Is this normal? It's been more than 20 minutes since I removed the batteries but they still make that noise.

Creaking sounds and whirring sounds when still

Thinking back to yesterday - I remember that while I tried the Segway for the first time, outdoors, it was very quiet - absolutely no sounds heard when standing still (when turned on) or moving slowly and very quiet when moving. But since the first E08E error I started noticing "creaking" (not quite grinding) sounds when slowly moving or turning. I also noticed a whirring sound when the PT was on but motionless, like the sound a mechanical gyroscope makes (though I know the Segway uses solid-state gyroscopes).

Broken kickstand

Finally, the last trouble in the first 24 hours I owned this brand-new Segway was the kickstand breaking-away from the base unit - the "break-away" section of the kickstand was fine, but it seems the two screws used to attach the kickstand to the base unit were just too short and they both essentially fell-out. The dealer installed the kickstand for me out-of-view so I don't know if they used the right screws or not, but I do have a baggie containing the original screws (and two rubber-stops, of purpose unknown). I'll contact the dealer next week after labor-day and see what happened. I did try to re-install the kickstand using the same screws but no amount of inhuman force can make the screws contact the screw-holes, they're just too short - so I've no idea how the dealer installed them.

Back to the E08E

Come tomorrow morning, I'll reinstall the batteries (albeit, swapped-around) and see if that helps. If not, I'm going to be annoyed - I don't know if I'll be able to send it to my local dealer in Seattle or if I have to arrange to have it sent back to my original dealer in Portland - not that they'd perform repairs there - I know they all get sent back to Segway HQ in NH anyway.

Has anyone else had similar experiences with their i2-SE? (or just i2)? Are disconnected batteries and slow-moving Segways meant to make those noises?

[dale@thecoys.net]

To answer one question:

A very quiet "whirring" noise is normal, when a Generation 2 Segway is powered on but "standing still". Including when resting against a wall, etc.

I would also consider a bit of "creaking" when moving slowly or turning, to be normal.

[Tritium]

Return immediately, the unit is unsafe to use and needs replacement.
Also, the Kickstands are crap, they've been that way for years.
Many 3rd parties make good, durable replacements though.

The batteries have built in monitoring systems that emit the sound you speak of, that's normal.

Creaking usually means a bolt or two isn't tightened enough.
This is the dealers fault, I'd take it back ASAP.

[JM Wilber]

Originally Posted by DaiPlusPlus

On Thursday I purchased an i2-SE brand-new from a dealer in Oregon (taking advantage of the 0% sales tax) and transported it to where I'm based in Seattle. The dealer had fully pre-assembled and pre-charged the Segway for me in-advance on Wednesday - this also included the official kickstand accessory.

E08E

Around 3pm yesterday I unloaded it in my office and took it for a spin around the grounds outside on concrete. Things were fine, until about an hour later when the unit performed an emergency stop and displayed E08E on the InfoKey and shut-down. Undeterred I power-cycled the PT and it seemed fine - but then the E08E message happened again about 30 minutes later. Since then, I get the E08E approximately every 5-10 minutes I ride the PT. I contacted Segway my phone immediately but their offices were closed due to the time-zone difference, but I shot them an email. They replied back this morning (Friday) and instructed me to swap the batteries around.

Their email:



(they then continued to say that if it persists, to take it to my dealer for a warranty repair)

Whistling batteries

I removed the batteries from my PT about 20 minutes ago and I'll install them back (swapped-around) in the morning, I read that it's a good idea to leave them un-installed for a while.

I noticed that the serial-numbers on the batteries were inverse to what the registration document says - i.e. the dealer had installed the batteries back-to-front - not that this would make any difference as the batteries are meant to be identical - just an observation.

After I removed the batteries I noticed that both of them were giving off a very faint high-pitched/high-frequency noise (like an old CRT, but very quiet). Is this normal? It's been more than 20 minutes since I removed the batteries but they still make that noise.

Creaking sounds and whirring sounds when still

Thinking back to yesterday - I remember that while I tried the Segway for the first time, outdoors, it was very quiet - absolutely no sounds heard when standing still (when turned on) or moving slowly and very quiet when moving. But since the first E08E error I started noticing "creaking" (not quite grinding) sounds when slowly moving or turning. I also noticed a whirring sound when the PT was on but motionless, like the sound a mechanical gyroscope makes (though I know the Segway uses solid-state gyroscopes).

Broken kickstand

Finally, the last trouble in the first 24 hours I owned this brand-new Segway was the kickstand breaking-away from the base unit - the "break-away" section of the kickstand was fine, but it seems the two screws used to attach the kickstand to the base unit were just too short and they both essentially fell-out. The dealer installed the kickstand for me out-of-view so I don't know if they used the right screws or not, but I do have a baggie containing the original screws (and two rubber-stops, of purpose unknown). I'll contact the dealer next week after labor-day and see what happened. I did try to re-install the kickstand using the same screws but no amount of inhuman force can make the screws contact the screw-holes, they're just too short - so I've no idea how the dealer installed them.

Back to the E08E

Come tomorrow morning, I'll reinstall the batteries (albeit, swapped-around) and see if that helps. If not, I'm going to be annoyed - I don't know if I'll be able to send it to my local dealer in Seattle or if I have to arrange to have it sent back to my original dealer in Portland - not that they'd perform repairs there - I know they all get sent back to Segway HQ in NH anyway.

Has anyone else had similar experiences with their i2-SE? (or just i2)? Are disconnected batteries and slow-moving Segways meant to make those noises?

kickstand there is a Segstand® that is a aftermarket Kickstand installation a little hard but will worth the trouble there is something in the translation in to English that got from easy to difficulties 3 or 4 time I got it right and is great 3500 miles later never fails, I2 is a tough machine

[DaiPlusPlus]

Just a small update: I haven't yet plugged the batteries back in as I had to go out today. I'll do it when I get home, which might be either tonight or tomorrow.

I called my local dealer and he said they'd be able to accept it for repair and service under warranty, but I also called the original dealer in Portland and they said they'd be able to replace my unit for a new one - so if the issue persists after I replace the batteries I'll take them up on that offer.

I learned that the high-pitched noise from the disconnected batteries is normal.

And the Segway kickstand's screws are short - my local dealer said that they'd be able to use longer screws which work better. So I guess my only concern is the E08E problem.

[terryp]

The screws that come with the kickstand are 0.55" long, with yellow thread-lock. Are yours shorter?

If the battery screws were tight, I sure wouldn't expect poor connections on a new unit. It also strange that they can say that if swapping fixes the problem, the front battery is at fault. (If swapping does fix it, of course you'll still want a replacement for whichever battery is faulty.)

I can't speak to the 'whistling batteries', since my hearing cuts off about 10kHz.

[DaiPlusPlus]

I swapped-around the batteries last night and let it charge for over 15 hours over-night. When I turned it on, the display immediately read E08E, after I turned it on again it was fine - I rode it indoors in my house for about 10 minutes without any troubles, then I took it down a flight of stairs (using Follow Me mode) and it displayed E08E again just as I got off the bottom step of the stairs.

Then I rode it around for about 10 minutes without an issue, turned it off, then on again, then rode it around town for about 80 minutes, including long stretches of running at full-speed (empty sidewalks) and standing-still (e.g. waiting at crosswalks) - I didn't have any problems at all.

This is just weird. I'll keep using it throughout the week and try to get it to reproduce the issue.

[Tritium]

Originally Posted by DaiPlusPlus

I swapped-around the batteries last night and let it charge for over 15 hours over-night. When I turned it on, the display immediately read E08E, after I turned it on again it was fine - I rode it indoors in my house for about 10 minutes without any troubles, then I took it down a flight of stairs (using Follow Me mode) and it displayed E08E again just as I got off the bottom step of the stairs.

Then I rode it around for about 10 minutes without an issue, turned it off, then on again, then rode it around town for about 80 minutes, including long stretches of running at full-speed (empty sidewalks) and standing-still (e.g. waiting at crosswalks) - I didn't have any problems at all.

This is just weird. I'll keep using it throughout the week and try to get it to reproduce the issue.

I highly advise against riding the machine.
The error codes may be a precursor to a much more serious event, which may cause an incident with the unit.

I can't stop you from doing so, and I won't try to, but I am just warning you to be safe, and ride the machine with the error code in mind.


Cheers, happy gliding!

[DaiPlusPlus]

Originally Posted by Tritium

I highly advise against riding the machine.
The error codes may be a precursor to a much more serious event, which may cause an incident with the unit

You're right, but it's just so much fun

I will continue to ride it for commuting for the rest of the week, however it is a very short, low-speed journey (about 7 minutes) so the consequences of a shut-down mid-trip wouldn't be that serious.

I'm just keen to be able to reproduce the E08E error again, at least before I'm able to return to Portland (which might not be for a couple of weeks)

[noalox]

I actually agree with Tritium's first post - take it back asap. These are not your worries. Your Segway should not be giving that code when it's brand new. I own 14 segs and have NEVER had an E08E. The dealer can do all of these things they are telling you to do.

My 2 cents.