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-   -   I167 -with bad battery (https://forums.segwaychat.org/showthread.php?t=38705)

Notaguru 05-14-2020 01:22 PM

I167 -with bad battery
 
Just gifted to me. I ride a Minipro, but would love to shift over to the larger machine. This was given to me because it needs new batteries, which seem to cost a fortune.

I'm reasonably technical, and have test equipment, soldering tools, etc.

Surely this question has been asked hundreds of times - but times change, and there are new resources. So, what's my best bet?

Thanks!

dgbint 05-15-2020 08:45 AM

Yes.
Similar answers have been provided previously.

Since you are new, here's the brief facts.

i167 must be 15+ years old.
Originally came with NiMH batteries.
Not surprised that they are dead.

MTO Battery can probably re-cell them for you.
Others may also.

Or, you can buy a new set of batteries ( will need to ensure that machine had software during its life ) so see a local dealer to check this.

Michael

Notaguru 05-16-2020 03:08 PM

Yes, it's NiMH - which should satisfy usage, I believe.
This unit appears to be taking a charge (green blinks at the AC connection).
Applying a key produces a beep, but no display.

I do not want to buy or rebuild batteries unless there's some certainty that the problem will be solved. Can someone point me to a thread or online resource that will help me validate the rest of the Segway?

Thanks!

Philip 05-18-2020 05:37 PM

Gen 1 machines are fun to ride. Kinda like driving a vintage sports car. Hopefully you can get it going.

If it beeps, there is a fairly good chance it will start up with a pair of adequate battery packs attached. I suggest asking about online if there is anyone in your region who has a Segway PT who will let you attach their battery packs to your machine for a few minutes, just to see if it starts up and operates normally. Perhaps a local Segway Tour business might be accommodating?

Because you have a 'beep' it is more likely than not that your PowerBase is still functional, and the Handlebar is functional too. Because you have a flashing green LED it seems likely that the charger (CSB) is working and your battery packs hold some energy....well, at least the front pack does while kept on charge....but after 15 years it is very unlikely they will enable the machine to start up fully or be rideable. One thing you could try immediately is removing and reinstalling the packs, and then try again to start it up.

It is OK to attach Lithium packs, as doing so will not harm your machine should its firmware have not been upgraded (it just won't fully start up, that's all). But if it hasn't been upgraded, I doubt there is any way of having this done anymore. If that is the case, you'll most likely want to track down someone with a pair of functional NiMH packs to test your machine with, prior to having your packs re-packed.

I'd wager there is a good probability that your machine has been upgraded. One clue to look for is the presence of the presence of a circular FlyGuy sticker (ie the Segway logo) with a yellow background stuck somewhere. Try lifting the grey foot mat and looking underneath, this sticker may have been attached to the stainless steel cover plate of the PowerBase. I can't speak for what the policy was in USA, but here in NZ when we upgraded Gen 1 machines we applied a yellow sticker (provided by Segway, Inc. for this very purpose).

Philip

mjm4306 06-17-2020 03:09 PM

I've have 4 i170s, out of the 4 I got I've been able to get 2 working by batteries and cleaning the connectors in the powerbase and steering column. The other 2 both beep but get a platform error when you hit the key, so batteries aren't a sure bet to fix it. If your batteries light green then the bms is still functional and they should be able to be rebuilt. I did a write up on it at eevblog forums but I'm happy to share it here. You'll need a spot welder (100+ bucks even for a cheap one), 60 NiMH SubC cells (about $200 per pack), nickel strip, epoxy, and a lot of patience to do em. If you don't have the equipment beforehand your best bet is probably to pay for a rebuild, MTO honestly has some pretty reasonable pricing.


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