About 3000 years ago when Mastodon's ruled California and Ronald Regan was president I was a Coast Guard helicopter mechanic. Salt water was NOT our friend but it was our constant companion.
We use to spray a moisture displacement product(CRC) that seemed similar to WD-40, on all of our electrical components. As I was also the Search and Rescue crewman on those same helicopters, and have maintained my corporeal body - the stuff worked.
As a cyclist I often find good days turn bad with no warning. I realize water is never the preferred atmosphere for electrical devices , nor cyclists. But if the 3500 can only be ridden in "dry" weather, I better start writing to Julia Roberts cause this particular dream will be dead for me.
Thanks to all who reply.
As long as the controller is watertight/potted or in a place that water can't get to it, then there's really nothing that water could do, immediately speaking. Motors (especially brushless ones) are really more hardy than people give them credit for. It's not necessarily a good idea, but you could submerge them in water and still have them run. Batteries, too. There are ebikers in really wet areas (think like Washington) who have no problems.
Just check to see if there's any water pooled up anywhere after a ride in the wet. This is never good over long periods of time.
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I've been riding my XM3K for three weeks now, and was REALLY concerned about rainwater on it. Last week I took this scooter with me on a camping trip up to Knoebel's Amusement Park in mid-state Pennsylvania. The bike was strapped down in the bed of my wife's Explorer Sport Trac (pickup wannabe), and about an hour from our destination the bottom fell out of the clouds. I mean it was cats, dogs and small elephants falling from the sky! Arriving at our campground later that evening, most of the moisture from the rain had already either been blown off by the wind or evaporated. Batteries were already charged, so off I go on a "test ride" - no problems. I guess I am one of the lucky ones that got a good bike - I have had no driveability problems with it at all since day one.
I just get back from a trip to my local Lowes hardware store where I bought a couple of 1-foot long lengths of 1/4"ID copper tubing. A bench vise, a hammer, a small file and a drill will turn these sections of tubing into battery terminals - so along with some salvaged 4ga automotive amplifier cables, the remainder of this afternoon will be spent setting up this bike for bank charging. Already received a batch of 5 Black and Decker-branded 2-4-6 smart chargers (same as the Vector brand, just a different nameplate) so I'll be all over the insides of this machine looking for any water intrusion issues. I did already check the controller housing, it was dry. WD40 is your friend! (works great on automotive electrical systems, too)
(No longer) XM3K, Bank charging using Vector 2-4-6 smart chargers, Cycle Analyst
Official member of the "I laid it down and I felt stupid" club
Ive been caught already in 2 huge downpours, man i got soaked beyond belief...bike got total soaked...and shes still going strong not a problem...its no fun getting that wet ..well maybe a lil,,
3000 year old wisdom: CRC 2-26 is plastic safe.WD-40 might damage some plastics.
I got caught in an Az monsoon & everything worked ok.. i am planning on re-silicone caulking the wires into the controller.. the 'sealer' they used doesn't stick to the metal housing, & the wires seem to pull through them easily.
Also, the little mud flap addition.. you need that if you don't want your back covered with muddy water. I had mine off that day. :(
But i agree with water & motors.. i've run a lot of motors in the rain.. it doesn't seem to bother them. The electronics are a different story. keep those dry.
scotty, Sedona, Az
xm-3000 60v, 38ah silicones, since 7/08
quazar 48v, 12x12ah, since '05
5- vector 2/6/10 bank chargers