Electric Skateboard Questions

[legendofzac]

Hi, I'm new to this board, and basically the entire idea of building your own Electric Skateboard. I've been looking at building your own for a couple days now but there are some questions I can't find the answers to. Here are the questions below:

1. Can a DIY electric skateboard go into reverse
My gut tells me yes but I haven't seen really any definite proof that they can. Does it depend on controllers, motors, etc.

2. What is really the difference between the different batteries such as 12S, 10S, 8S, 6S, etc.
This just leaves me clueless. It's so confusing.

3. How do you make your skateboard water resistant?
I understand the casing helps but is there water resistant connectors to help aid with that? Also, how do you make the motor water resistant? Do you put a case around it?

4. How much noise does an electric skateboard make?
How loud are they? Do different motors make different amount of noise? How do you reduce noise?

I know these are noob-ish questions but I want to have the knowledge to know what I'm going to do if I stick my head into the world of DIY Electric Skateboards. There will probably be more questions to come, too. Also if there's any tips on making an electric skateboard, please tell me. Thank you all and I hope I get to share with you my electric skateboard build soon.

 

[okp]

if there's any tips on making an electric skateboard, please tell me. Thank you all and I hope I get to share with you my electric skateboard build soon.

welcome, check this masterpiece : http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=53506

 

[agraham]

That link okp gave you is great but I'd like to answer one briefly...

2. What is really the difference between the different batteries such as 12S, 10S, 8S, 6S, etc.
This just leaves me clueless. It's so confusing.

This may take a bit of reading to become clear. It seems so obvious in retrospect but when I was first poking around on here I couldn't figure out what 6S etc means. Is it some kind of moniker used by a popular brand?

No, the S means simply "cells in series". So an 8S battery is 8 cells connected together so that their nominal voltages of 3.7V (for example) add up to 30V. An 8S2P battery is two of those in parallel giving you double the capacity and double the available amps at the same voltage.

 

[bandaro]

1. Can a DIY electric skateboard go into reverse
My gut tells me yes but I haven't seen really any definite proof that they can. Does it depend on controllers, motors, etc.

Yup, your gut is right. Most people run without reverse because it's safer though. Imagine meaning to hit the brakes to either slow down or hold your position, and reverse came on... But the setup runs just as well in reverse, you can reverse the controller settings and run a deck as fwd/rwd at the flick of a switch, so that's a way to have reverse too.

2. What is really the difference between the different batteries such as 12S, 10S, 8S, 6S, etc.
This just leaves me clueless. It's so confusing.

6s2p means 6 cells in Series and 2 cells in Parallel. this equates to a total pack voltage 6x a single battery cell's voltage and 2 times a single cells capacity. So for lipo, 6 x 3.7 = 22.2 volts total pack voltage, and whatever AH/mAH (amp hours, measurement of capacity) the cell has, multiplied by 2 for the 2p. So a 6s2p battery will have 6x2= 12 cells inside it. generally batteries are single cell in parallel, unless stated otherwise.

3. How do you make your skateboard water resistant?
I understand the casing helps but is there water resistant connectors to help aid with that? Also, how do you make the motor water resistant? Do you put a case around it?

Assuming you don't submerge the gear, the plugs and motors are already resistant. You will have more issues with mud or grit getting into the motor than water splashes through a puddle. You will need to keep the batteries in a waterproof housing though, and the esc and receiver as well if they are not a waterproof version.

4. How much noise does an electric skateboard make?
How loud are they? Do different motors make different amount of noise? How do you reduce noise?

Obviously different motors sound different, as do different controllers. Noise can be reduced by making sure everything lines up and runs smoothly, tuning the setting on the esc, tightening all the bolts to avoid rattles, that sort of stuff.

There are also some great how to posts about, such as the one posted. Read these and other peoples build logs and you will get a good idea what you are up against.