Why do we like hoverboards? They have made our transportation by walk easier and more fun. But what do we hate about them?
Some of these hoverboards explode and catch on fire. The last thing we want in any form of transportation is the thing to blow up.
While we know that hoverboards are self-balancing scooters run by our feet, what we still don’t understand is why they can explode sometimes.
Manufacturers are always cautious in the development of hoverboards to make them useful and safe. However, some malfunctions and unfortunate issues may cause hoverboards to catch on fire.
Why Do Hoverboards Explode?
Hoverboards exploding sounds like a dangerous thing and a concern. There have been many cases of hoverboards exploding and catching on fire over the years. But it is important to understand how do the hoverboards explode.
The source of the explosion is in lithium-batteries that operate the hoverboards. Lithium is used to keep the hoverboards lightweight and ease the movement on them. Other types of materials used in batteries don’t explode like lithium, but they are heavy.
Since lithium is very reactive, any faults inside may cause a short-circuit and release of a lot of heat. Batteries may heat up due to power imbalance inside the hoverboards leading to an explosion.
Lithium is a very commonly used metal for batteries but the ones in hoverboards are a river of ions.
This increases the reactivity rate and induces heating inside. If the materials used for the cover of the batteries are faulty, the explosion becomes inevitable.
Besides batteries, if the wires are damaged and exposed, this may also cause an explosion. Overall, if the manufacturer compromises batteries, wiring, or other materials only then such mishaps occur.
Why and Which Hoverboards Catch on Fire?
The circuit inside a hoverboard isn’t very different from other battery-operated electronics.
So it is understandable that the hoverboards need to be made with quality materials to avoid any damages. Not all brands of hoverboards are vulnerable or have records of the explosion.
Some brands like Smart Balance Wheel, Drone Nerds, Simplified Wireless, Four Star Imports, Tech Drift, Sonic Smart Wheels, Go Wheels and iLive Hoverboards have records of faulty hoverboards.
These hoverboards were more known for exploding and catching on fire than for the uses. They were banned by the government and authorities and were out of the market.
Consumers were told to stop purchasing from any of these brands. Even if any consumer has bought one in the past before the negative publicity, they are allowed to send the items back to the sellers.
Statistics of Hoverboards Fire and Exploding
Until about 2017, the authorial body kept records of how many hoverboards have exploded and caught on fire. These records later helped the people to know more about the brands to avoid and prevent damages.
The brands that have been known for exploding have sold a large number of hoverboards that were recorded to be faulty.
One hoverboard from Salvage World was reported to have caught on fire and destroyed the area within its range.
One other from Ace Hardware was told to have overheated during use. One hoverboard from Sonic Smart Wheels also exploded and ruined the property.
Some from iHoverboard were also reported for overheating which may cause an explosion. All the other brands that were banned have been described for faulty materials, incidents of overheating, or explosion.
Although there aren’t significant reports of these other brands, they were still recalled and sent back. Over 50000 hoverboards were sent back after people heard about injuries, explosions, and property damage.
How to Prevent Hoverboards from Exploding and Fire?
Parents may now start to wonder what’s worth of purchasing a hoverboard that their children have been begging for a while.
Any object that has the potential to destroy a surrounding and create severe casualties isn’t something to welcome in a household. But the good news is hoverboard exploding and catching fire is in the past now.
After all, the complaints and shutting down of several brands, manufacturers have been dedicated to making safer items.
Hoverboards are fun items that emerged from fiction into real life and just can’t vanish all at once. Manufacturers can ensure that the new devices aren’t at all hazardous like the previous ones.
All we need to do now is to be sure that the products are safe and also we should be careful while using them.
Firstly, the new hoverboards need certification from safety regulators. They confirm that the hoverboards won’t explode and catch fire.
There are a few precautions that will help to prevent hoverboard explosion. These should not be overcharged to avoid battery heating. The charging should always be for an accurate period.
So it is better to avoid charging at night. Also, the charger to use needs to be original and certified. The hoverboards are saved from an explosion from proper charging alone, and that also includes regular charging, but never after use.
Any electronic item should be handled with care and the hoverboard is no exception. Users should prevent it from dropping and misuse of any sort. The speed needs to be controlled as well and this is done the best by avoiding overspeeding.
Before purchasing one, we should check the weight limit. Different hoverboards can withstand different weight levels. This is also an important safety measure.
Final words
While the fear of hoverboard explosion is true, it is way in the past now. In the future, for instance, in 2021, hoverboard catching on fire will be a myth.
The new hoverboards are very improved in quality and ready for use. All we need to do is get the ones from brands with good reviews and safety certification.
It is better to avoid cheap ones and look for legitimate sellers. Usually, the batteries are the main reason for the explosion, but this isn’t new for any electronics that have lithium batteries.
The manufacturers need to ensure quality materials and the consumers need to take proper care of their hoverboards.
