Wet Commutes? Bike Water-Proofing?

[J.R.]

So, I have a little experience with wet commuting on pedal bikes and MC's but I am a novice to e-bikes. I got some great advice for tires from several of the members here and I went with that. I am fairly sure there are some general things I can do to protect the electronic components (motor, battery, wires) on my bike. Given all bikes are not created equal, I'm sure there are general preventative measures I can take to assure that I'm not stuck walking 10 miles home.

For the wet and cold (freezing) winter we are about to receive, do you have any advice on water proofing the electrics/electronics? Anything I should be aware of or watch out for?

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Greetings J.R.
I don't know what kind of eBike you have, but RTV (aka bathtub caulk) can be your friend. If there are any gaps where the cabling enters the controller, battery pack, etc, butter them up with some of this stuff and let it cure completely before you touch it or ride in the cold. I know for sure it's made in black, white, and clear; probably other color(ways) too. (When did colors become color ways, anyway?)
If you don't have them fitted already, put fenders on your ride. They'll keep you and all your gear—electronic and otherwise—drier and happier. As a computer mechanic, I can say unequivocally that electronics and liquids don't play nice.
Keep the bike inside or at least under a roof when not in use, and if the bike's design allows, at least bring the battery inside your heated living quarters at night. If you have to leave it out at work in the rain, throw a bike rain cover (Amazon) or at least a piece of plastic over it.
Happy trails/Allen

 

[JoePah]

I ride in the wet all the time but I think freezing weather is a lot worse.... My suggestion is to keep your bike in a warm dry room at night to drive the moisture out. It's usually the connections that will doom your Ebike.

There are screwed electrical connections all over your bike that you should check and tighten.. If it were me I'd go t a marine shop and ask them if there were a spray that would displace moisture.

Oh and keep your brake discs clean of salt.. it will age them and the pads quickly.

 

[J.R.]

Thanks guys, you've given me some great ideas! JoePah, thanks for mentioning the brakes... I think I may have taken the disk brakes for granted. I've owned Harleys with disk brakes for 30 years and they have been carefree, a mostly maintenance free affair. And rim brakes on my other bicycles are forgettable. The disk brakes on my e-bike are far more fragile than rim and MC brakes. There's a lot of iron content in all disk brakes, so I'll keep an eye on them and keep them clean!

Allen, I am sure I can find some places to put a little silicone... good tip.

 

[PowerMe]

I saw on this forum someone mentioned a product "Always Dry" and there's another competing one called "Never Wet." I found the Youtube videos showing each and I was transfixed watching videos for the next hours or so. So check each of those out and see if that could be something that could help you waterproof your ride.

 

[J.R.]

I saw on this forum someone mentioned a product "Always Dry" and there's another competing one called "Never Wet."

PowerMe, is that the UT vid where the guy coats the inside of the hub motor? If it is, that was bizarre! I watched too! I saw a video where a guy used paint on the inside of a hub motor and than couldn't understand why it wouldn't work, when he got it all back together. I'll see if I can find the information you reference, I can't do anything that would void the 2 year warrantee. Thanks.

 

[PowerMe]

I never saw that video so I have no idea.

Here's the product line I was looking at after seeing a posting here on the forum: http://nanexcompany.com

 

[JoePah]

I saw on this forum someone mentioned a product "Always Dry" and there's another competing one called "Never Wet." I found the Youtube videos showing each and I was transfixed watching videos for the next hours or so. So check each of those out and see if that could be something that could help you waterproof your ride.

idk about that Never Wet... The product description says it's not intended for electronic devices.. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ole...rWet-Multi-Purpose-Spray-Kit-274232/204216476

When I used to own power boats and fish in the keys, we used to spray all the connections on the outboard motor with silicone spray.

 

[J.R.]

Thanks JoePah, silicone is/can be amazing. I too have used it's many forms. Doing some more research on my bike's electronics and having ridden in some serious weather lately I think putting the bike in a dry, heated place every night and some general precautions, I should be good. The bike seams very well protected.