Waterproof e-skates exist, but only a few electric skateboard companies manufacture and sell them. There are still a lot of electric skateboards that are quite fragile even against the littlest splashes of water.
Fortunately, waterproofing e-skates is a thing for DIY experts. It’s widely discussed in popular electric skateboard forums[Popular Electric Skateboard Forums & Groups].
And, surprisingly, the techniques applied by those skaters are simple enough to understand and execute even for beginners. They just need to find the right materials and install them properly.
Waterproofing Techniques for Electric Skateboards
Weather Strips
Interestingly, the strips commonly used for protecting the gaps of windows and doors from freezing temperatures, snow, and rain can also be installed on the enclosures of electric skateboards. This is the most popular waterproofing option.
Weather strips usually come in three pieces per pack. However, when it comes to e-skates and the variation of their enclosure sizes, peeling off each strip can help the skaters achieve the correct thickness of the covering for foolproof installation.
While installing the weather strips, the skater must ensure that there are no gaps at all, including the tiniest ones. And, since the strips are foamy, some skaters push them further inside to minimize the vibrations as well. But, this is a big risk, especially if the motor’s design isn’t resistant to water.
Compounds for Preventing Corrosion
The best product for this waterproofing technique is CorrosionX because of its long-lasting effects. A lot of skaters coat each electronic component of their electric skateboards with the said compound. This can be done with a spray or by submerging every part into the liquid.
CorrosionX is completely safe for wires and metals. Also, it won’t cause any problem even with constant friction since it’s technically a lubricant.
Liquid Tape
If not CorrosionX or corrosion-preventing compounds, liquid tape is a great alternative. It’s a type of rubber coating with the same purpose as electrical tapes. Its main goal is to insulate the sections of electronic systems that can never be reached by fingers and solid materials.
The primary disadvantage of liquid tapes is they need some time to take effect. That can take a few weeks depending on the conditions surrounding the best electric skateboard.
Silicone Caulk
Pure silicone caulk is generally cheaper than the previous options. It’s an adhesive sealant recommended for household use and certain workplaces or industries. Its best feature is how resistant it is against outdoor elements and chemicals. That’s because it can maintain stability regardless of the temperature.
Just like liquid tapes, silicone caulks don’t fully take effect in a short amount of time. Thin layers can take 24 hours while heavy applications can prolong the bonding phase for many days.
How to Improve Waterproofing
Every waterproofing option above isn’t 100% effective. Sometimes, there are unexpected factors like deep puddles and sudden floods, which can make the material useless.
What can be done to increase the likelihood of total protection is to install weather strips for the external covering while the internal components of the electric skateboard[Parts of An Electric Skateboard] are coated with CorrosionX, liquid tape, or silicone caulk.