Modern e-scooters, like any other automobile, might fail to start. Sometimes, when your scooter doesn’t start, it could mean there is a problem with the scooter’s electric choke. The first instinct for most scooter owners would be to take it to a technician. However, a cheaper and better way to understand your scooter is to learn how to test a scooter electric choke.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- A Choke is a plunger that blocks off or closes and opens a small channel found inside your scooter’s carb, allowing or blocking off extra fuel from getting into the engine.
- When conditions are cold, petrol that is needed for combustion vaporizes slowly. Therefore, the engine will need more of it to create the same amount of vapor.
- The most effective way to test the electric choke is to test it while it’s on the scooter.
When the engine on your electric scooter gets cold, it requires a richer fuel mixture to crank up and run. Ideally, petrol can’t burn in its liquid form and needs to be in vapor form to create a spark for the engine to turn over.
Why is a Choke Important?
When conditions are cold, petrol needed for combustion vaporizes slowly. Therefore, the engine will need more of it to create the same amount of vapor. Your scooter choke circuit offers a method of increasing fuel supply until the scooter is warm enough before shutting off automatically if you have an electric choke.
Simply put, your choke is a plunger that blocks off or closes and opens a small channel found inside your scooter’s carb, allowing or blocking off extra fuel from getting into the engine.
A scooter electric choke has a needle at the end of the plunger. A manual choke, on the other hand, doesn’t. This needle makes it possible for the electric choke to steadily permit less petrol to get through the scooter’s choke circuit to the point where it finally shuts off the passage after the scooter’s engine has been turning for a couple of minutes.
How does an Electric Choke Function?
Inside the scooter’s electric choke, there is a tiny wax capsule that has a heater coil wrapped over it. When the engine is on and running, a voltage is sent to the heater forcing the wax inside to heat up. The heated wax begins to push the plunger out as it expands slowly.
After about 4 to 5 minutes, the plunger will have fully extended, closing the choke circuit completely. This will prevent additional fuel from getting into the flow. When the scooter has come to a stop, and the engine is turned off, the wax capsule will begin to cool, slowly retracting the plunger after about 15 minutes.
Testing a Scooter Electric Choke
Testing a scooter electric choke is relatively easy. However, the most effective way to test the electric choke is to test it on the scooter. To complete the task, do the following:
- First, start and run the bike for about 5 minutes for the electric choke plunger to extend fully. It’s fine to run a fast tick over.
- Next, turn off the scooter engine and take off the scooter choke within 30 to 60 seconds of switching off the engine. To do this successfully, remove the panels beforehand.
- Remove the electric choke assembly from the choke holder that’s on the side of the carburetor. A needle will be visible.
- Next, measure the overall length of the electric choke from one end to the other from the tip of the needle.
- Give it about 5 to 10 minutes before re-measuring the needle. At this point, the needle has extended. The needle needs to be approximately 3mm longer than the first measurement.
What happens if it doesn’t work?
There are a couple of reasons why your scooter electric choke isn’t working.
Your scooter electric choke could be faulty or have issues with the power supply. If you suspect a power supply issue, you can use a multimeter to check on the power supply by disconnecting the electric choke and connecting the meter leads to the wires connecting the choke as you run the engine. Read more about this from our DIY on how to test an e-scooter battery.
You mustn’t touch the wires while testing the choke with a multimeter for the power supply. It could lead to a short circuit and damage the scooter electric choke altogether.
If everything is working fine, the electric choke wires will read 12-14 volts on AC. Another important DIY to learn is how to take off a belt cog on an e-scooter.
F.A.Q.
Will a scooter electric choke problem cause a no-start situation?
Scooters, like any other automobile, might fail to start. Sometimes, when your scooter doesn’t start, it could mean there is a problem with the scooter’s electric choke.
What’s the function of an electric choke on a scooter?
When conditions are cold, petrol that is needed for combustion vaporizes slowly. Therefore, the engine will need more of it to create the same amount of vapor. Your scooter choke circuit offers a method of increasing fuel supply until the scooter is warm enough before shutting off automatically if you have an electric choke.
What’s the difference between a manual and an electric choke?
A scooter electric choke has a needle at the end of the plunger. A manual choke, on the other hand, doesn’t.
What would make a scooter electric choke fail to function?
There are two main reasons why your scooter electric choke isn’t working. First, your scooter electric choke could be faulty or have issues with the power supply.
STAT: The global sale of electric scooters in 2019 was 46.89 million. The number is expected to rise to 129 million by 2028. It is also projected by 2023; electric two-wheelers will take up 8% of all two-wheelers on the road (source)
REFERENCES:
- https://www.buggydepot.com/tech-center/150cc-gy6-automatic-choke-how-it-works/
- https://www.firenzee.com/gy6/Carburetor%20Choke%20Troubleshooting.pdf
- https://www.pedparts.co.uk/blog/automatic-choke-unit-50cc-mopedsr
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choke_(electronics)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVLHaVPf7SI
