Got thrown off the GT, board took off without my command, petition to Evolve to fix remote

Here's a crazy thought. This is not practical but would it at all be possible to swap out the vesc and controller from a boosted board and put it in the GT? The combination of a boosted controller with the power of a GT would be awesome!

 

Maybe but they also have issues (and then you are totally in the experimental category) - do a reddit search on "v1" in the boosted sub reddit - similar issues - maybe not as bad but these problems go way back for BB too - they put two bluetooth receivers in the new V2 Boosted Board to help with this and also so iPhone could be always connected to one receiver while remote connected to the other (but even Sanjay the CTO admits it will not fix the problem entirely)

I don't think anyone knows whats really going and has a perfect fix - riders have had all the components responsible for communication replaced - some multiple times and it still happens - this is spreading more daily now - more posts to reddit/electricskateboarding on same - riders posting videos of drop outs etc etc - it seems to be worse with the new remote if that help's anyone - my new one should be here soon - but If that doesn't fix it - I may just wait it out a bit instead of wasting time getting new components and swapping stuff out or send whole board back when it can just re-occur until there's more of a "smoking gun" explanation found.

I'm starting to think that its a byproduct of the remote tech all these guys are currently using and all boards are subject to this possibility of this happening at any time - which is going to change the way I ride for some time.

(and as I've said before I think they should get away from bluetooth for control, fine for display telemetry from board, but not for control - use something more reliable - whether it be one of the many well known and proven RC control technologies or something else - I'd even accept a "curly" wired remote at this point)

 

in case you haven't seen in - check out this well documented video by a poster and forum member [evolveinla] who experienced the exact same thing we are discussing in this thread:

lots of good info there including his comment:

"Yes, that's what happened to me at 10:30 in the video. But for me that was the 1st time ever it did that - all previous cutouts just lost power for a moment. Never a stuck throttle until that time."

Click top Title below for actual Reddit post:

 

heres the exact point in the video where the board keeps holding speed despite the neutral trigger input !

 

Happy to say after requesting that Evolve send me a pre-payed shipping label that's properly ensured, they did. And they do understand that under such circumstances where the board is malfunctioning that this is appropriate.

Appears if you make a valid argument that they're very reasonable.

 

Good to know. I have yet to cancel my order. I have spent most of the day reading Reddit about user's experiences. For the most part it's positive but there definitely are issues. However Evolve is not alone in that arena.

 

Hi, evolveinla here. I did the video mainly to show Evolve USA service, so they wouldn't think I am crazy and just bothering them repeatedly over nothing. I want nothing more than to NOT bother Brandon in service, he's so far been very helpful and probably very tired of hearing from me! Unfortunately in this video, it didn't capture the longer dropouts like I was having before with the board - only the very last one in the video was more reflective of what it was doing before, with a longer (1/2 sec. or so) dropout and simultaneous loss of display. Which seems to me totally like a complete power cut-out in the board - EXCEPT I am also getting brief momentary power dropouts where it does not lose the display.

And yes I did have one instance (when the pickup truck is turning around in front of me) where I let off the throttle to neutral (coasting), and it stayed on for a second or so (seemed like an eternity). And my instinct was to keep pushing forward for braking, as I was heading into an intersection. Then it caught suddenly and mashed the brakes on. If you look carefully in the video, you can see my finger moving forward for braking and nothing-nothing-nothing happening, then all of a sudden the brakes come on strongly.

As an update (more details in the reddit post), I took her out for a long test ride today, and in 2.5 hours riding, 'only' experienced 2 brief dropouts! Which I was actually happy about. I want so badly for it to work perfectly.

 

If you are doing your homework, drop outs are a fact of life with powered boards. One fatality case will sink Evolution. Hope for the best as we are the test pilots in a young sport. True to their name, Evolve will continue to improve with each generation of boards. In the meantime, avoid the cagers and wear the gear. Remember, you don't dress for the ride, you dress for the crash.

 

Yea drop outs are one thing but a stuck throttle when the board is actually accelerating under power while the trigger is neutral or you are braking is something entirely different - if you haven't read the entire thread please do us all the courtesy of doing so to understand the context that we are posting this stuff in. Including the links to videos and supporting links to Reddit etc. We also want Evolve to succeed and enjoy our boards when they work well which are a blast. But we also deserve respect being the ones spending the money and doing the test pilot rides in the mean time.

 

Julian, you missed the point. I understand your frustrations and my reference of "drop outs" encompasses stuck throttle and failures to braking input. Please don't presume I have not read the entire post. My post is consistent with your complaint. It is a very serious problem and if not resolved someone may be serious injured or killed. Certainly Evolve knows this but this technology is early in its development.

My points are: I think Evovle is working on a more reliable board. "Drop outs" will be a problem that will be solved. I just don't think it will be solved 100% very soon. In the meantime I will continue to ride the GT. My plan B is to be ready and wearing a helmet and pads.

 

Evolveinia, I have a Bustin' Gen2 and during the first 2 weeks I had it out in wet conditions and it eventually refused to start... After opening it up to let it dry and putting it back together I had very similar experience, all the time, but continued to ride for the rest of the week...

Anyway I eventually got it figured out. When I put it back together I moved the aerial and actually put it close-ish to the motor, moving it away solved the problem.

Matt

 

Fresno - I guess the disconnect here is that I interpreted this as you trying to present us with new information - when in fact you were not. (we have done and continue to do our home work, for most of us daily on this including more testing and making videos etc) I think we all know what a "drop out" means - typically this is a loss of power and coasting - what we need to emphasize here and to Evolve is that what we are seeing is very different and more dangerous as I, and now you and others have outlined specifically as well. You immediately go on to mention (poor) Evolve potentially being sunk by a fatality - no one obviously wants this including us the riders who are the ones at risk but we have to speak up and stay united and compare our experiences as we are doing.

Missing the point? - I thought you missed mine and the general theme on this thread. We do not need to sit by idly waiting for Evolve to come up with a solution for their next generation - myself and you and others have already dropped a big chunk of cash on this board and we deserve the right to have something that works in a safe manner. So rather than just hoping for the best lets do something about it now and get it resolved with what we already have. The op wiztecy is certainly not being passive just waiting for the next great board to be released - his is going to service and he will not accept it back until its fixed.

I think we need to make sure others (who may just be joining this thread and forum) that these are not typical "drop outs" as unless you have the back story on what we actually mean it looks like we are just complaining about the "age old problem of the typical drop out".

If the worst of it was a loss of power that would be more acceptable (still not perfect) - but I haven't heard of any other brand where the board keeps going (under power) or even worse accelerating while a drop out has taken place. If anyone else has - please post the link here.

Anyway I understand you are presenting in the same spirit as the rest of us which is appreciated - good call on the helmet and pads - ride safe - enjoy your board.

 

Interesting. Does the GT have similar aerial wire that can be relocated for better reception? Any chance you can upload some pics of what you did?

 

check this out below - we now also need to see a picture of the component side of the bms / main controller on the GT skateboard itself:

updated - same transceiver board is on a riser card with the motor controller on the skateboard as in the remote

Evolve - radio is using nRF24L01

 

From conversations I believe the original Carbon (Gen2) had two aerials and the Bustin'/ Gen2 Bamboo had one, tho that is also my memory. I have no idea about the GT's... I have a Bamboo GT ordered.

I know when my board was like that it felt like a delay in reacting more than anything, both accelerating and braking... It certainly felt really different from a drop out over some environmental feature like power lines etc, even tho it was perhaps technically the same thing.

I don't have any pics, I never viewed it as anything other than me putting my board back together wrongly... I was thinking to keep it away from the circuit board and put it a long way back... After I thought about it (motors are magnets) I just moved it forward a bit.

 

Drop outs are from boards that are not designed correctly. Talk to MetroBoard riders. Even the 1st Gen boards which used BlueTooth and a simple Wii controller didn't turn into deathboards. When they cutout, the motor stopped what it was doing and rolled, it then continued on as the throttle was eased on not rocketed on which is the issue with the GT's. Similar with braking. You don't disconnect communication then take over the command where the lost packets were once communication was restored. You have to keep in mind you have a live person riding this thing, not a machine.

The newer gen Metro's I have use the IR remote which gives me more confidence any day in terms of safety over bluetooth. It has its weaknesses such as bright sunlight and must be line of sight to the board / IR receiver. But Ilan at MetroBoard listened to his customers who didn't like those negative qualities of the IR. He went to the IR from Bluetooth since Bluetooth was known to not be the best protocol to use with electric skateboards. He then went to the RC style remote which gets him a out of the massive bluetooth frequency trash and interference. He also offers the upgrade from the IR remotes to the RC remote for only $99 total for the entire retrofit package. That's what I like, he supports existing customers and always looks to improve and make the boards safer and better for the rider. I also like the trigger of this RC remote, it looks way more comfortable than the Evolve remote which is sized up for either a little boy or girl, not a grown adult's finger. By the way I have not heard one report of any interference, drop-outs, or a runaway board with MetroBoard's new RC remote configuration. So it can done correctly and the board can be made entirely safe for the rider where the rider has 100% confidence in what he's riding won't do something stupid like the GT does.

Metroboard Mini RC RF Remote - Metroboard Electric Skateboard

 

that looks great ! - but unfortunately with them currently using the nRF24L01+ radio I don't think it would be possible (practical ?) for Evolve or us to try to retrofit our existing boards for something like above. What we may be able to do is to improve the antenna on both ends OR Evolve may be able to make things more stable by taking a good look at their remote/radio code and adding features like Frequency Hopping / Ack, scanning for open channels etc on startup. (and a better way for the code to handle the advanced drop outs and awareness when the control channel breaks down)

 

Bluetooth already has frequency jumping built into the protocol....

 

I can't find the video, but when I was researching enertion boards, Jason did a video where users of the original raptor were having the same issue and he solved it by replacing the carbon fiber deck lid with a fiber glass one. This according to the video solved the drop outs that the users were experiencing. I'm wondering if the carbon fiber lid on CGTs are part of the problem.

 

....I read this some months ago and yes they had connectivity issues with the remote, and yes, they changed the design from a CF deck lid to a plastic one which resolved the issue. Might be a good test to create your own deck lid out of plastic and test.

Was just thinking about that a couple of nights ago.

Does anyone know if the Bamboo has the same issue as the Carbon?