The worst has happened

Hey everyone,

First off its incredible how this community comes together to answer questions share tips and the over love of these awesome boards. I'm relatively new to all this so I may not know component technical names

Here's my dilemma. My dog and I both love the Bamboo GTR. He's off leash and has no problem keeping up. The other day we're running on a pathway beside a creek and (yes you guessed it) the board took a dive. Completely submerged. I was a good 6.5 miles from my car and had to lug it all the way back. I was convinced at one point that my dog would leave me as he likes to go fast and he was trailing ahead.

Bought 45lbs of rice. Disassembled the board removed the motors, battery pack etc. basically completely tore this thing apart and placed components in their own trash bag of rice.

1. One of the motors is highly resistant to rotation. This happened prior to being placed in the rice.

2. After 48 hrs in the rice I connected the components just to see if the remote would pair. It did not and the power button was flashing blue (*flash flash* -pause- *flash flash* -pause-)

Is this a battery issue where I replace the entire battery pack?
Are there aftermarket alternatives? What are they?
Is the power button even turning on an indication that this is salvageable?

I already have a sour taste from evolve for some disagreements prior to this (belt, wheels, and random shut downs)

I'm just a noob here you guys are all experts in comparison. Someone PLEASE provide some guidance

 

Your ESC is probbly fried if it will not pair. you can actually get motors wet, that how I used to break them in with in the old rc world by dipping the in water while running. The rice probbly didnt do much anything. bet thing to do when that happens is scrub everything with alcohol. sorry but it would most likely cheaper buying a new board.

 

Well, thats devastating. I've seen a few threads where people upgrade the ESC with aftermarket VSECs? Is that a component i could buy and swap or more of a build project?

You'd think they'd make the boards a little more water resistant.

 

I bet Evolve has experience in this area. I suggest email with them. They gave me great email tech support on my first GTR which I’d bought used (and I was clear with them that I’d bought it used) - super of an org to do this.

 

Bit off topic. Waterproofing your electronics. Landslide may be aware of the method. Product called CorrisionX. Marketed as a lubricant, anti-seize, penetrating substance that's safe on "all" electronics. When I use to fly, crash, rebuild, repeat, then trash r/c quads winter and early spring time waterproofing the electronics was a must. Light application on all the electronics and connectors allowed immersion in water without any issues. Comes in two varieties. Use the lighter weight product. The heavy product is the consistency of peanut butter vs. liquid. Like any oil or grease dust and dirt will stick to it. Use only in dust resistant areas. Plan to apply after the warranty is void.

Evolve multiple times in print and media notes their boards are not waterproof and not designed to be used in wet conditions. Even if the seals are waterproof there is no IP certified rating. IP67 rating, dust proof and immersible in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes would be a nice upgrade. Wish something Evolve would design and get certified in the 5th gen models.

In your specific case. Maybe due to the specific nature of the incident Evolve would give you a break or provide you with a new ESC. Unintentional accident v. some individuals that seem to thing AT = water crossing.

Keep us updated if you decide to go with a Vedder ESC. Curious if any issues arise and what remote you decided on. Open source software is a plus if a diy. Me. I'm lazy. Rather just ride.