How to Clean and Waterproof Your Connectors

In plain English

Water and corrosion in connectors cause many communication errors, cut-outs and sensor faults. Most e-bike plugs are waterproof only when they're pushed fully together with their seals in good shape. A little routine care prevents a lot of problems.

Work from the top. Steps go from free and easy to shop jobs. Switch the bike off before touching any connector. Tick each step as you go. Your progress is saved on this device.

1. 1Switch off and remove the batteryFree Turn the display off, then take the battery out of its mount (or unplug it). Do this before touching any wires, brakes near the motor, or the rear wheel.
2. 2Pull each connector apartEasy Find the plugs along the cables (near the handlebar, down the frame and near the motor). Pull them apart by the plugs, not the wires.
3. 3Dry and cleanEasy Let wet plugs dry somewhere warm. Spray contact cleaner on green or white corrosion and let it evaporate. Check for bent or pushed-back pins.
4. 4Grease the seal, not the pinsEasy Put a thin coat of dielectric grease on the rubber seal or around the plug's rim. It keeps water out.
5. 5Push fully togetherEasy Line up the arrows and push until the plug clicks or the gap closes completely. A half-pushed plug isn't waterproof.
6. 6Add drip loopsEasy Route cables so they dip down before rising into a connector. Water then drips off instead of running into the plug.

Parts you might need

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Only buy a part if the free steps didn't fix it. Always match the voltage and connector type to your bike.

• Dielectric grease

  A thin coat on connector seals helps keep water out after you clean them.

  Link coming soon

• Electrical contact cleaner spray

  Cleans dirt and corrosion from connector pins and battery contacts.

  Link coming soon

• Cable ties

  Keep wires tidy and away from moving parts.

  Link coming soon