# Cordless & Electric SnowJoe Snow Blower not working on battery



## Bryn (Jan 26, 2021)

My well-intentioned relative used my SnowJoe on my driveway. The battery had run out of charge. He plugged in the snowblower WITH the battery still in it and finished the job. When I went back to use the thrower, I put the battery in, hit the DC button, pulled the lever and....nothing.

Batter shows fully charged
The chute controls and LED light both work when battery is in
Motor will not work
I am wondering if the battery is "fried" because it was in while using AC? Any insights are greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to SBF Bryn









I'm not the SnowJoe guy so forgive me. Is removing the battery to use it on 120 volt stated in the manual? 
When you got it back did you remove the battery, charge it and now it's showing full charge but not operating on battery?
Does it still work if it's plugged into the wall?
I'm wondering if there is a fuse that blew.
It seems like it would have a built in way to protect itself from linking the battery pack and the house current since they are different voltages.


.


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## Bryn (Jan 26, 2021)

Thanks Kiss4aFrog.

Removing battery when plugged in is in the manual
battery is charged. Motor does not work when _only _on battery but the chute control and LED light work. So it is getting _some _battery power
It works if plugged in
If a fuse blew, I am not even sure where to look


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

What is the model number of it?
Any chance it's in the manual ? Have you tired searching online ?

Of give them a call, email, ... Customer Support | Snow Joe® + Sun Joe®

.


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## Bryn (Jan 26, 2021)

Yep. Searched online, tried SnowJoe support and that failed thus far. May take a look and see if a wire kicked loose before I order a replacement battery. Never fails that it gives out when snow hits Chicago  Live and learn


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm just going by seat of the pants but if the charger is showing charged, when installed the charge level lights on the blower show charged and the headlight is working I'm not thinking it would be the battery. If the battery failed it should give you some indication on the charger of it being bad and when installed on the machine it should show low charge or recharge needed even after being on the charger overnight.
But I'm just guessing. I know someone on here pulled their SnowJoe apart and did a replacement of the motor control board or components on it. That would be the guy I hope shows up here. Maybe this evening.


.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

There's another fellow over on the repairs forum with the same exact issue. I responded to him but he has not come back yet... I fixed my friend's hybrid machine and helped another forum member figure out his similar issue a couple of years ago.

It sounds like the first 3 questions below are all yes in your case... If so, then your battery is just fine and I would suspect the D/C interlock switch.



tabora said:


> Does the LED work? How about the chute? Is the battery locked in tight?
> 
> Does your unit have the safety key? If so, did you pull and reinsert the it?
> There's a different interlock button for battery operation vs A/C operation. One on the outside and one on the inside of the switch unit. Watch this video at about 0:35:
> ...


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## kebmo (Jan 31, 2021)

Hey guys, sounds like I have exactly the same problem. DC interlock switch.
The unit was stuck in the _ON _mode, which is good. Snow joe sent me a new unit within a week of my contacting them.
The replacement unit worked for one pass and would not start back up in DC mode. Stuck in _off_ mode. Glad I still had the old unit.
So now I have 2 bad units. I think I will try to get a refund from SnowJoe. That probably won't happen.

Question for Tabora, Is the switch repair pretty simple?

Thanks,
Kebmo


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

kebmo said:


> Is the switch repair pretty simple?


It was on the switch I fixed. That one just had charred contacts.


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## J.b.w (Feb 16, 2021)

Same problem here guys. Running about 5 minutes on 1 inch of very dry snow right in the middle of a pass and just quit. Battery is good. When it quit it read 3 out of 4 bars but recharged it anyway and tried it again and nothing. Ac side still works. Dc side auger works, light works, but motor will not fire. So it could be the dc switch you have to press in while you pull down on the safety handle to start the motor?


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## kebmo (Jan 31, 2021)

I have two units not working properly. One is dead in DC mode. The other is working but the lever does nothing. To get it to stop I have to pull the battery.
The switches are good on both units. On the unit that runs, I pulled the wires out of the switch and it still works when the battery is in place.??? It's got me stumped.
At this point, Snow Joe is not responding to my E-mails.


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

Speaking of batteries. Looks like the Snow joe's batteries are made in China?
I have the Snow Joe power shovel that runs off the battery only.
I was going to pickup a spare battery just to have instead of waiting for a recharge.
But not after I saw the price for them and it seems like most come with a charger which I don't need.

Anyone know of a good source for buying just the battery for a decent price?
I need a 24VBAT-XR 5.0 Ah lithium battery.


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## J.b.w (Feb 16, 2021)

Ok. So got the vollt meter out. Battery fully charged 41.57 volts. So started tracing wires. And where I ended up was some kind of control board ontop of the motor. Had the 41 volts going in but nothing coming out. I tried looking around last night but couldn't find any results for control boards or controllers. So I don't even know what to call the thing but it's where my hybrid looses power on dc.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Big Ed said:


> Anyone know of a good source for buying just the battery for a decent price?
> I need a 24VBAT-XR 5.0 Ah lithium battery.


They seem to be out of stock most places for the moment...
Home Depot has 2.5Ah in stock for $58.88 Snow Joe 24-Volt 2.5 Ah Lithium Ion Battery-24VBAT-LT - The Home Depot
Joe's factory outlet has very few of the 5Ah for $79.99 Snow Joe + Sun Joe iON+ 24VBAT-XR EcoSharp® Pro Lithium-Ion Battery | 24 Volt | 5.0 Ah


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

J.b.w said:


> So got the vollt meter out.


So, did you verify that the D/C interlock switch was working with the Ω meter?


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## J.b.w (Feb 16, 2021)

tabora said:


> So, did you verify that the D/C interlock switch was working with the Ω meter?


Yep. Had 41 clear down to the board I pictured above.


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## J.b.w (Feb 16, 2021)

J.b.w said:


> Yep. Had 41 clear down to the board I pictured above.


Ohm'd the switch along with the 15 Amp relay ontop of motor right beside the board.


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

Congrats, Tabora!
Looks like your going to earn the mantle of 'Electric Snowblower Guru' with all the rights and privileges thereof!😉
All Hail!


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

J.b.w said:


> And where I ended up was some kind of control board ontop of the motor. Had the 41 volts going in but nothing coming out.





J.b.w said:


> Ohm'd the switch along with the 15 Amp relay ontop of motor right beside the board.


Looks like the controller is shot, then... A couple of other folks recently reported similar issues. Could be a bad batch of controllers out there.


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## briquan (12 mo ago)

Mine controller is gone too. SJ will not tell me where to buy this part.
Has anyone been able to find this controller?
Controller Board
102003000447
8414-660608-00



J.b.w said:


> Ok. So got the vollt meter out. Battery fully charged 41.57 volts. So started tracing wires. And where I ended up was some kind of control board ontop of the motor. Had the 41 volts going in but nothing coming out. I tried looking around last night but couldn't find any results for control boards or controllers. So I don't even know what to call the thing but it's where my hybrid looses power on dc.


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

Bryn said:


> My well-intentioned relative used my SnowJoe on my driveway. The battery had run out of charge. He plugged in the snowblower WITH the battery still in it and finished the job. When I went back to use the thrower, I put the battery in, hit the DC button, pulled the lever and....nothing.
> 
> Batter shows fully charged
> The chute controls and LED light both work when battery is in
> ...


Is It the early model with the safety key? check for two femal spade receptacle aside the battery box....If those are empty you need a key to plug in there


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

@HillnGullyRider, @Bryn has not been around for about a year, so you're unlikely to receive a response.


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## rbourassa.qc.ca (12 mo ago)

Well, 2 years ago, father in law got a Snow Joe Blower for birthday. Used it for about 3 months then motor stoped. Light worked and battery was ok. Called and they sent a new one. This winter he used it a total of 3 times. The last time, he plugged the battery in, took it out the shed and started blowing. Got 30 feet down is this supper light snow and it stopped dead. Light works and battery was all good at 4 bars still. Tested the switch and wires and 40 is going into the module but nothing going out to the motor. Has anyone tried to bypass the electronic board or may have a trick.


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## briquan (12 mo ago)

My 2018 40v model failed this winter. I only Used it 4-5x each winter.
Both batteries are fully charged. I put a meter to test the switch and connections.
I believe the culprit is a failed Motor control board.
It was out of warranty so called up customer service. Answer:_* "Sorry. We do not service nor sell replacement parts."*_
Offer: -20% on a new machine. very disappointed 
Open to your suggestions.
Here's is a trouble shooting video:
Snow Joe 18-inch Brushless 40V Cordless Snowblower- Not Working


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

This is the main reason why I don't recommend cordless snowblowers at this point (Even though I own 3). It's not that they don't work, or sketchy run time. It's not the very real issue of claimed battery longevity. Nope the main problem is the same one as buying any modern major appliances(although a little SS snowblower is in a different expense league, the same issue applies).

It's that little computerized circuit board that makes everything run. Even with the best well intentioned old school company names, they are now at the mercy of foreign mercantilism (the very same issue that was the main cause of the US revolutionary war). Even if these companies wanted to sell you that electronic replacement part, it simply can't be or will never be produced again because in all likelihood by the time it fails those offshore factories will have already retooled and moved on.

In Snow Joe's case, their entire service department consists of packaging a small stock of factory direct obvious wearables, for direct (shipped) consumer resale, and then a refurb unit in the Carolina's where all the returned machines go to get either spit polished, or cannibalized for refurbs. They do not sell parts from this unit(but I suspect they can get major parts, like the brain, airmailed from offshore). This would only be for their purposes, to minimize losses, honor warranty work etc...That is why, if your broke machine is still in production, they'll just send you a new one with a return postage label for your broke unit (you can guess this would get extremely costly for 2 stage sized pallets). That is why I think their plan might be to switch up two stage models every 3-5 years or so. 

To combat this, I purchased 2 identical SS machines at deep discounts....One to use and one to sit around until something breaks on the one I use. I have my own damn parts department!
On the two stage this is not possible unless I can find a used one for $200 that still mostly works, I scored it open box closeout, so a total loss is built into the equation from the jump. You can't really do this with EGO (yet) because their stuff is expensive from the start, so as a result I suspect there will be less volume sales.


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

rbourassa.qc.ca said:


> . Got 30 feet down is this supper light snow and it stopped dead.


.
I believe there is something in the manual that mentions NOT to immediately restart the machine after you've triggered overload.


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## briquan (12 mo ago)

Good points. These practises are terrible for the environment. It creates an incredible amount of wasted non-recyclables.
So to work their system, this would encrouage consumers to from buy a replacement machine, then swap out the broken one for return. 
I have no intention of doing this becasue I no longer have any confidence in this company. 




HillnGullyRider said:


> To combat this, I purchased 2 identical SS machines at deep discounts....One to use and one to sit around until something breaks on the one I use. I have my own damn parts department!
> On the two stage this is not possible unless I can find a used one for $200 that still mostly works, I scored it open box closeout, so a total loss is built into the equation from the jump. You can't really do this with EGO (yet) because their stuff is expensive from the start, so as a result I suspect there will be less volume sales.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

And I note that they also potted the power module, making it impossible to service as well. Beyond "customer unfriendly", that is more like "predatory" to guarantee an inability to repair!


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## briquan (12 mo ago)

This is pretty common in most electronics devices. If I ran a company I would want to protect my intellectual propert and design.
As a consumer I don't want throw-away products. I'll be happy to pay more for long term, servicable product.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

briquan said:


> This is pretty common in most electronics devices. If I ran a company I would want to protect my intellectual propert and design.
> As a consumer I don't want throw-away products. I'll be happy to pay more for long term, servicable product.


You assume that a product this simple actually has any intellectual property, as opposed to just using an off the shelf motor comtroller . . . That, and those who are most likely to steal tech won't be deferred by potting anyhow - when I was with Motorola, even back in the 80's, we were able to open semiconductor packages to do fault analysis _without_ harming them . . .

Frankly, about the only legitimate reason I can think to pot this is protection from the environment/moisture, and while this works, there are other ways as well (but likely not as cheap), and frankly, as "douchey" as it sounds, the mfg does itself no favors by aiding 3rd party service (at least putting ethics aside).

While I have not had hands on one of these blowers, I would assume that to get the power and efficiency needed, that they are using brushless motors, that typically have three phases (supported by the three power semiconductors in the photo). If that is truly the case, then motor control in this is likely just a variant of a standard RC brushless speed comtrol, which isn't exactly a proprietary circuit . . . . (although the software controlling it may be).

FWIW . . .


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