Charge Port Cover Issues

[dixie600mhz]

Has anyone else had a problem with the charge port door? I unplugged the charger yesterday and the flapper is now stuck open. Looks like the spring has slipped and is now pushing against the door closing.

What a shit design. There's enough slop in the plastic hinge to let the tiny spring slip past the stopper. I've fixed it three times today and everytime I open the charge door fully the spring slips.

I'm taping this mofo shut unless there's a design fix or revised replacement part.

 

[Geedog]

Hello, yeah mine broke the v 1st time I used it, I have always taped round it so no water can get in, I had it changed on warranty a couple of weeks ago, no painted ones available so had to have black, a shame as mine is also a project one. I agree that it is a poor design on such a great bit of kit. I also put electrical tape around the battery gap, keeps a lot of dust n water out.

 

[Mikerb]

That is a pathetic design but then most of the "flappy" charge port doors on other bikes are no better. Even with it closed it is clearly doing nothing to keep water and dust out!
On all my bikes ( with my Whyte being the only one with a decent charge port cover) I cover the port with Neoprene fixed to the frame with self adhesive HD velcro. ( see my thread called "Its a cover up" for an example)

 

[j_s]

Mine broke where its screwed to the frame. Lbs replaced it but Trek not interested in supplying for free. I did not knock it or anything so no idea how it broke. Just in case I charge the battery with the battery removed as the lbs suggested I did it just by pushing the plug in. Tells you all you need to know on how good the cover is

 

[fenwick458]

have any e-bikes got good charging port and plug solutions?
on my Wild FS the rubber flap takes 2 minutes of fiddling to get it to clip in. and if you try and do it quickly, it takes 3 minutes. and I snapped off one of the plastic prongs on the plug somehow after about a week and now it's really loose.
also my new E-road bike has the Mahle ebikemotion setup and that think just looks like I could break it with one stern look. it has tiny pins that look like they will get bent in no time, and it looks almost like it has no polarity yet it will only go in one way. so it's kind of like the old USB thats just incredibly frustrating to get in the right way the first time. thankfully it only needs a charge every 4th ride...

 

[j_s]

Pass. Will compare my other half's new Kinesis hybrid when we go to look at it on Wednesday, it's got the fazua motor/battery.

 

[TR5_20]

Has anyone else had a problem with the charge port door? I unplugged the charger yesterday and the flapper is now stuck open. Looks like the spring has slipped and is now pushing against the door closing.

What a shit design. There's enough slop in the plastic hinge to let the tiny spring slip past the stopper. I've fixed it three times today and everytime I open the charge door fully the spring slips.

Similar problem and solution in this video but maybe that's what you've already tried?

 

[Seabird55]

Has anyone found a more permanent fix for this while maintaining the use of the port? What a cheap mechanism….

 

[Rostle32]

Just tape the cover shut to stop the shite getting in!! ( because)
nearly all brands design them to be in the firing line of trail shite/water etc.
Fortunately!! Trek have leant naff-all from this issue and next years bike still has the shit design ! Progress !!NOT

 

[Mitch@Trek]

Just tape the cover shut to stop the shite getting in!! ( because)
nearly all brands design them to be in the firing line of trail shite/water etc.
Fortunately!! Trek have leant naff-all from this issue and next years bike still has the shit design ! Progress !!NOT

I looked into this on a Rail I have access to. I popped the cover off and the way the spring gets stuck open is from opening the flap all the way. If you are just opening it up 3/4 of the way to fit the plug, the spring shouldn't pop through between the face and the door.

 

[Rostle32]

I looked into this on a Rail I have access to. I popped the cover off and the way the spring gets stuck open is from opening the flap all the way. If you are just opening it up 3/4 of the way to fit the plug, the spring shouldn't pop through between the face and the door.

So ,we have to open the flap to 3/4 of the way to plug in the charging plug? Is that method in the 2022 user manual???
IF, that,s the correct way of charging the bike, why isnt there a STOP on the flap so it will not go past 3/4 open ??

 

[Paul Mac]

This isn't rocket science, simply make the tail of the spring 5 mm longer and problem is solved?

 

[Mitch@Trek]

So ,we have to open the flap to 3/4 of the way to plug in the charging plug? Is that method in the 2022 user manual???
IF, that,s the correct way of charging the bike, why isnt there a STOP on the flap so it will not go past 3/4 open ??

It was just a suggestion. However, even fully opened I couldn't make the spring pop out - this is on a 2021 Rail 9.8. Don't open it further than needed and it should be set in place and the tail of the spring will hold the frame of the charging port.

 

[dixie600mhz]

It was just a suggestion. However, even fully opened I couldn't make the spring pop out - this is on a 2021 Rail 9.8. Don't open it further than needed and it should be set in place and the tail of the spring will hold the frame of the charging port.

I have a 2021 rail 9.8XT and the flapper lasted about two weeks. Now it's permanently taped shut. Please find whoever it was in the company that made such a poor design and give them a nice hard kick to the nuts.

 

[villac]

Maybe velcro would work as your kludge, easier than tape to open close. My charger came with a velcro cord tidy that is about the right size, don't know if yours did

 

[Mikerb]

looking at the earlier photo of the charge port I would be equally concerned about the gap and lack of any sealing between the charge port and the frame. Water ingress there would go down the tube probably following the cable connected to the charge port to...........?

 

[Gman086]

Haha, I struggled with this as well - glad to know I'm not alone!

So... what I figured out is that the door is meant to go up and slide into a slot at the top so as it stays open when charging. After charing you pull the door straight BACK then release and it closes perfectly. If you don't do that, you wind up with the door sitting partially open like in the first pic of the thread.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[TR5_20]

Haha, I struggled with this as well - glad to know I'm not alone!

So... what I figured out is that the door is meant to go up and slide into a slot at the top so as it stays open when charging. After charing you pull the door straight BACK then release and it closes perfectly. If you don't do that, you wind up with the door sitting partially open like in the first pic of the thread.

Have FUN!

G MAN

Thanks for that.
Just had a look, it is very subtle on my bike with not much movement needed to get it clicked into the open position.
Would never have known without your post.