DIY controller housing?

[anon4]

I have a 48v hailing battery arriving for my Vulcan tomorrow. The controller box I ordered is coming from China so could be a while. Anything I could use in the meantime that's sturdier than a crappy frame bag?

 

[awol]

A saddle bag with a wire hole in the bottom, something like these. Obviously check the sizes are suitable for your controller though.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RockBros-Bicycle-Bag-Saddle-Bag-Rear-Seatpost-Bag-For-Bike-With-Bottle-Pocket/253121760916?_trkparms=aid=555017&algo=PL.CASSINI&ao=1&asc=55149&meid=1d637a23ad8743e7b7230c47bc94f2c1&pid=100505&rk=1&rkt=1&&itm=253121760916&_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-MTB-Mountain-Road-Bike-Saddle-Bag-Seat-Pouch-Bicycle-Rear-Storage-UK/123443177819?_trkparms=aid=555017&algo=PL.CASSINI&ao=1&asc=20151005190705&meid=3040b51d760d44348dcec21668512e59&pid=100506&rk=1&rkt=1&&itm=123443177819&_trksid=p2045573.c100506.m3226

 

[Andy-Mat]

I have a 48v hailing battery arriving for my Vulcan tomorrow. The controller box I ordered is coming from China so could be a while. Anything I could use in the meantime that's sturdier than a crappy frame bag?

If it was me, I would make a box from plywood, glued and screwed together. Might even be better looking than the plastic one....
Can be painted or clear varnish.....
regards
Andy

 

[anon4]

Thanks, any other ideas? It needs to sit near the bottom bracket as the wiring is fairly short

 

[anotherkiwi]

Heat is your number two enemy, water is your number one enemy. With those factors in mind:

- Plywood does not conduct heat.
- if you use a bag it must be big enough to contain plenty of air
- bags need to be vented without letting water in
- commercial plastic controller boxes get hot inside

 

[Nealh]

Integrated controller/battery mounting .

 

[Andy-Mat]

Heat is your number two enemy, water is your number one enemy. With those factors in mind:

- Plywood does not conduct heat.
- if you use a bag it must be big enough to contain plenty of air
- bags need to be vented without letting water in
- commercial plastic controller boxes get hot inside

If you need to cool the battery, but I must admit that in almost 10 years of e-biking I have never noticed much heat from any of the Li-ion batteries I have owned, but naturally, if your battery does get hot and that it is a concern, small holes, low down and maybe a tiny fan (CPU Type), should sort that out easily. See here:-
http://www.ebikeschool.com/extend-electric-bicycles-range-keeping-battery-cool/
Furthermore, if some battery types get warm/hot (not good for any battery type as the answer above suggests), then possibly a small, cheap thermometer might be considered to be installed.
Remember, heating up dramatically, is a sign of "INEFFICIENCY" in any battery, and really should not happen.
I am also careful in summer, to avoid leaving my bike in the sun, but even last year, with a white bike (black may heat up quite dramatically!), I could easily rest my hand on any part of the bike, especially the battery compartment. It was basically cool, no sensation of heat, even after a 20 mile ride. But I do have high quality cells.
But your comments need wise consideration and for each of us to be careful and due concern must be given.
I found a good and accurate website talking really good sense about Li-ion batteries, the link is below, but it must be stated here that a Li-ion batteries, when correctly sized and used, do not get dangerously hot on their own. The website does not even mention the problems, which fits in with my knowledge.
Physical damage, external heating effects like the Sun or a bad storage place, can cause a battery to overheat and maybe catch fire. Also, the quality of the manufacturing plays a huge role, as there is a lot of "cheap c**p" around!
Also, some re-sellers make vast claims just to up their prices! Don't get caught!
I myself prefer a good name of battery, with maybe lower "claimed "performance, for a reasonable price.....
I have never "lost" a battery myself, my last bike was sold with the original battery still working, at 7 years old! As good as still full capacity, but I do know how to "treat" batteries as well.
But I have also seen the fires caused by some biker's batteries on Youtube videos, UGH!!
https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/lithium-ion-battery2.htm
I feel that it will be very easy to build a good quality box, with all the features needed, for very little money! Only some common senseis needed anda small amount of DIY woodworking knowledge.
By the way, I possess a MIG welder, and I could build one in metal quite easily if I so wished, but wood appeals to me personally far more......
And if you have no welder, and/or no knowledge of welding, the wooden one must appeal!!
Regards to all for a great 2019!
Andy

 

[JPGiant]

Will this do...
BOX

 

[anotherkiwi]

Instead of gluing the heatsink to the controller I might just screw it on in place of the original cover. Inside this KT 15 amp controller there are 7 x 50v caps, my guess is you would need to replace them all if you want to run at 48 v so it is just much easier to get a 48v controller instead. My other 36v controller handles 49.8v so far with no issues.



The messy end (sorry bout bad photo quality), but you can see it is best to add the waterproof plugs soldered to the wires after they exit the controller.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Will this do...
BOX

I have one and it gets pretty hot in there during the summer. Hot enough to put the controller in thermal protection mode. You might have more luck in the UK...

 

[Nealh]

My KT is in a Alpkit frame/top tube under slung bag and gets warm esp in summer and like AK mentioned suffers thermal cut out so to prevent this I have fitted a pair of 5v micro fans on an additional finned heat sink and run the fans off a separate 2p 1s battery I welded with a 1s bms.

 

[anon4]

Will this do...
BOX

That's the box coming from China, just got it in a frame bag for now. It's only a 13a controller (pulls 16a according to screen though) so shouldn't go into meltdown that easy. Besides it got hot enough in the phlyion box to melt my bullets closed and still works fine