How to attach these Alu Motor Control boxes to Giant MTB frames

[Charliefox]

I just received a parcel from E Life Bike Co.China. In it is a Bafang rear hub motor and theController/throttle. I added 2 large battery/controller plastic boxes which would fit a tubular frame using the bottle carrier screws. I wonder if Chinese bikes have these bottle bosses further apart than ALL my 11 bikes as the boxes I got had fittings 13-14cms apart.Has anyone drilled and threaded an extra hole in their expensive alloy frame? Mine is a Full Suspension Trance one. Is it okay to hide away the alloy cased controller in a sealed plastic box. Would it get too hot perhaps? Also my Giant Frame has big, non circular downframe...more triangular. Anyone found a good, secure way to attach the bog standard controller case...a perforated strip at each end onto such a frame.Cable ties are all well and good but easily cut.I want it to look reasonable too.
PS. I would have bought the kit in the UK, really! but I was unable to source the Bafang rear hub with cassette fitting at the normal dropout width. It means I can keep my 9 speed rear cluster,chain and gear shifters which goes some way towards the extra cost of the unit. I intend to try carrying the LiPol 36v carrier mounted battery I already had, in a small rucksack and use a flymo type cable connector. With cable on either side well secured to frame or rucksack.My memory of those orange rubber plug and sockets is that they came apart easily, but not too easily!

 

[Alan Quay]

I just received a parcel from E Life Bike Co.China. In it is a Bafang rear hub motor and theController/throttle. I added 2 large battery/controller plastic boxes which would fit a tubular frame using the bottle carrier screws. I wonder if Chinese bikes have these bottle bosses further apart than ALL my 11 bikes as the boxes I got had fittings 13-14cms apart.Has anyone drilled and threaded an extra hole in their expensive alloy frame? Mine is a Full Suspension Trance one. Is it okay to hide away the alloy cased controller in a sealed plastic box. Would it get too hot perhaps? Also my Giant Frame has big, non circular downframe...more triangular. Anyone found a good, secure way to attach the bog standard controller case...a perforated strip at each end onto such a frame.Cable ties are all well and good but easily cut.I want it to look reasonable too.
PS. I would have bought the kit in the UK, really! but I was unable to source the Bafang rear hub with cassette fitting at the normal dropout width. It means I can keep my 9 speed rear cluster,chain and gear shifters which goes some way towards the extra cost of the unit. I intend to try carrying the LiPol 36v carrier mounted battery I already had, in a small rucksack and use a flymo type cable connector. With cable on either side well secured to frame or rucksack.My memory of those orange rubber plug and sockets is that they came apart easily, but not too easily!

Flymo connector: I'm not sure how much current they are rated for, I'd guess 10amp. Anderson Powerpole, 30 amp are the best bet. They come apart easily if you forget to disconnect or have a spill.

 

[baldylox]

I added some rivnuts on my trance x2 (2010) frame, easy to do and very secure in order to mount battery on the triangular-ish down tube with m5 bolts.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The easiest thing is to add a new rivnut with the correct spacing. You can get then from Ebay for next to nothing. Drill a hile, stick it in and you're home and dry.

 

[Charliefox]

The easiest thing is to add a new rivnut with the correct spacing. You can get then from Ebay for next to nothing. Drill a hile, stick it in and you're home and dry.

I Never heard of a rivnut before. Unhappy about drilling into the fancy frame before trying...wait for it...1 bolt into existing hole and using some incredibly tacky caravan mastic left over from fitting new window vents.It goes harder on exposure to air..probably not much good in the Sahara though! I discovered that the Trance frame is sort of rounded triangular on the downtube so some packing with mastic is necessary. On a totally different note (are you allowed this?) The Bafung E-CST-R-350 motor has 3 power and 6 sensor wires. there is a white one that is not mentioned in the wiring diags. Any ideas?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It's the wire for the hub-speed sensor, but the sensor is often not fitted, so the wire isn't connected. You have to look at the listing to see if your motor includes the speed sensor.

There's no harm in drilling your frame for a rivnut. After all, the Manufacturer did it for the bottle and rack fixings.

 

[baldylox]

As d8veh says, there's no problem with drilling and fitting a rivnut into the frame (I fitted two), exactly what the manufacturer did for the bottle cage. Check info (in oxydrive thread) on my trance x build with the oxydrive kit, if you need confirmation that it can be done on the trance frame (no need for mastic packing or such); you got it!