Okay to put a controller inside a battery box?

[morph999]

I'm trying to help someone install his controller. He wants to know if he can put the controller inside the battery box. If the controller touches the lifepo4 batteries, could the heat from the controller damage the batteries? I think his battery box is kind of small so I assume it would be right next to them. What should I tell him? Thanks

 

[slayer]

In my first instal i did that, i mean i put the controller in the ( battery ) bag and after 5 minutes riding the controller would cutoff, i guess there is a thermal fuse inside the controller to prevent overheating.

 

[morph999]

thanks

 

[Demosthenes]

Yeah I'm going to say bad idea, either heat from the controller will damage the batteries, or the other way around, heat from the batteries will damage the controller. It could be done if provided with enough air flow and all that, but it would be easier to find a more suitable place for the controller elsewhere.

 

[TMaster]

You shouldn't have the controller touching the batteries, but 1 or 2 inches away is fine. Also you need to have some kind of venting or air flow inside, even if it is minimal. I wouldnt have a totally sealed box with all that in there. Also, what kind of or brand of batteries are they? The A123's just get warm. Other lifepo4's may get hot.

My new setup has everything in the same box, but I have things vented.

 

[dogman dan]

Some have put controllers into battery boxes, but usually this was done in really wet climates where just a small vent in the box was enough to cool it. Having the controller actually touch the battery would make it possible to melt something if the controller got really hot. Most of us mount controllers where lots of air can hit it, on the frame, or mabye on the front side or top of the battery box if it's on a rack.