Battery ON / OFF switch mounted on the handlebars

I have a electric bike with a 300 watt rear motor, 10 amp, 36 volt battery. I would like to mount a on/off switch on the handlebars. Would it possible to splice into the brake wires that turn the power off when braking. The switch I have now is 12 gauge wires and a toggle type switch. Or is there another way to do this. Right now I reach down with my left hand and use the key to turn it on and off. A handlebar switch would much nicer.
Thanks for any help with this.
Gumpahead

you could but a better setup would be with a relay. that way you dont need heavy gauge wire to the switch. even a switch that handles 20 amps or more is bulky :wink:

i use a car relay at 12volts i step the voltage down from 80volts with a power resister

cheers

If you have an infineon type controller, there is a small wire to power the controller. Amped bikes sells a really nice handle bar mounted switch for just this purpose.

if you look at your BMS, specifically the ping signalabs, there is a spot on the pcb where the trace for the circuit current goes through a white rectangle with two through holes in the pcb. this is a spot set up for a thermal switch to open the circuit current and shut off the discharge if the pack overheats.

you can use this spot for a low current switch which will shut off the pack at the BMS by cutting the trace open between the two holes and then wiring your switch up remotely to those two holes.

on will allow circuit current to flow so the BMS is active, and off or open will cause the circuit current to stop and BMS will shut off the output FETS and the battery is dead. you could use something as small as 26 gauge stranded to run the switch remotely up to your dashboard, or hide it somewhere only you would know so the bike could not be stolen under it's own power.

You can use the same circuit that works the keyswitch to shut off the controller. Cut one of the wires to the switch, and route it with more wire to your handlebar switch, then back to the key. Now you can shut off the controller with either the key or the switch on the bars.

No substitute for unpluging the battery when stored for very long though.

keycchain remote? :wink:

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Lots of handlebar mounted switches here:
http://www.batteryspace.com/switchesheatshrinkrubbertube.aspx

More here:
http://www.all-battery.com/electricalaccessories_1.aspx

More here:
source for handlebar mountable switches ?
Try the search box up in the top right corner for more handlebar mounted switches.