Can I mount 18650 batteries inside my handlebars?

[HypnoToad]

Has anyone done this?

I was going to put 2 x 18650's down each end of the bar, and use them to power things like lights, etc.

My handlebars are thin walled so there is enough room for the cells, and some insulation.

Is there anything to worry about by doing this? I plan to wrap the cells in heatshrink or electrical tape, and then use cardboard in order to get a tight fit.

 

[wesnewell]

The only thing that would concern me would be the heat inside the bar. With black handlebars, it would probably exceed 200F inside them around here. Sunny and 105F is forecast for tomorrow.

 

[hillzofvalp]

wrap them in tape a few times first. make sure tubes can breathe

 

[dogman dan]

Oughta work. Just make sure they don't flop around in there chafing the wire. Presumably on wire will have to run alongside the pack. I'd say best bet is to make that wire a flat strip of copper. Heat shrink the two cells, run the strip, more heat shrink. If that's not too much thickness that is. I suppose + could exit the bars out one grip and the - the other. Or small holes in the bars could be drilled.

Less into the clean look than that myself, seems like a lot of trouble to hide two tiny cells.

 

[Drunkskunk]

I used to hide a patch kit, money in my bar. I've seen horns that kept there batteries in the bar. Sounds like a good plan for your batteries.

 

[MattyCiii]

I used to hide a patch kit, money in my bar. I've seen horns that kept there batteries in the bar. Sounds like a good plan for your batteries.

Smart!
They have small GPS trackers that fit in handlebars, I read somewhere, for theft recovery.

I've been eyeing my handlebars as a place to put a DC/DC converter. Drill a small hole near the center, run that to Cycle Analyst's power takeoff. Run wire out to the left and right bar ends for "headlights". The problem is finding a DC/DC small enough.

Sorry to go all OT. I think batteries in the handlebars is brilliant if you can pull it off.

 

[HypnoToad]

The only thing that would concern me would be the heat inside the bar. With black handlebars, it would probably exceed 200F inside them around here. Sunny and 105F is forecast for tomorrow.

It's a little cooler in the UK, but even so I'll do my best to keep my handlebars cool. I've switched out Alu bars for steel ones, as the steel bars have a larger ID and also are less thermally conductive than Alu bars.

Oughta work. Just make sure they don't flop around in there chafing the wire. Presumably on wire will have to run alongside the pack. I'd say best bet is to make that wire a flat strip of copper. Heat shrink the two cells, run the strip, more heat shrink. If that's not too much thickness that is. I suppose + could exit the bars out one grip and the - the other. Or small holes in the bars could be drilled.

Less into the clean look than that myself, seems like a lot of trouble to hide two tiny cells.

It may seem like a lot of hassle but I will be using this bike as daily transport so clean works for me.

The copper strip is a good idea, as It is quite a tight squeeze so I may not manage 2 layers of heatshrink, but even with the copper strip touching the bars inside it will be safe as the grounds between my motor's battery and the accessory battery is common. I can make it so the copper strip is ground.

Drilling small holes in the bars is a good idea, as I was originally planning to have the wires coming out the ends of the bars, which isn't ideal as the wires could be easily damaged in a minor accident where the handlebar ends come into contact with a wall or the road.

I used to hide a patch kit, money in my bar. I've seen horns that kept there batteries in the bar. Sounds like a good plan for your batteries.

Nice, I feel like less of a lab rat now!

Once I get something installed I'll post some pics, I have some 17670 cells also that I'm going to start off with, then go up to 18650's once I've got my wiring sorted.