cool battery box

[urace4me2]

Camping world (online) sells a bike rack "trunk" that makes a nice locking battery box. A bit expensive (~$40) but looks very cool and bolts down solid especially if you upgrade the bolts to stainless 1/4-20 with lock nuts. http://www.swagman.net/product_bikeaccess1.html. I put a layer of dense foam (shop floor pad) between the box and rack to dampen the vibration a bit. Did a search first before posting and didn't see it here. A good battery box for 48 volts worth of 12 AH SLA's has been a tough find for me. Finally got it! Looks very stealthy.

Hope this helps.


Jim

 

[John in CR]

I use one meant for the back of a motorcycle, which works great. Just be sure your batteries are strapped down through the box directly to your frame, or a big hole or bump can make your batteries destroy the plastic box. I shattered my first one over a bump with only a 25lb lithium brick pack, because I only had the battery strapped internally to the box.

John

 

[urace4me2]

I had wondered about that and will do so now.
Plenty of time to monkey with it.
With a sore shoulder, riding is out. Thanks.

 

[u2metoo]

I use one meant for the back of a motorcycle, which works great. Just be sure your batteries are strapped down through the box directly to your frame, or a big hole or bump can make your batteries destroy the plastic box. I shattered my first one over a bump with only a 25lb lithium brick pack, because I only had the battery strapped internally to the box.

John

I just took a peak at ebay for scooter trunks and there are scads of neato glossy finished/small boxes. If I get into this ebike thing, I might going this route. My concerns are the weight, the bulky size, correctly installing it on a bicycle rack, and not being able to use panniers. It looks like some of are equipped with lights, which would make for a kewl hack.

Anybody else using scooter trunks???

 

[Zoot Katz]

I just took a peak at ebay for scooter trunks and there are scads of neato glossy finished/small boxes. If I get into this ebike thing, I might going this route. My concerns are the weight, the bulky size, correctly installing it on a bicycle rack, and not being able to use panniers. It looks like some of are equipped with lights, which would make for a kewl hack.

Anybody else using scooter trunks???

Welcome to ES. A few days of reading the archives can really spin your head.
What do you mean by "if"? :? Go ride one if you haven't already done so.

Scooter trunks are a good suggestion. Some people have already employed them.
Patriot built up a sweet road bike that used one. He modified the interior and beefed up the hinges.

A thick dense pad between the box and rack could allow clearance for standard pannier hooks.

I love P-clips. aka "cable clamps" for mounting flat stuff to round stuff. The insulated steel ones are better than the plastic ones for holding the weight.
Digikey or some other supplier of electronic parts may have them in eighth inch increments.

 

[u2metoo]

Welcome to ES. A few days of reading the archives can really spin your head.
What do you mean by "if"? :? Go ride one if you haven't already done so.

A thick dense pad between the box and rack could allow clearance for standard pannier hooks.

I love P-clips. aka "cable clamps" for mounting flat stuff to round stuff. The insulated steel ones are better than the plastic ones for holding the weight.
Digikey or some other supplier of electronic parts may have them in eighth inch increments.

Thanks Zoot Katz. You have some brilliant suggestions there.

I'm looking at a BMC V2 with a 48V 20 AH setup. It looks like the smaller sized scooter trunks will a hold battery this size. If I port out one these trunks, and aim the airflow properly (inflow and exhaust), I'm wondering if I could safely mount the controller inside??? Mind you I live in Phoenix, and we are kicking it at around 110 degrees right now.

 

[Zoot Katz]

. . . I'm wondering if I could safely mount the controller inside??? Mind you I live in Phoenix, and we are kicking it at around 110 degrees right now.

Get a white one and a fan.

 

[Toorbough ULL-Zeveigh]

got 5 pages worth of hits searching for 'swagman', here's 2 of the better threads on the subject:
(thought maybe they got deleted, u never know)
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3804
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3797

 

[onemintyulep]

I got a scooter trunk. But from an E-Scooter It's small.

They are readily available because the E-Scooters tend to dissolve. I do not think that it matches the title of the thread, though :lol:

 

[nineball]

They look good but the high CG is not good for balance, 40lbs that high up is not fun.

 

[mrgarci1]

Mind you I live in Phoenix, and we are kicking it at around 110 degrees right now.

You should come to the Phoenix Electric Auto Association meeting this saturday - it's at 10am, ASU downtown campus, in the University Center building room 271, it's like 2 blocks south of the Phx Farmers Market, Van Buren and Central I think. We meet the last saturday of the month. It's a great group, very good source of information (not to mention serious deals on thundersky batteries and machine-shop time, I've just found out), and if you want, you can take my ebike for a test ride

 

[u2metoo]

I got a scooter trunk. But from an E-Scooter It's small.

They are readily available because the E-Scooters tend to dissolve. I do not think that it matches the title of the thread, though :lol:

That's what I'm talking about.

Did you mount your controller inside the box?

Did the center of gravity take some getting used to?

 

[u2metoo]

Mind you I live in Phoenix, and we are kicking it at around 110 degrees right now.

You should come to the Phoenix Electric Auto Association meeting this saturday - it's at 10am, ASU downtown campus, in the University Center building room 271, it's like 2 blocks south of the Phx Farmers Market, Van Buren and Central I think. We meet the last saturday of the month. It's a great group, very good source of information (not to mention serious deals on thundersky batteries and machine-shop time, I've just found out), and if you want, you can take my ebike for a test ride

Thanks for the invite.

This might just work. If the market it is open I could prolly talk the Mrs. into heading down there, and then I could give her the hard sell on why I need an ebike.

 

[mrgarci1]

If the market it is open I could prolly talk the Mrs. into heading down there, and then I could give her the hard sell on why I need an ebike.

The market will be open (i'll probably stop by the market before the meeting) - hope to see you there!

 

[onemintyulep]

That's what I'm talking about.

Did you mount your controller inside the box?

Did the center of gravity take some getting used to?

The bike is arkward to carry with 8kg of lead up there (I also got the motor on the rear wheel) but it's fine to ride. It needs to be padded so the batteries sit snug - I have my batteries (2x12V/12Ah)in a cooling bag which provides padding. The thing is fixed with 2 screws and a metal bar which is not enough, it needed 2 extra holes and a cable binder.
Controller is outside fixed to the carrier. Mainly for accessability.

One not so obvious thing is to make the cable from the controller long enough to plug it into the battery conveniently after the battery is in there. And make sure that it opens wide enough, it may be blocked by the saddle. This is the battery pack that goes in the box btw.:

 

[vanilla ice]

I bought one of the ones in the original post. Also have a motor scooter type box, but its way wider than the bicycle one. BTW I think I can get a good deal on the wider motor scooter ones..