Panniers or Wire Baskets ....

[diverdon]

       Hello all , Hoping someone can give me some advice . As there are some experienced bike builders here for sure . I have been thinking of using A set of Panniers to hold the batteries .. Thinking 2 on each side .. Try to keep them low .. On the back of course ..

      Just today I ran into a picture of rear Baskets . Now I'm thinking of using them instead as they would be more ridgid for the batteries and not sway around like a bag might ..

       Anyone seen this before or have any advice on this for me ?? Please ? Thanks .. Don J.

[e-lmer]

I put batteries in panniers when I started, but at 36V I had to put
two on one side and one on the other.  It was unbalanced and made
riding tougher even tho the center of gravity is lower.

Now I have one LiFePO4 pack up high, and it's perfect.
(It would be cool to balance two 24V packs when I go to 48V, but
G.M. doesn't have high AH 24V packs. (Hint Hint. ) )

Anyway, that would be the way to go, mount two of them
low like exhaust pipes on a motorcycle.

One thing to worry about, most racks don't hold heavy weights well.
I am thinking of a battery suspension rack instead of just baskets.

[diverdon]

I put batteries in panniers when I started, but at 36V I had to put
two on one side and one on the other.  It was unbalanced and made
riding tougher even tho the center of gravity is lower.

Now I have one LiFePO4 pack up high, and it's perfect.
(It would be cool to balance two 24V packs when I go to 48V, but
G.M. doesn't have high AH 24V packs. (Hint Hint. ) )

Anyway, that would be the way to go, mount two of them
low like exhaust pipes on a motorcycle.

One thing to worry about, most racks don't hold heavy weights well.
I am thinking of a battery suspension rack instead of just baskets.

    Hi Elmer , Thanks for the reply .. are you saying the wire basket idea sounds good  I sorta like it . Be stronger . won't flap around in the breeze or get into the spokes . I found some small ones that are just big enough to hold the batteries and have some room on top of them ..  here's a link to the baskets .. I think .. Thanks Again , Don J.



 

[diverdon]

     Thank You Very Much ... 3:30 AM off to work in a few minnutes but I will for sure look into this .. Thanks Again , This sounds like just the Ticket , Don J.

[diverdon]

       Hi Citiworker ,

            Cool looking bike on your "Avitair?" How can I see the full size Pic ?

      I'm gonna use the wire baskets the leathe saddlebags really look cool but I am sorta on a budget . I get paid 1 weeks pay every 2 weeks . Ha!

      The wire look doesn't bother me anyhow .. At 53 yrs old I for 1 don't care so much about looking good on my "Ride" .. Just want something that works...

     My decesion was between "panniers" or the baskets .. I feel the baskets will be stronger for the weight of 2 SLA Batteries and I was worried about the bags swaying around and getting into the spokes .. I could be wrong thou ..

      Well thanks for listening again . so is your bike in the pictures section I would like to see it . Did you build it yourself

      Thanks Again ... Don J.

[Electrobent]

I have the wire baskets on the back of my recumbent and had attached the batteries to the fronts of the two baskets to save basket room for cargo and to get the batteries closer to my butt which I am assuming to be center of gravity of the loaded bike.  

In my move from 36V to 48V, I took my NiMH D cells, took the pre-made packs apart, and sandwiched them between two pieces of plastic with cavities milled in them to hold the ends of the batteries and the wires between them. I used 1/4 ground braid soldered to the tabs pre-spot welded to the cells to connect two "sandwiches" of 20 cells each.  I did this to separate the cells so that they could cool.  I got this idea after going to the Honda Hybrid Junk Yard in Los Angeles.

Right now I have the two packs resting on foam in my baskets.  My plan is to figure out how to hang them in front of the baskets.  I want to spring them as well.  

Right now I am waiting on the slow boat from China with my new wheel on it.  Once I get the system running I will ride the bike to work where the machinist (who made the "bread" for the sandwiches) will help me figure something out.