need help w/ controller placement and cutting wires ...

[flipper]

so on my scooter project ... does the controller need to be protected from the elements and if so, how? this is a replacement controller and doesn't fit inside the battery box like the old one did. think i'll have to afix it under the footplate or the front of the battery.
also: i have a lot of unused wires on the controller. i'd like to snip them all off. is there a proper procedure for the doing this to ensure no loose wires touch.

 

[indianajo]

I mounted the controller on my bike, left avatar, under the seat with the wires pointed down. The wires form a drip loop with tie-wraps. That has protected the controller from rain. Without a seat, you are going to have to build a box. Don't protect the controller from air flow; it has to lose heat to the air current.
Another controller came with too short wires to put under the seat, so I mounted it under the 6" wide battery and above the front fender. That controller burnt the pins into the wire harness in the rain. Do not buy an ASI controller, the pins are too close together. Unless you ride only in a desert.
The connector bodies keep the wires from shorting together. If you cut the bodies off the wires could very likely short against each other.

 

[harryS]

What I do with unused connectors is to cut the wires off off inside the controller, tape them up, and pull the connector/wire out and seal the hole.
.
On most KT controllers, the lid can come off if the end caps are removed. Your controller may not allow that,
.
While all these controllers use gaskets on the end caps and silicone on the wires, they are not necessarily waterproof. Perhaps because I opened mine, or perhaps not, I've lost several controllers to water ingress. Two occurred because I had them inside compartments that filled with water and it seeped in. Another I had by the rear wheel which continually splashed water at it, and it seeped in thru the harness, which was pointing upwards.
.
Learned from those mistakes, and I think I'm pretty protected.

 

[flipper]

I mounted the controller on my bike, left avatar, under the seat with the wires pointed down. The wires form a drip loop with tie-wraps. That has protected the controller from rain. Without a seat, you are going to have to build a box. Don't protect the controller from air flow; it has to lose heat to the air current.
Another controller came with too short wires to put under the seat, so I mounted it under the 6" wide battery and above the front fender. That controller burnt the pins into the wire harness in the rain. Do not buy an ASI controller, the pins are too close together. Unless you ride only in a desert.
The connector bodies keep the wires from shorting together. If you cut the bodies off the wires could very likely short against each other.

although i don't have a seat, i can mount it under the footplate. the wires wouldn't be pointed down; otoh, it would be protected from rain. the worry then would be puddle splashes from below but if i double up on the silicone waterproofing, maybe that'd be enough.

 

[flipper]

What I do with unused connectors is to cut the wires off off inside the controller, tape them up, and pull the connector/wire out and seal the hole.
.
On most KT controllers, the lid can come off if the end caps are removed. Your controller may not allow that,
.
While all these controllers use gaskets on the end caps and silicone on the wires, they are not necessarily waterproof. Perhaps because I opened mine, or perhaps not, I've lost several controllers to water ingress. Two occurred because I had them inside compartments that filled with water and it seeped in. Another I had by the rear wheel which continually splashed water at it, and it seeped in thru the harness, which was pointing upwards.
.
Learned from those mistakes, and I think I'm pretty protected.

thanks. i'll have a look inside the box. maybe i can just desolder the wires (or is that unsolder?).

 

[harryS]

Desoldering is the most elegant way. I did that on the first controller. Now I just cut the wire and put some heat shrink over the end.

 

[flipper]

Desoldering is the most elegant way. I did that on the first controller. Now I just cut the wire and put some heat shrink over the end.

i just ordered some liquid electric tape. hopefully that'll do the trick, too.

 

[PedalUma]

i just ordered some liquid electric tape. hopefully that'll do the trick, too.

Use water proof heat shrink tubing. Seal each wire in a pair or group with a pinch at the tip then seal each group. Do a search for bicycle controller box. It can then be sealed with gasket sealant or silicone. You can drill it and screw it to the underside of the deck. Use washers so you can tighten it down without over stressing the plastic.

 

[flipper]

thanks for the advice!