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Step 11The Switchbox - Part 2 & Mounting the Battery Pack
The switchbox was built awhile back, now it is time to finally connect some power and EL Wire to it.
I have three switches for my bike. One for the EL Wire, the second for the front-headlamp, and the third for the LED strips, which we will get to later. All three will connect to the switchbox via 9v Snap-On connectors, and can be inter-changeable as far as flipping the switches goes.
Wiring Process
The switchbox already has the red wire supplying positive electricity to each switch. All of the components will use the same negative (black wire) that goes to the 9v Snap-On connector on the white plug. I cut open an ethernet cord to get three different colored wires, orange, blue, and green, to help make wiring easier. The orange, blue, and green wires will be soldered to the second terminal of each respective toggle switch. At the bottom I have a picture showing how polarity reverses with each connection between the 9v connectors, just something to be aware of when planning your wiring.
Switchbox - > Battery Pack Extension
This is the simple part, we need an extension wire to connect the battery pack to switchbox's plug. The colors will need to be alternated once (red->black, black->red) for this extension. I have the switchbox sitting inside my seat, and the battery pack on the side of the Seat Tube. Guesstimate, cut, solder, and heat-shrink the extension for your bike.
Three Component 9v-Connectors
Each component (headlamp, EL wire, and LED strips) will have their own 9v-Connector that leads to the switchbox. The three connectors coming from the switchbox should all be wired with the same polarity, just as each of the components. This way, the 9v-Connectors are interchangeable with one another, and there is no chance for accidentally frying a component due to the wrong polarity. For connecting the switchbox wires (orange, green, blue) to my 9v connectors, the black wires (round circle on the connector) went to each of my colored wires. The red wires (hexagon) from all three connectors were soldered into a bundle and attached to a common negative (ground) coming from the battery pack. See the below picture to better visualize it.
Testing Connections
Connect your extension wire from the battery pack to the switchbox, and the Inverter's 9v connector to one of the component connectors and flip the switches, one of them should turn it off or on. Test it across all three switches, to make sure they all work.
Mounting the Switchbox
All the soldering work is done, the hardest part of this install was getting the Switchbox mounted inside of my seat. Since I want it to be accessible at any point during a ride, having it in my seat I can at any point reach down and flick a switch. You don't have to use your seat if you don't want to, but it still needs to be mounted somewhere, and I used Zip-Ties.
I have the 9v plug of my Switchbox facing behind me, and the component wires emerging at the seat pole, wrapping around the seat tube to The Triangle where it will power everything. I placed two zip ties under the switchbox plate (but trapped by the screws), tightened the screws, put the zip-ties around the metal bars of my seat, and tightened them until it held solid.
Mounting the Battery Pack
I originally attached it directly behind the Seat Tube. However whenever I land a hard jump and max out my rear suspension, it would bump into my rear tire. I ended up having to place it entirely on the right side (since my primary gear cable is on the left). Make sure it is mounted high enough that when your suspension activates it won't slam into the battery pack. For me, it had to go above the Top Tube.
You'll need a ton of tension on the Zip-Ties to hold the battery pack strongly. So tight in-fact, that as it slides around, it may scrape the paint off your bike. For this reason, I suggest wrapping a bit of electrical tape around your frame where the zip-ties will attach. Since electrical tape over time becomes gooey, two alternate methods are: Handlebar Tape, and hard putty.
Test Switches and EL Wire, Show Off the Bike
I have some pictures below showing the bike after completing this step of the instructable.
I have three switches for my bike. One for the EL Wire, the second for the front-headlamp, and the third for the LED strips, which we will get to later. All three will connect to the switchbox via 9v Snap-On connectors, and can be inter-changeable as far as flipping the switches goes.
Wiring Process
The switchbox already has the red wire supplying positive electricity to each switch. All of the components will use the same negative (black wire) that goes to the 9v Snap-On connector on the white plug. I cut open an ethernet cord to get three different colored wires, orange, blue, and green, to help make wiring easier. The orange, blue, and green wires will be soldered to the second terminal of each respective toggle switch. At the bottom I have a picture showing how polarity reverses with each connection between the 9v connectors, just something to be aware of when planning your wiring.
Switchbox - > Battery Pack Extension
This is the simple part, we need an extension wire to connect the battery pack to switchbox's plug. The colors will need to be alternated once (red->black, black->red) for this extension. I have the switchbox sitting inside my seat, and the battery pack on the side of the Seat Tube. Guesstimate, cut, solder, and heat-shrink the extension for your bike.
Three Component 9v-Connectors
Each component (headlamp, EL wire, and LED strips) will have their own 9v-Connector that leads to the switchbox. The three connectors coming from the switchbox should all be wired with the same polarity, just as each of the components. This way, the 9v-Connectors are interchangeable with one another, and there is no chance for accidentally frying a component due to the wrong polarity. For connecting the switchbox wires (orange, green, blue) to my 9v connectors, the black wires (round circle on the connector) went to each of my colored wires. The red wires (hexagon) from all three connectors were soldered into a bundle and attached to a common negative (ground) coming from the battery pack. See the below picture to better visualize it.
Testing Connections
Connect your extension wire from the battery pack to the switchbox, and the Inverter's 9v connector to one of the component connectors and flip the switches, one of them should turn it off or on. Test it across all three switches, to make sure they all work.
Mounting the Switchbox
All the soldering work is done, the hardest part of this install was getting the Switchbox mounted inside of my seat. Since I want it to be accessible at any point during a ride, having it in my seat I can at any point reach down and flick a switch. You don't have to use your seat if you don't want to, but it still needs to be mounted somewhere, and I used Zip-Ties.
I have the 9v plug of my Switchbox facing behind me, and the component wires emerging at the seat pole, wrapping around the seat tube to The Triangle where it will power everything. I placed two zip ties under the switchbox plate (but trapped by the screws), tightened the screws, put the zip-ties around the metal bars of my seat, and tightened them until it held solid.
Mounting the Battery Pack
I originally attached it directly behind the Seat Tube. However whenever I land a hard jump and max out my rear suspension, it would bump into my rear tire. I ended up having to place it entirely on the right side (since my primary gear cable is on the left). Make sure it is mounted high enough that when your suspension activates it won't slam into the battery pack. For me, it had to go above the Top Tube.
You'll need a ton of tension on the Zip-Ties to hold the battery pack strongly. So tight in-fact, that as it slides around, it may scrape the paint off your bike. For this reason, I suggest wrapping a bit of electrical tape around your frame where the zip-ties will attach. Since electrical tape over time becomes gooey, two alternate methods are: Handlebar Tape, and hard putty.
Test Switches and EL Wire, Show Off the Bike
I have some pictures below showing the bike after completing this step of the instructable.
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