Materials for DIY Battery Bag

I'm looking for advice about material for a DIY battery bag.

Battery weight will be about 10kg.

Materials I've seen recommended for a DIY bag are:

• X-PAC V21 for the main panels

• Cordura OR nylon webbing for contact points against the frame

• Sewn together with nylon upholstery thread

Will this be strong enough for a 10kg battery?

Would you recommend any different materials?

The guide I'm following is here https://bikepacking.com/gear/how-to-make-a-bikepacking-framebag-krampus/

Design looks fine, and upholstery thread should do the trick, with the matching needle.

10 kg battery? that sounds a bit large for the space. But if it fits the hole the bag should do it. It will need some serious padding though, so the normal bonks of life on the road does not damage the cells. Old political or garage sale signs made of the plastic cardboard make great protectors for the sides of the battery.

EM3 EV used to sell a really good battery frame bag. Used one for quite some time with about 6kg inside. It was cordura outside, with foam and thinner nylon inside.

Rip proof fabric was $30-40/meter (Canadian $) from major retailer Fabricland as of a week ago.
Jean material for a patch job was the same price, but bought $4/meter fabric and never used it as I stitched through iron on patch, for lined jeans. Have to stitch a good, heavy winter jackets hood that ripped the same way, iron on patch.

The thread I bought wasnt the best, all the ladies said its fine though but I broke a thread. It was normal $4.99 thread, SU900 or something, 900 was in there. Get good thread, and triple stitch it, but best to use a sewing machine as my fingers were buggered but I used a regular needle. Buy jean needles with larger thread hole and a metal thumb thingy if by hand which will be a b!tch. See if there are any sewing clubs around, usually some smaller fabric stores will have a sewing club, see if you can rent the sewing machine using it in store, and get the ladies or as usual the gay guy to set it up give you a quick pointers. I just refuse to pay $80 for new lined jeans and $150 for a new heavy jacket.

Probably have to talk to the ladies/gay guy about how to reinforce the seams. I think theres a backer, theres so much stuff in the stores man, I feel self conscience just walking in there.

For heavy (ballistic) nylon or polyester canvas a sail makers machine is required. I happen to have one of those btw. Mine is a fancy commercial machine with straight and zig-zag stitches lol. Yes, triple stitch, but that is a speciality stitch that sail makers machines generally don't have. The equivalent is stitching through the same holes twice.

For hand stitching use a leather awl. Plenty to choose from on fleabay for a few bucks. Buy a kit. Learn to use it.

For cheap merkins like markz who won't even buy a decent pair of jeans welded PVC canvas works. :thumb: The same stuff used for swimming pool liners. Welding can be done with plumbers PVC primer and cement with at least 2" overlap clamping the joins as you go.

Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl

Forum member TDB above brings an interesting suggestion (swimming pool liner).

Similarly, could use Oatey shower pan liner (obtainable at big box store) and their solvent:

"Q – How do I seam two pieces of liner together?
 Once you have the two pieces of liner cut square and laid flat on a warm hard surface
(above 50°F), you must overlap one of the pieces over the other at least 2”. If you are
seaming PVC liner use Oatey X-15, if the liner is CPE you will use Oateyweld. Fold back
the top piece of liner and wipe any debris or foreign substance off both surfaces with
a damp cloth and then dry thoroughly. Apply the proper cement for the application to
both surfaces allow 1 to 3 minutes in hot weather and 6 to 8 minutes in cold weather,
then join then together. Immediately apply pressure on the seam for 15 to 30 seconds
with a 2x4 or equivalent. Leave this seam cure for 12 hours before installing, but after
one hour there is good handling strength and you can move the liner."

From
http://pdf.lowes.com/useandcareguides/038753416304_use.pdf

Looks like Oatey shower liner is not a canvas, just flexible PVC sheet. It might be pushing it to ask it to support a 10kg battery.

PVC canvas is often used in motorcycle panniers so itl is not an unknown. Often overloaded, they support the weight. They are usually welded ultrasonically or thermally. PVC cement does the same chemically... note that it is not an adhesive.

Yes the PVC solvent fuses the material together chemically, for a strong waterproof seam. So you're thinking a woven PVC material is more durable for a battery bag? Worth an experiment!

The material I am talking about is PVC coated canvas. More durable than PVC sheet. I only suggest it as a cheap alternative to ballistic nylon or polyester canvas

Maybe go to Army Surplus stores to see what they have, if you want a parachute type material.
Those Army Surplus stores are always cool to visit and see what they have, but its usually all expensive.

Fabric stores have pvc and other plastic type fabrics.

The plastic cardboard dogman_dan mentioned, a.k.a. flute polypropylene, is great stuff - tough as nails, somewhat flexible, compresses a little so it provides some padding. Edges can be kind of sharp, so extra material around the edges could be a good thing. Yard signs.

extruded twin-wall polypropylene sheet, AKA corrugated plastic stateside

brands are Coroplast, Corex, Corflute, and Plasticor