Thank you for your kind complements. I appreciated your constructive posts.
The Modular Flex Enclosure is unique as far as I’m aware. It addresses the fundamental structural problems, design problems, and weaknesses aforementioned.
Materials like fibreglass / carbon are not designed for repeated flex, and stress. That’s why I’ve offered the Blue Kevlar Carbon. One-piece enclosures crack under flex and stress. Look closely and you’ll see.
Items like silicone coated wires are, however, designed to flex. Logically, this enclosure system would complement them, following in the same line of thought: Flexibility.
The modules are like ‘multiple unit’ trains, like the new Waratah train used here in Sydney. They suit our rough landscape and random town planning, because this city was improperly planned…
ESK8s decks and enclosures suffer similar environments, relatively, that’s why skateboard builders prefer Maple for strength, and later came Bamboo, for both flex and the steel-like strength. – Cheap boards can snap!
This design started life on the drawing board so it’s understandably a bit strange and unconventional, but that doesn’t mean it’s dysfunctional. – There’s been a trend in enclosure design and pricing and I obviously differ on both. From what I can tell, the earliest enclosures were built out of necessity when none were available. One-pieces enclosures became the norm. Designs seem to have followed one another, until now.
One of the features I haven’t yet highlighted is how SLIM & COMFORTABLE the enclosures are to touch and hold. – If you’ve walked around with an ESK8 deck, you’d immediately realise how impossibly uncomfortable an enclosure is the moment you pick it up. It’s nothing like a traditional skateboard or longboard as it’s all bulgy and awkwardly designed. It rubs against your wrist all wrong and the thick parts bulge out against your body making you walk funny, and the weight is lopsided and unevenly distributed so you have to hold it weird angles.
The separate modules pragmatically space out the weight, so the board’s less like a see-saw, which will help with ridability, transitions, switches, slides, etc.
Also, the rounded edges on the slim enclosures make it and so smooth and comfortable to hold. No angles, means, no hard edges poking into you.
As for cell count… Well… ‘Bigger does not mean better’.
However, as an expandable enclosure system you can add as many cells / modules as you want. You can also reduce cells / modules.
For example, cell & enclosure size reduction would be relevant to a 12s4p rider who may find that 12s4p is overkill (too heavy, and dangerously powerful) instead preferring a 10s4p, or 8s4p, which is LIGHTER for shorter rides with less hill climbs… maybe for commuting, or for travelling on mostly flats.
Or you can have both setups, on separate boards. Have a long 12s4p board (7 modules) AND have a short 8s4p board (5 modules), all done using the same enclosure system. You could even save money by interchanging the enclosures instead of buying a new set.
i.e. AU $301.85 will afford you 7 modules, allowing you to have up to 3 boards, effectively, using one enclosure system…
E.g. With 7 modules you could have a ‘Big’ 12s4p board using all 7 modules, AND a ‘Short’ 8s4p board using 5 enclosures, AND a ‘Medium’ 10s4p board. Buying all 3 sets would otherwise cost $785.60 ($301.85 + 261.89 + 221.86). OR, Buying 2 sets would cost $563.74 ($301.85 + 261.89. So, with $301.85 / 3 = $100.61 per board, allowing you the flexibility to have 3 boards.
Which is good since one can only ride one board at a time!
Protection against failure: A critical advantage to having a series of separate modules is BATTERY INSULATION & PROTECTION. As each 2s4p is individually housed in effectively a fireproof container… Well, it’s very very safe. For instance, if and when a cell is damaged, the short circuit / heat / fire / explosion will not spill over instantly to neighbouring cells! … Any explosion would be contained… The physical separation insulates and protects. (See oct0f1sh, Some fun video of my longboard exploding - ESK8 Mechanics - Electric Skateboard Builders Forum | Learn How to Build your own E-board)
Also, protection against water damage: When water enters an enclosure, it will move about as you ride, swishing around… Water is… well… fluid. (See, I got my battery wet... damage control options? - #20 by Okami - ESK8 Electronics - Electric Skateboard Builders Forum | Learn How to Build your own E-board)
(Courtesy of accrobrandon)
Think of it as insurance against having to replace your entire battery (AND have it rebuilt again from scratch). If anything happens, you’ll be covered. You’ll only have to replace a 2s4p, and maybe one module. That sounds like a major cost saving!