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Post by divvyjoe on Dec 29, 2008 18:02:50 GMT
Hey all, this is my first post on the forums but iv been cowering in the background for a while now..so hello! Im just in the process of fitting some heated grips to my 96Divvy and come to quite an obvious (and most likely extremely simple) problem - what to wire them from? I was in the process of taking a live from the back of the instrument lighting, which I thought would be perfectly reasonable due to them going off when the ignition is switched off. My friend has since said this is a bad idea and I should take the live straight from the battery. This is ok, but I can guarentee its only a matter of time till I forget to switch off the heaters and drain the battery! So im basically just wondering if its ok to take a live from the back of the instrument panel? Also, does it matter where I take the ground? The only decent place I can find is right at the back by the battery... Any help is much appreciated and I look forward to spending some time on these forums  Cheers, Joe |
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Post by m40man on Dec 29, 2008 18:10:40 GMT
Hi Joe, ... My friend has since said this is a bad idea and I should take the live straight from the battery. I think your friend is wrong. This is ok, but I can guarentee its only a matter of time till I forget to switch off the heaters and drain the battery! Yep, you will ;D. Any live will do. As you have found a good ground near the battery, why not also use a live from thereabouts? Then you don't have to separate the wires until you have fed the one cable under the tank. The rear lights are my usual choice for the live. Be careful - others might suggest you use a relay  . (This is a standing issue hereabouts - some swear by them, but I don't bother for grips because the power draw is insufficient to warrant it (IMHO!) |
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Post by amorti on Dec 29, 2008 18:22:57 GMT
Grips draw, on heat-up cycle, about 3 amps, which is as much current as a 35-40watt bulb, and so I would recommend using a relay. If you don't, I'd run it straight off the battery, as then you can be sure the wire all the current is drawn through is big enough. I'm not sure I'd want to use a wire that's only meant for a couple of 2w bulbs to carry the equivalent load of about a 40w bulb.
Thing is, if you do go straight off the battery, you run the risk of flattening your battery. Once they've been totally flat once, most batteries are shot, never mind the fact you won't be able to start the bike in the morning.
Best solution is to use a relay, but it's your choice, eh?
There's a website that shows how using an axillary relay on your headlights can seriously increase the volts that get there, and so the brightness. I wonder if that's the same if one were to wire up heated grips through too-thin wire - could it stop them heating up to their full potential?
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Post by m40man on Dec 29, 2008 18:52:34 GMT
... Best solution is to use a relay, but it's your choice, eh? See what you've started now, Joe ;D. I bet you'll ask about tyres next, or maybe start a top-box thread ;D ;D ;D. Just don't mention your chain, or the Divvy9 boys will be in heaven . |
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Post by Flymo on Dec 29, 2008 19:19:40 GMT
Hi Joe and Welcome to the club  You don't say what grips you've got there, if they are the newer oxford hotgrips with the electronic control 4 led's and 2 push pads then just wire it straight to the battery, if you forget to turn them off the will go off themselves afeter awhile once the battery reachs about 11.5V any other type that don't automatically turn off use a relay.... Flymo |
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Post by hughmcq on Dec 29, 2008 20:17:06 GMT
Just wired mine a couple of months ago and I used a relay following the wiring advice on the site below (though I didn't bother with the block connector) www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/relay.phpVery useful for people like me who weren't sure where to start. (maplins sell the relays just search for automative relay - you can also get these at motor accessory shops) The grips draw the power directly from the battery whilst the relay is powered by a splice into the rear sidelight. The leads from the battery to the headstock can be routed alongside the wiring loom on the left. Handguards is the other "hot" topic on here - just in the process of modifying some v strom ones to fit the d6..... |
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Post by m40man on Dec 29, 2008 20:37:55 GMT
any other type that don't automatically turn off use a relay.... Flymo Not that a relay helps with avoiding battery drain any more than not using one. Wiring the live directly to any feed which is only on with the ignition will ensure that . BTW, I didn't get on with my Oxford ones, which had the new-fangled switch. It was too sensitive to the battery voltage & kept switching off, even though the battery was always up to the job of starting he bike. Only last week I managed to buy a NOS older type Oxford grips off Fleabay, which made me happy because they are good grips. Better than Saito (even the posher Saito ones) & better than Motopro. (Better = Toastier on full .) |
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Post by Flymo on Dec 29, 2008 20:43:31 GMT
Not that a relay helps with avoiding battery drain any more than not using one. eh? if wired correctly the relay is off when the ignition is off therefore ensuring any ' extras ' wired through the relay are off also. Flymo |
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Post by m40man on Dec 29, 2008 20:46:03 GMT
eh? if wired correctly the relay is off when the ignition is off therefore ensuring any ' extras ' wired through the relay are off also. Flymo Yes - But wired correctly WITHOUT a relay also achieves this effect. The relay serves to protect the existing wiring by not loading it with excess current running the grips. That is, if you think the extra current is going to be 'excess' of course . |
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Post by cam7777 on Dec 29, 2008 20:46:32 GMT
I think you should all be careful about giving advice on fitting heated grips, these jobs are highly skilled and should only be attempted by a qualified person. The only person I would trust would be one of our own members, better known as 'Fiasco' Good luck |
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Post by cam7777 on Dec 29, 2008 20:47:21 GMT
... Best solution is to use a relay, but it's your choice, eh? See what you've started now, Joe ;D. I bet you'll ask about tyres next, or maybe start a top-box thread ;D ;D ;D. Just don't mention your chain, or the Divvy9 boys will be in heaven . Car oil or bike oil perhaps ;D |
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Post by m40man on Dec 29, 2008 20:48:07 GMT
.... should only be attempted by a qualified person ...... 'Fiasco' ;D It pains me to say, but I find myself feeling sorry for the poor lad ;D. |
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Post by divvyjoe on Dec 30, 2008 12:11:39 GMT
Wow thanks for all the replies! I think im gonna go down the relay route, seems like a simple way to automatically cut the power off to the grips and like a few people say; it saves drawing extra current through the standard wiring! I'v got the motrax jobbies which claim to draw only 1.5Amps (around 18W I think)...which probably means they'l warm up about as much as the inside of a fridge Cheers for the advise guys, im gonna get down maplins and crack on this afternoon so il let you know how I get on. Joe |
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Post by hughmcq on Dec 30, 2008 19:37:50 GMT
I have the Motrax ones and they are get warm enough but like all heated grips your finger tips can get cold...
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Post by m40man on Jan 1, 2009 8:56:35 GMT
Just fitting new heated grips myself, this morning . I put a pair of Saito ones on my CB650 a couple of weeks ago - total rubbish, I'm afraid! These were the three-heat-settings ones, too. (& I even re-wired direct to the battery in case my 29 year old wiring on the bike wasn't up to delivery the necessary juice - made no difference at all. Must admit I had to fall upon the services of our resident heated grips expert last night, as I also tried plumbing it all in via a (I can't really bring myself to say it) RELAY ;D. Of course, it made no difference & the bike didn't spontaneously combust with or without the RELAY . I'm replacing the Saito's with 2005-model Oxford ones, like I have on my Fazer. So I hope to be toasty later on today when I go out for a little test ride . BTW: Where has all the frost gone  ? |
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Post by Fiasco on Jan 1, 2009 12:40:18 GMT
Must admit I had to fall upon the services of our resident heated grips expert last night, as I also tried plumbing it all in via a (I can't really bring myself to say it) RELAY ;D. Of course, it made no difference & the bike didn't spontaneously combust with or without the RELAY . However it may have spontaneously combusted if you hadn't consulted the "expert" and left it wired how you had it Dave |
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Post by m40man on Jan 1, 2009 14:12:59 GMT
My newly-fitted Oxfords are lovely & toasty - the Saito's are free to the first idiot who stumps up the postage for them ;D.
Divvyjoe - Are you new grips all sorted now?
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Post by teejayexc on Jan 1, 2009 20:11:31 GMT
Must admit I had to fall upon the services of our resident heated grips expert last night, as I also tried plumbing it all in via a (I can't really bring myself to say it) RELAY ;D. Of course, it made no difference & the bike didn't spontaneously combust with or without the RELAY . However it may have spontaneously combusted if you hadn't consulted the "expert" and left it wired how you had it Dave Martin, I suggest you palm sell the bike on to some pikey up P'boro way soonest. It is a well known fact that Fiasco's heated grip dropsy doesn't kick in till the bike has been sold on, do you think he installs some sort of secret encoding in the wiring to trip this phenomenom? (nah, erase that thought, it's Fi isn't it ) Trev |
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Post by divvyjoe on Jan 2, 2009 21:38:48 GMT
How much did you pay for those Saito grips m40man? I think the frost is back tonight mate. bloomin typical aswell, iv just finnished fitting my grips and I can't go and test out my toastyness!
I took the advise and wired in a relay, but because the wiring is so tight at the back I took a switch wire from the front headlamp which was a bit of an unecessary ballache and it now looks like a cable tie breeding farm! I'v just put her back together again now and they seem to work quite well, so il see how they are tomorrow as long as Jack Frost stays away.
Cheers,
Joe
oh yeh, I took a few photos so il put them on when I work out how
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Post by m40man on Jan 2, 2009 21:45:59 GMT
How much did you pay for those Saito grips m40man? Far too much! I was keen to get some quick so bought on-line for £40 delivered. £40 wasted  ! ... see how they are tomorrow as long as Jack Frost stays away. But frosty days are when you need your heated grips. (Are you another Softy Southerner, Joe ?). |
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gpam2
Boy Racer
Posts: 146
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Post by gpam2 on Jan 5, 2009 21:49:08 GMT
Ladies & Gents,
I can testify to the proficiency which is Fiasco's.....Dave 'helped' me fit Oxford Heated Grips back in the balmy days of Oct 2008 (well he did all the work and I drank the tea) and they are a boon in this weather. Thanks again Dave........Gerard.
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Post by teejayexc on Jan 5, 2009 22:07:56 GMT
Ladies & Gents, I can testify to the proficiency which is Fiasco's.....Dave 'helped' me fit Oxford Heated Grips back in the balmy days of Oct 2008 (well he did all the work and I drank the tea) and they are a boon in this weather. Thanks again Dave........Gerard. Perhaps it's time for Fiasco to go public? On a similar vein to the Derby workshops, we could have a Fiasco Fitting Frenzy ! trev |
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Post by m40man on Jan 5, 2009 22:25:23 GMT
..... we could have a Fiasco Fitting Frenzy ! trev Should we wait until after his diet ? Even then, I don't think I'll participate myself, if you don't mind ;D. |
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. (This is a standing issue hereabouts - some swear by them, but I don't bother for grips because the power draw is insufficient to warrant it (IMHO!)
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