Making my own heated grips controller

[fastdruid]

IMO the old style one isn't any better, I've broken two and were it not for now being a weekend rider I'd make my own to replace the last one.

Druid

[Spiderman]

i'm sure non are perfect but mine stays on for a millisecond...so anything is better than that, lol. Unless i just run one at a time but having to choose which hand is warm is almost worse than having them both cold.

A lot is to be said for those foam lever covers too, they make a fair old difference but i need to get to a plumbers merchants and buy a length of the stuff i think cos the ones in bike shops are both thin and overpriced.

[fastdruid]

i'm sure non are perfect but mine stays on for a millisecond...so anything is better than that, lol.

I'm not sure total failure is better. ;-)


A lot is to be said for those foam lever covers too, they make a fair old difference but i need to get to a plumbers merchants and buy a length of the stuff i think cos the ones in bike shops are both thin and overpriced.

Yes, I always found even with heated grips my fingers would get cold if I had to do lots of clutch/brake work. I briefly considered heated levers for a while but decided I couldn't be bothered to make them. :-)

Druid

[Spiderman]

haha, heated levers would be cool. Someone here, may have been Rictus, made himself a heated seat iirc.
Man i'd like one of those too. Hot bum, hot hands and hot fingers...who cares how cold it is then!

[yorkie_chris]

I just wrap my levers in self amalgamating tape.

[fastdruid]

The VFR has a pleasant warmth to the seat in winter from the rear cylinder head/exhausts. Would be nice to have an option to turn it up as it was only really noticeable at standstill.

Druid

[Spiderman]

I just wrap my levers in self amalgamating tape.

just how thick does it need to be to make it worthwhile tho YC?

[yorkie_chris]

One layer makes a massive difference

[Spiderman]

really? Just plain old self amalgamating tape like this you mean ... http://www.screwfix.com/search.do?fh_search=self%20amalgamating%20tape&cm_mmc=Google-_-Sealants%208%20Adhesives-_-Tapes%20-%20Building%208%20Construction%20Tapes-_-self%20amalgamating%20tape?P=P&gclid=CJir5qnW3p4CFR9o4wodF1rtIQ&source=aw

[Alpinestarhero]

I'm ditching the oxfords once and for all and getting symtec grip heaters

does any one have any SV handlebar grips laying about that they no longer need and can bung in the post to me? I can paypal over some money for them :)

[yorkie_chris]

really? Just plain old self amalgamating tape like this you mean ... http://www.screwfix.com/search.do?fh_search=self%20amalgamating%20tape&cm_mmc=Google-_-Sealants%208%20Adhesives-_-Tapes%20-%20Building%208%20Construction%20Tapes-_-self%20amalgamating%20tape?P=P&gclid=CJir5qnW3p4CFR9o4wodF1rtIQ&source=aw

Yup. Surprised me how much good it does, levers don't feel warm of course but tape transfers less heat than smooth alloy.
It does wear through after a while.

If you want fancy them wrap them in tape, wrap some nichrome round, wrap them again and feed power to the wire.

I have a spool of nichrome wire if anyone wants to try.

[MattCollins]

I've use heat shrink tubing from an electrical supplier to eliminate the cold to the touch feel of bare aluminium.

[Spiderman]

heat shrink too, hmmm, perhaps i'll heat shrink first then tape over it to give even more protection.
thanks for the ideas guys.

[MattCollins]

How about tape and then heat shrink over or two layers of heatshrink. The heat shrink is cheap enough and tidier than tape.

Cheers

[yorkie_chris]

Heat shrink will also be tougher. Problem with the self amalg. tape is it is soft and wears through easily.

[Spiderman]

Hmm, will have to play with various combos of tape and heat shrink and see what work best. Perhaps even go for a colour matched heat shrink and really chav the bike up, lol.

When i pull my finger out and have a go i'll report on the results.

[punkyp]

Find a suitable three way switch and connect such that there are two heated positions: Connected in parallel for hot, in series for warm.

And use a relay fired by the ignition switch for the supply, obviously.

Resurrecting an old thread.

Found a diagram that shows how to do the off/low/high switching.

Needs a DPDT switch like:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VASI4KO-Waterproof-Rocker-Switch-Centre/dp/B004J6PY2A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348146546&sr=8-1

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/humserparpp.gif

Guess I've nothing to loose giving it a go.

[yorkie_chris]

I'm not sure I get how that would work when applied to grips? Then again my brain is a bit boggled today.
How would the selector/volume wires relate, would they just be +12?


Ideally you'd have a 3 position switch with Off, series, and parallel positions.

[punkyp]

A would be one grip, B would be the other and out goes to the battery. Trying to work out if parallel or series would be the hotter setting.

[Dicky Ticker]

Is it seriously worth all the hassle when they are so cheap to buy-------how much would you save?

[punkyp]

Reading about the reliability issues, I don't want to throw £30 away to have another controller break.

[yorkie_chris]

A would be one grip, B would be the other and out goes to the battery. Trying to work out if parallel or series would be the hotter setting.

Ok that looks to make more sense.

Parallel would be hotter.

[Dicky Ticker]

Misunderstood-----I take it you already have the heated grips fitted and only making the controller,utilizing the original grips?

[punkyp]

Misunderstood-----I take it you already have the heated grips fitted and only making the controller,utilizing the original grips?

Correct.

[Neeja]

Use one of these instead, if you want to build a dial-style controller and not have to faff with setting up multiple parallel/series circuits:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/displayProduct.jsp?sku=HK00255&CMP=e-2072-00001000

[Stenno]

I've just purchased Gerbing heated gloves and jacket and their controllers are £60-90.

Having looked around I was wondering if a Pulse Width Modulator would do the trick:-
http://www.maplin.co.uk/555-astable-switch-kit-220011

Not sure how big it is but could well work? I believe that's how the Gerbing one works, rather than directly controlling the temp it's just a timer relay of sort turning full heat on at intervals.