View Full Version : Hot Grips to Ignition wiring?
metalhead19
12-01-10, 01:53 AM
Have recently fitted oxford hot grips to my SV, but keep wondered what will happen if i forget to turn them off after a ride n the bike is left with them running for a while. I know that obviously the battery will go flat and thus the alarm with it.
But i wondered if there was any way of wiring the power line into the ignition so that the grips will only run when the ignition is switched on?
Cheers
7755matt
12-01-10, 05:38 AM
Have a look at this guide
http://www.independentphoto.co.uk/media/sv650/FittingHotGrips.pdf
Alpinestarhero
12-01-10, 10:31 AM
I know that on a curvy, if the tank is lifted there is a green connector where the ignition conects to the rest of the bike's loom - the orange wire on this (i beleive, it may be an orange and yellow wire) is live when the ignition is ON, but not live when the igntion is OFF. You can use a scotchlock to connect the live wire of he heated grips to this, then either earth at the frame using an eye-type connector on the bolt that holds the tank down, or run the earth to the battery :)
My heated grips are wired into the ignition, it is far safer and I dont worry so much anymore.
sunshine
12-01-10, 02:01 PM
under the riders seat i think its a yellow wire that connects to the radiator fan use that you never need heated grips and the fan on the sv.
yorkie_chris
12-01-10, 02:16 PM
You can use a scotchlock
:reaper:
Sid Squid
12-01-10, 11:09 PM
Agreed.
Note that the above fitting guide does not include the use of a relay to switch the supply to the grips, which I strongly recommended. Wired as shown, without the use of a relay, the possibility of a fault with the grips causing the main fuse to blow is slim, but present.
ridelikeaturtle
13-01-10, 11:54 AM
Here you go.
If I had a nickel for every time I've posted this... I'd have about a dollar
http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/relay.php
I've had my hotgrips wired in this way forever, and they've never given my reg/rect or battery any bother.
metalhead19
13-01-10, 12:49 PM
Thx for the suggestions, think il have a look at both options suggested next time i have access to the garage.
Thinking the fuse box might be the safest with the relay fitted so might try tht.
Cheers
Sorry - edit .... link above is the easiest option ..... .... underneath fuse box you'll find the main RED/ORANGE wire, and two empty holes either side ... just solder the wire in to one of these 'empty' slots .... job done ...
I did mine that way .... works perfectly off the ignition .....
ps ... my hotgrips are for sale in the 'for sale' section .... heated jacket and gloves for me now ...
I'm sure my hotgrips just turn themselves off when the key is removed. But I might be mistaken.
yorkie_chris
13-01-10, 01:58 PM
Agreed.
Note that the above fitting guide does not include the use of a relay to switch the supply to the grips, which I strongly recommended. Wired as shown, without the use of a relay, the possibility of a fault with the grips causing the main fuse to blow is slim, but present.
Plus those horrible bodgerama scotchlocks seem to create high resistance points in the wire where they cut through. Maybe I've just seen some bad examples of their use but there's no excuse for not using properly soldered and heatshrink sealed joints.
Have a look at this guide
http://www.independentphoto.co.uk/media/sv650/FittingHotGrips.pdf
this is near enough how i fitted mine on the VFR and on my brothers pointy :)
When i did mine it was a case of probing my dads brain (electrician) and its basically 'piggy backing' the live wire for the ignition at the point when it comes from the fuse box. Instead of soldering like this guide says i just used one of these....
Quick-splice
http://superbrightbulbs.com/images/auto_bulbs/quick_splice.jpg
One side holds the ignition wire, other you insert your hot grip live wire (end cut off clean) and then push the metal bit down in the middle using pliers and bobs your uncle and all that. Allot easier and quicker than soldering ;)
But if you follow this guide though you should be ok :)
ah right the picture i posted was a scotchlock.... didnt realise they were called that, always new them as a quick-splice. Anywho they have always been fine in the past for me. I had hot-grips on the VFR for 3 years fitted like this and never had any trouble
Personally I'd not use a quick splice on the ignition wire .... it cuts right through, or wears right throught you are screwed .... definately much better to solder, or even tape, bluetack, super-glue (anything) (if hot grips fail one day - its not the end of the World) in to the bottom of the fuse box ....
Personally I'd not use a quick splice on the ignition wire .... it cuts right through, or wears right throught you are screwed .... definately much better to solder, or even tape, bluetack, super-glue (anything) (if hot grips fail one day - its not the end of the World) in to the bottom of the fuse box ....
Where the quick-splice would be positioned it wearing through the wire isnt going to be an issue, its under the fuse box an and place were you will rarely disturb it... That and ive found they are quite durable. I do get your point though, soldering would make a more classy job
yorkie_chris
13-01-10, 04:47 PM
You're on the main ignition live that your headlights are going to draw 120W through as well as the rest of the electrical system?
IMO you don't want to compromise its current carrying capacity. Solder it, use a different circuit or better yet use a relay.
You're on the main ignition live that your headlights are going to draw 120W through as well as the rest of the electrical system?
IMO you don't want to compromise its current carrying capacity. Solder it, use a different circuit or better yet use a relay.
It won't compromise on anything, by connecting the hot grip live to the ignition and neutral directly on the battery you are basically creating a new circuit but using the ignition as the on switch. Won't effect the running of the rest of the electric system, it will only draw more current from the battery and that isn't an issue if the alternator/charging system is working to charge the battery :)
Sid Squid
14-01-10, 12:58 AM
It also adds the load of the grips to the main fuse and the wiring from the battery to the ignition switch and from there to the fuse box, and of course the ignition switch itself.
All of which may be irrelevantly small, but it does add that load.
This however isn't my objection to connecting thus, my objection is what might happen if the grips should suffer a fault.
It should always be bourne in mind that the wiring of accessories and additions is considerably less reliable than the bike's original wiring. My real life experience tells me firmly that problems with home added accesories outnumber problems with original wiring by a significant degree.
Alpinestarhero
14-01-10, 07:40 AM
firstly, RE: scotchlock - my dad was more than happy to use one with my heated grips; he's used them plenty of times before with no problems...I trust his judgement and its working fine for me :D
Just to add further; the oxford heated grips should have an inline fuse somewhere towards the end of the "live" cable; if you decide to cut the cable and wire it into the ignition circuit, make sure you somehow retain the in-line fuse :)
It also adds the load of the grips to the main fuse and the wiring from the battery to the ignition switch and from there to the fuse box, and of course the ignition switch itself.
All of which may be irrelevantly small, but it does add that load.
This however isn't my objection to connecting thus, my objection is what might happen if the grips should suffer a fault.
It should always be bourne in mind that the wiring of accessories and additions is considerably less reliable than the bike's original wiring. My real life experience tells me firmly that problems with home added accesories outnumber problems with original wiring by a significant degree.
I agree in regards to the life expectancy of mods being less that the original wiring but in this case it's very minor. The resistance you get from wire a fuse and the ignition switch is negligible so the circuit is good. The grips are fused so if there is a problem it won't trip the rest of the electrics and if you do have to take it out completly then it's not a problem either. Even if you did have to cut into the live wire to take it out then it's a striaght forward repiar.
firstly, RE: scotchlock - my dad was more than happy to use one with my heated grips; he's used them plenty of times before with no problems...I trust his judgement and its working fine for me :D
Just to add further; the oxford heated grips should have an inline fuse somewhere towards the end of the "live" cable; if you decide to cut the cable and wire it into the ignition circuit, make sure you somehow retain the in-line fuse :)
+1
yorkie_chris
14-01-10, 11:34 AM
It won't compromise on anything, by connecting the hot grip live to the ignition and neutral directly on the battery you are basically creating a new circuit but using the ignition as the on switch. Won't effect the running of the rest of the electric system, it will only draw more current from the battery and that isn't an issue if the alternator/charging system is working to charge the battery :)
But it is unfused, so if there's a fault it will kill the bike not the grips.
firstly, RE: scotchlock - my dad was more than happy to use one with my heated grips; he's used them plenty of times before with no problems...I trust his judgement and its working fine for me :D
Good stuff, but I've seen them cause the front end of a loom to catch fire. They're a bodge!
When you close them up around a decent size wire (like the orange out of the ignition), you chop through a load of the conductors, and create an entry point for any salty water to cause corrosion. Which will make this worse, and the next thing you know the insulation melts from the high current in the narrowed point, shorts against the headlight mounts and the next thing you know you've smoked the headlight glass from the inside...
21QUEST
14-01-10, 12:25 PM
But it is unfused, so if there's a fault it will kill the bike not the grips.
Good stuff, but I've seen them cause the front end of a loom to catch fire. They're a bodge!
When you close them up around a decent size wire (like the orange out of the ignition), you chop through a load of the conductors, and create an entry point for any salty water to cause corrosion. Which will make this worse, and the next thing you know the insulation melts from the high current in the narrowed point, shorts against the headlight mounts and the next thing you know you've smoked the headlight glass from the inside...
Now, you lot are making me worried :p :lol:
The bike I've got at the moment has a few extra bits on it and inside the headlight bowl is just that bit scary...plenty of those scotchlock things in there :( lol.
To be honest, never really liked the things myself and was quite shock when I found out how stuff had been wired in. Ah well, here's hoping .... :D
Cheers
Ben
Alpinestarhero
14-01-10, 04:05 PM
But it is unfused, so if there's a fault it will kill the bike not the grips.
Good stuff, but I've seen them cause the front end of a loom to catch fire. They're a bodge!
When you close them up around a decent size wire (like the orange out of the ignition), you chop through a load of the conductors, and create an entry point for any salty water to cause corrosion. Which will make this worse, and the next thing you know the insulation melts from the high current in the narrowed point, shorts against the headlight mounts and the next thing you know you've smoked the headlight glass from the inside...
Hmm, maybe for safety then, I'll splice and solder properly when I get my new ignition lock unit. Perhaps this is why my dad wasnt fussed about the scotchlock aswell - its not going to be a permanent connection as such
But it is unfused, so if there's a fault it will kill the bike not the grips.
they are fused :) they come as standard with an in line fuse so everything is good.
Like i said before about the scotchlocks, ive used them and ive never had a problem with them but taking the time to solder is a much classier finish.
Sid Squid
14-01-10, 10:58 PM
I agree in regards to the life expectancy of mods being less that the original wiring but in this case it's very minor.
The number of accessory electrical problems I fix suggests otherwise.
The grips are fused so if there is a problem it won't trip the rest of the electrics and if you do have to take it out completly then it's not a problem either.
Not all fuses are created equal - despite their rated current characteristics even fuses of a similar capacity take surprisingly different times to operate.
Even if the grip's fuse is of a lower rating than the fuse upstream of it, it may well take longer to pop than its supply fuse - if that's the main fuse the bike dies.
Much of this may seem academic, but I do electrical stuff, (in a variety of circumstances, vehicles included), for a living and I assure you that stuff that can go wrong does, the small cost of a relay, and the little time required to fit it adds a negligible amount to the job of fitting heated grips.
ThEGr33k
15-01-10, 12:52 PM
scotchlocks, are they one fits all (wires sizes?) I am needing to fit a second hand PC3 so wondering if that is a good item to use...
yorkie_chris
15-01-10, 01:05 PM
No there are couple sizes
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/connectors/connectors.php#tap
P.S that site also sells some very nice weatherproof connectors, soldering kit and crimp connectors to do the job properly...
ThEGr33k
15-01-10, 01:43 PM
No there are couple sizes
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/connectors/connectors.php#tap
P.S that site also sells some very nice weatherproof connectors, soldering kit and crimp connectors to do the job properly...
Which sort of weather proof connectors are you meaning? I cant really solder as its a tiny thin wire that goes to the TPS, cutting that back or basically doing anything to the wire means a lot of work...
I wonder if Id just be able to get a connector that Dynojet actually supply with the PC3's?
(Like I mention its for the TPS tap)
yorkie_chris
15-01-10, 01:46 PM
Remove the tab out of the connector and solder a thin signal wire around the crimp?
ThEGr33k
15-01-10, 01:50 PM
Remove the tab out of the connector and solder a thin signal wire around the crimp?
Sealed connectors...
yorkie_chris
15-01-10, 02:15 PM
What sort of sealed connectors? Some types you can pull out and just slit the rubber gromet, put it back with a little hot-melt glue when you're sure it works.
ThEGr33k
15-01-10, 02:42 PM
http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv347/rossieau/IMG_1610.jpg
Sorry for huge image... At work so cant be arsed to edit it... Im sure you'll know what it is but just incase its the bit on the back of the TB's.
yorkie_chris
15-01-10, 02:43 PM
There's a yard of wire to solder to there you poof :-P
ThEGr33k
15-01-10, 02:46 PM
There's a yard of wire to solder to there you poof :-P
Ha ha, maybe maybe...
Sid Squid
15-01-10, 07:05 PM
There's a yard of wire to solder to there you poof :-P
That may be a little harsh - but you have a point!
More to the point perhaps: That's not a thin wire.
ThEGr33k
15-01-10, 07:42 PM
The problem isnt that there isnt the wire to work at, its that if I do screw it up (which I shouldnt as im a pretty good soldererererere) but if I did it would cause a bit of a head ache. Not something id like to mess with. + it might be best to make the thing detachable.
What is it that the PC3 uses ell standard?
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