Bar heaters- home made

[Normk]

Those foil grip pads work well enough for quads and snomobiles but a problem with motorcycles is the flexing of the wires on the throttle side. The wires need to be in some sort of conduit which will spread the flexing so that the copper wires do not fatigue and break due to flexing. This is compounded in difficulty because of the attachment being riveted through the plastic membrane. I ran some of that type on a KLR650 and have installed on many others but prefer the wire, home-made ones.

Those are certainly a deal, given the included swtich and wiring. Keep in mind also, though, that an unsealed toggle switch of the type shown will not endure well on a motorcycle unless one pots the body with RTV or some sealer and installs a rubber switch boot over the handle.

As long as you manage to run the wires through some conduit to avoid flexing in a small area, all should be well. Anchoring a larger conduit onto the throttle grip will be more challenging than the small 1/8" nylon but can be done. Hein Gerike mold the wire leads into the grips which is a great touch but beyond my abilities: http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/hein-g...riffe-12v.html

Hmm, I wonder about that rubberized tool handle dip..?...

The 3 Watt indicated power must be a typo. More likely 30 Watts or even more likely 3 amps. at 14.5 volts which would be 44 Watts as are the ones I make from the Belden wire.

Wattage is a strange rating because it is a derivative which is typically published without the voltage when advertising consumer goods. The implication is that it is a 12 volt device but that would not typically mean that it is intended/rated for 12 volt supply because no vehicle or common battery system operates at 12 volts. A reasonable rule of thumb for vehicle charging systems operating at cooler temperatures is in the range of 14.2 to 14.8 volts. A device rated at 44 Watts at 12 volts would typically rate in the 53 Watt range with a vehicle charging system in operation.

Forgot to acknowledge Wizard's mention of the low heat effect when switching with MOSFETS. Those have really turned the electrical power management on it's ear. Amazing stuff compared to the old days!

Fun thread. Maybe something is useful? Please keep us in the loop if someone installs those foil kits as that's about 10% of what those used to sell for in the shops.

Would something like this, not work just as well ? and the cost is not all the big either

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Heated-Grip-Pads-Handlebars-Red-12V-/180765851872?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D5%26pmod%3D180745503064%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6382572897386357128

[Wizard]

No CDI?!,,,.. No GPS?!,,.. No Radar Detector?!,,..
Sounds like that bike is Steam Powered,,..
I installed a pile of stuff in our Travel Trailer, and found weird things would happen, when the water pump came ON, When the bathroom Fan came ON. When the DVD player would interfere with the Flat Panel TV, even when the DVD was powered off (internal switching supply still active and leaking, in just about everything).
WiFi Router, Laptops, Cell Phones, Stereo, all kinds of chargers,,.. Only the LED lighting was void of gremlins.
So I've just gotten used to over doing Supply Line Filters. I've got boxes of Chokes and Capacitors, so everything I own weighs more, with all the extra ferrite, iron and copper in it,,.. Even put a 30A AC filter on the trailer Mains, campgrounds got the crappiest power.
I put a Line Filter on the 12 gauge copper that feeds the Home Theater Room. I know, I'm crazy, but it keeps me out most people hair,,..
Rather than shoot a problem later, I put a Toroidal Ferrite in front of it, and a capacitor. I got this stuff layin around, can't give it away, so what the heck,,..

[Wizard]

I've ordered one of those PWM RF Controllers. Our dollar is over PAR, good time to eBay.
Even if I don't use it, its a neat item to have on the bench.
I would still place a Master Power switch in front of that controller.
If the controller ever fails, and goes to 100% power, you'll end up looking like Ghost Rider.

[Normk]

I like the graphic!

Actually, it is a bit over stated because the grip heaters would simply be on at full power so other than having to, perhaps, lift one's hand slightly free of the grip from time to time for cooling and running the battery down if they were direct wired. No problem if the controller failed full on.

I always try to power accessories from an ignition operated relay so that they turn off when the bike is not running. This is because I cannot be trusted to do simple things like turn off switches. Thought it may as well be confessed before someone mentioned......

Who cares if it was a real concern as any excuse to post a graphic like that. Reminds me of my ex-wife excepting much thinner.

Norm

I've ordered one of those PWM RF Controllers. Our dollar is over PAR, good time to eBay.
Even if I don't use it, its a neat item to have on the bench.
I would still place a Master Power switch in front of that controller.
If the controller ever fails, and goes to 100% power, you'll end up looking like Ghost Rider.

[Normk]

I finally got moving and hooked my oscilloscope to the LED lamp controller which we installed to control the home made grip heaters on the GS850. It is clearly a pulse width modulator which steps from 0% to 100% pulse width. While we were sure that it was a pulse width modulator it was worth checking for two reasons:
1) I committed to do so.
2) It would have been even more interesting were it not PW.
The heaters are still working well as younger son is using the bike for his learner's license practice.
HIH
Norm

[Wizard]

I got the RF PWM Controller. $8 delivered to the door,,.. amazing.

You can see the 2 N channel MOSFETs at bottom right, switching the Negative side (cheaper than P channel MOSFETs).
I checked their numbers and they have almost ZERO conducting resistance,,.. also amazing,,..
When operating at 100% there is almost no voltage drop across the device.
But,,.. there is a constant 30ma current draw, even when OFF. I figure its that 3 pin 7805 5V regulator and RF circuit always listening.

30ma means a battery draw of 5Ah over 1 week.
Since most bike batteries are about 12Ah, with natural leakage and cold, it could mean the battery is 1/2 drained in 7 days,
the remaining 1/2 charge may not be enough to start the bike.
I would put a Master Switch in front of it. Or your Ignition Relay idear fixes that.
I was too lazy to set up a scope, so I set the digital camera to 1/10 second exposure, set the Led Controller to 50% duty cycle,
and took some pics while waving a 1W green LED around;

Got 12 pulses, which means the unit Duty Cycles at 120Hz.
I would also put an inductor/choke in front of it.
Not sure if I'll use it on the bike, but then it will end up in the Travel Trailer.
Fun Stuff Normk, I like the way you think,,..
Rich.

[Normk]

Thanks for that, Rich. I hadn't gotten to pulling the controller out of the box as yet as planned to run it for a season to try. Good info.

Maybe I'm blind but can't see if you listed the MOSFET numbers as it would be interesting to look up the maximum current rating, etc.

I like to fool around with adapting things as that often produces a very economical option and always teaches me something. Maybe only, "Don't do that again!" (VBG)

My controller is powered from an ignition switch controlled relay which now powers the accessory fuse. That way the unit is definitely off.

Off to son's season end soccer wind-up.

Best,

Norm

[Wizard]

They are both MDD1653. 30V/50A. Rds of 10 milliOhms
They are Surface Mount Style (TO-252) so you'll want the style with Heat Sink Tab (TO-220?).
I figured they used 2 in parallel cause the PCB copper kept curling up and going off like a Flash Bulb.
My unit never goes to 0%. Seems there is at least 1% present at lowest setting.
I need to find a High Voltage version of this to fix a Lapper Charger. Its got a cheap MOSFET that gets so hot,
its melted the case.