Wiring grip heaters on a KLR?

[LaOutbackTrail]

Ok, so where should I wire a pair of grip heaters? The two random wires behind the speedometer? Any tips?

[yater]

Originally Posted by GlowinGreenKLR650

Ok, so where should I wire a pair of grip heaters? The two random wires behind the speedometer? Any tips?

The license plate light...you can't run down the battery if you forget to turn them off

[Boon Booni]

Originally Posted by GlowinGreenKLR650

Ok, so where should I wire a pair of grip heaters? The two random wires behind the speedometer? Any tips?

I did that at first.. Then one evening, riding home from a nice long boatride/fishing trip with a bud, I'd forgotten warmer gloves, so I popped on the heated grips.. ran great for about 5 minutes, then pop! Out goes the headlight and the grips..

Sucks to have that happen out in the country.. Rode with the flashers blinking for another 5 miles before the first gas station, and some light, where I could change the fuse..

I'd used those two wires behind the headlight to run a relay, which would switch the direct power from the battery that should be what powers the grips..

[Loadedagain]

do a search of the ktm lc4 thread index... i did a step by step on how to wire grip heaters the right way... it's universal.

[fixer]

like Gramps said, use the city wires and a switch to control a relay, take the power straight from the battery. add a fuse close to the battery.

[fixer]

Originally Posted by Loadedagain

do a search of the ktm lc4 thread index... i did a step by step on how to wire grip heaters the right way... it's universal.

linky-

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102930

[Boon Booni]

Yes yes, looking at Loaded's description on grip installion, it's a good one. Sums it up nicely, even going so far as to insulate the left heater from the bar.



...and on the KLR you can used those two wires dangling behind the headlight to switch your relay, because the one is hot only when the key is on.

[Caribou Aqua Buddha]

I would use those running lamp wires only for tripping relays, battery monitor, etc.
Even though the heated grip wires are smaller gauge than the factory running lamp wires, the point is voltage drop. All stock load circuits have a path through the ign switch, and in some cases like the stock headlamp circuit,...you have redundant wiring running up and down your handlebars.
The reason I can use heated grips, heated vest, occasional use of off road lamps, cell phone charger, battery monitor, high powered high beam, relay system for stock headlamp; on my klr with stock charging system,...is because there is almost no voltage drop in my system. Using my stock headlamp for example, the stock wiring has almost 2 volts of voltage drop, compared to my lights being run directly from my acc fuse panel. I recall my headlamp circuit had about 0.3 Voltage drop when changed. (also high output bulb may melt factory harness, as factory wires are too small)
I use the stock headlamp circuit for tripping the relays, voltage drop does not matter on the primary side as the relay is either on or off, exact voltage is not important.

Why don't bikes come this way? The factories would never spend the extra money to solder all connections, and consider add ons.
Anway back to the original point, those stock running lamp wires are a branch off a shared circuit, and any heated clothing, grips, lights etc, should be on their own circuit.

[R_W]

Also don't forget to ground the heaters to the main frame or battery, NOT on the bars. You do NOT want the ground path to go through the steering head.

[Fariborz]

Originally Posted by Gramps

Yes yes, looking at Loaded's description on grip installion, it's a good one. Sums it up nicely, even going so far as to insulate the left heater from the bar....

When I installed heated grips on my bike, for the left handlebar I used two layers of shrink wrap tubing. For people who do not know what shrink wrap tubing is, it looks like a thin-wall rubber hose. It is used by electrician to bundle wires together or to insulate terminal crimp ends and so on. You pull it over the wire and using a heat gun or a hair dryer you heat the tubing. When heated the shrink tubing shrinks (as the name implies). A one inch tubing shrinks very nicely and tight over a standard handlebar.

Anyway, the advantage of shrink wrap tubing over electrical tape is that it will get tighter as the heated grips warms up. Unlike the glue on the electrical tape will soften up.

My left and right hand grips both provide the same amount of heat and over 3 years of use, it has held up pretty well like the day it was installed.

-Fariborz

[GasDepot]

I made a T with the right connectors to go off of the horn.
It won't run with out the key and I put a fuse in line.
The problem is wearing thick gloves, I get the most heat with thiner gloves.

James

[rufus]

[quote=bentspoke]I would use those running lamp wires only for tripping relays, battery monitor, etc.
Even though the heated grip wires are smaller gauge than the factory running lamp wires, the point is voltage drop. All stock load circuits have a path through the ign switch, and in some cases like the stock headlamp circuit,...you have redundant wiring running up and down your handlebars.
The reason I can use heated grips, heated vest, occasional use of off road lamps, cell phone charger, battery monitor, high powered high beam, relay system for stock headlamp; on my klr with stock charging system,...is because there is almost no voltage drop in my system. Using my stock headlamp for example, the stock wiring has almost 2 volts of voltage drop, compared to my lights being run directly from my acc fuse panel. I recall my headlamp circuit had about 0.3 Voltage drop when changed. (also high output bulb may melt factory harness, as factory wires are too small)
I use the stock headlamp circuit for tripping the relays, voltage drop does not matter on the primary side as the relay is either on or off, exact voltage is not important.

Why don't bikes come this way? The factories would never spend the extra money to solder all connections, and consider add ons.
Anway back to the original point, those stock running lamp wires are a branch off a shared circuit, and any heated clothing, grips, lights etc, should be on their own circuit.


[/


PLEASE draw us a diagram of EXACTLY how you wired this.. THANKS !!!quote]

[GSOilhead]

Ok, while we're on the subject of grips for the KLR.... Here's a question that probably has an obvious answer. I bought a set of Oxford Heaterz and it says that they are made for 22mm handlebars. The bike's bars measure 22mm on the digital caliper. But the inside of the new grips measure closer to 25mm. Will this discrepancy all become clear to me once I've taken off the old grips? Is there a spacer or something that I'm not aware of? Or am I the spacer who's missing something....

[Faustus]

Originally Posted by GSOilhead

The bike's bars measure 22mm on the digital caliper. But the inside of the new grips measure closer to 25mm. Will this discrepancy all become clear to me once I've taken off the old grips? Is there a spacer or something that I'm not aware of? Or am I the spacer who's missing something....

Have you considered the throttle sleeve?

[Boon Booni]

Originally Posted by GSOilhead

Ok, while we're on the subject of grips for the KLR.... Here's a question that probably has an obvious answer. I bought a set of Oxford Heaterz and it says that they are made for 22mm handlebars. The bike's bars measure 22mm on the digital caliper. But the inside of the new grips measure closer to 25mm. Will this discrepancy all become clear to me once I've taken off the old grips? Is there a spacer or something that I'm not aware of? Or am I the spacer who's missing something....

Did you measure both grips? A pair of grips comes with two different size openings. One grip fits over the throttle tube, and has a bigger opening, the other fits over just the bar and has a smaller opening. Every set of grips I've ever bought has been this way. .

...Make sure you measure both grips, I.D...