Heated Grips DIY (pictures)

[StratTuner]

This morning's project will be DIY heated grips.

The heating elements may be found [HERE] for $10.


Goals:
1. connect directly to battery with via fused SAE connector.
2. fit heating pads to grips so the pads are removable.
3. attach cables neatly and as aesthetically pleasing (not dangling) as possible.
4. enjoy warm hands on cold rides

The package is just out of the mailing pouch on the table next to me, so I hope to take pictures as I go and post in updates.

 

[Wildfire]

Cool (hot?)

I just ordered some oxfords but I will be watching this. I always love the DIY solutions.

 

[V-lust]

Strat I would encourage you to include a relay in your installation. Forgetting to turn the grips off wired direct to the battery can really mess up your day. Not that I would know anything about that

 

[StratTuner]

After an entire day of doing nothing but this project... here is the result...

Here's the BEFORE picture of the hand grip. (the extended hand guards are another experiment... they work fine, they're just "ugly", so version two will come ... sometime...)




I like the bar tape very much... makes the grip fatter in your hand and cushioned to the touch. For the sake of the new head pads, I removed the bar tape and reset it "flatter" than shown here.




Next, I put the grids about where I wanted them. They don't go around the grips entirely, so I cupped the grid in my left hand, centered where I rest my hand, and put it there. On the right I tried to estimate where my hand is at 70mph and put the heat pad there. I can always reset it if I estimated badly.




I taped them down temporarily before wrapping them with the best 3m brand tape home depot had.




It's not as thick as the original, but it's a more even surface... don't know if that matters exactly.




The finished (first finish) looked like this. Note the three white lights above the toggle switches on the left grip.
I've covered the three white lights with red tape, and that was an improvement. Since I don't know how to install a "relay" the lights are there to say "hey stupid, the grip warmers are on...turn them off if you're shutting the bike down".




The three toggle switches (left to right) are :
1) aux. lights (only works when High beams are ON)
2) day-time marker lights (only works when low beams are ON)
3) grip warmers (direct to battery: maybe be ON even when engine is OFF)


NB: I used the wires that came with the heating pads, and they were ... barely adequate. At the end of the project, it was unorganized, and a little to tight here and there, so I cut off all the wires except the pads, and started over.

The second time, I made the wiring to fit and organized it a little better.

The $10 grips are "hot" just like you'd expect them to be. You can rest your hand on them, but you find yourself thinking twice.... the heat is right on the boarder of too much.
It makes sense, really, they'd have to be that hot in order for you to feel it when you're riding with your best winter gloves on... which are thick and well insulated.

I can't wait to go for a night ride in the high desert (32f last time I was there) and test the feel.

Here's a couple photos from that very cold desert ride.

Amboy, Calif. on "Route 66"


Monument Marker at Interstate 40 and Kelso Road.

 

[StratTuner]

Tomorrow morning, I want to connect the bike to the battery tender and just turn the heated grips on and let them stay on for an hour or so... if it melts the 3m wrapping tape or bursts into open flame.....

I'd like to find that out at home... and not on the road.

 

[Wildfire]

Is that 3M tape just electrical tape?

If it is I don't think it will last very well with the combination of heat and gripping/twisting of the throttle. At least in my experience with it wrapped around foam on a unicycle handle it migrated over time leaving sticky residue where the overlap shifted.

I now have fancy cork wrap but found hockey stick tape to give a much nicer grip without making a mess.


EDIT: I am not sure how hot they would get with the insulation but have you considered installing them under the foam wrap?

 

[agia]

Tomorrow morning, I want to connect the bike to the battery tender and just turn the heated grips on and let them stay on for an hour or so... if it melts the 3m wrapping tape or bursts into open flame.....

I'd like to find that out at home... and not on the road.

Can your 'battery tender' source enough current for those heated grips? The heating elements would take about 2 to 3 amps for the pair which is more current than what your average trickle charger provides. My Deltran Battery Tender is rated for 750 mA (3/4 amp). Your battery can power the grips but after an hour (and likely sooner), your battery will be dead... If you want to power up the grips in place without involving the motorcycle's electrical system, can you provide an isolated source of power that provides enough current?

 

[670cc]

Can your 'battery tender' source enough current for those heated grips? The heating elements would take about 2 to 3 amps for the pair which is more current than what your average trickle charger provides. My Deltran Battery Tender is rated for 750 mA (3/4 amp). Your battery can power the grips but after an hour (and likely sooner), your battery will be dead... If you want to power up the grips in place without involving the motorcycle's electrical system, can you provide an isolated source of power that provides enough current?

I thought about this, too. The Amazon listing description (typically unreliable) indicates the power consumption of the grip heaters is only 10 watts, which is just a tad over a BT Junior's output, so the bike's battery might hang on a little while before it goes dead.

 

[treybrad]

Is that 3M tape just electrical tape?

If it is I don't think it will last very well with the combination of heat and gripping/twisting of the throttle. At least in my experience with it wrapped around foam on a unicycle handle it migrated over time leaving sticky residue where the overlap shifted.

+1, the constant heat from the grips I think will make a mess out of any kind of adhesive tape. You might try and see if you can find large diameter heat shrink if/when the electrical tape melts into a gooey mess. Fry's Electronics carries some pretty big stuff, but I'm not sure if it'd be big enough to go over the grip -- might have to order online. But I think that would create a pretty secure barrier that would be fine with the heat.

trey

 

[StratTuner]

Is that 3M tape just electrical tape?

If it is I don't think it will last very well with the combination of heat and gripping/twisting of the throttle. At least in my experience with it wrapped around foam on a unicycle handle it migrated over time leaving sticky residue where the overlap shifted.

I now have fancy cork wrap but found hockey stick tape to give a much nicer grip without making a mess.


EDIT: I am not sure how hot they would get with the insulation but have you considered installing them under the foam wrap?

I thought about putting the heating pads directly on to the bare OEM grip and then wrapping that with bar tape.
Originally, I wanted as much heat as I could get going into my gloved hand. Covering the heating pads with something that might insulate them seemed counter productive.

The grips come with heat shrink big enough to cover them on the bare grips, sooo...

Today's project:
- Remove 3m tape
- set pads on bare OEM grips (bet they'll go all the way round then)
- wrap heating pads/grips with new gray bar tape. (maybe not as thick as before)

 

[StratTuner]

Can your 'battery tender' source enough current for those heated grips? The heating elements would take about 2 to 3 amps for the pair which is more current than what your average trickle charger provides. My Deltran Battery Tender is rated for 750 mA (3/4 amp). Your battery can power the grips but after an hour (and likely sooner), your battery will be dead... If you want to power up the grips in place without involving the motorcycle's electrical system, can you provide an isolated source of power that provides enough current?

I noticed this phenomenon with the battery tender attached. Turning the heated grips on even for a few minutes caused the battery to begin to lose charge.

1) batt. tender charger green light shows "full charge"
2) turn on grips for three minutes, then turn them off
3) batt. tender shows red light meaning "charging"

How does this work when riding?
Does the NC's generator put out enough power to run all the electrical (now all LED) AND charge the battery too?

 

[the4Dman]

you might want to see if you can get Kapton tape

Value Brand Film Tape, Polyimide, Amber, 1/4 In x 5 Yd 15C620 | Zoro.com,

very thin, good adhesive, working temp up to 400 degrees, great stuff, usually does not leave residue when removed

electronics supply houses would have it

 

[StratTuner]

Early morning report:

It's 32F (says my indoor/outdoor thermometer), but I went out and stripped off the 3m tape and bar tape.
The heating pad will make it almost all the way around the bare OEM grip... and now the supplied "shrink" covering fits over neatly.

I think I'll put both sides on this way, heat shrink it as neatly as I can, then wrap it in gray bar tape (not as densely as before).

I'm pretty confident that:
1) the bar tape won't melt
2) bar tape isn't a great insulator, so it won't shut out the heat.

 

[StratTuner]

OK, friends,..... I'm seeking advice...

Heating pads on bare OEM grip.... then WHAT?

What more should go on top of that?

 

[Wildfire]

I would think it would go:

heating pads, shrink tube, bar grips/bar wrap.


It would be interesting to see if your right hand gets hotter than your left with the heating pads being insulated from the bar by the throttle tube.

mmm maybe you should build up the left side to match before putting on the heating pads? I am just spitballing ideas.

 

[StratTuner]

I would think it would go:

heating pads, shrink tube, bar grips/bar wrap.


It would be interesting to see if your right hand gets hotter than your left with the heating pads being insulated from the bar by the throttle tube.

mmm maybe you should build up the left side to match before putting on the heating pads? I am just spitballing ideas.

I do so enjoy that state of mind when "what ifs" flood in. ...ahhhh

I think I'll start with
- bare oem grip
- thin layer of bar tape (not enough to prevent shrink from sliding over it.)
- heating element
- shrink

If that base is
1)too hot
2 too uncomfortable
Add bar tape until comfort appears.

The goal is to keep the heating element close to the surface.

 

[StratTuner]

Yes! that worked.

layer of bar tape
heating pad
shrink

There is now only one layer of shrink between me and the heating pad (element).

The 3m tape I was using 3m rates to 221F. Not sure how hot the heating elemnts get.

I had hoped to make the heated grips removable, but they are part of the bike now and can stay that way.

Thank you all for help and inspiration. Happy New Year.

 

[Motodrocher]

I have the same pads installed under the OEM grips. Works fine to me anв I have never felt any difference in temperature, though some times I would want them to "burn hotter", but I would buy them again for sure. Got them on eBay for $3.5))))

 

[agia]

I noticed this phenomenon with the battery tender attached. Turning the heated grips on even for a few minutes caused the battery to begin to lose charge.

1) batt. tender charger green light shows "full charge"
2) turn on grips for three minutes, then turn them off
3) batt. tender shows red light meaning "charging"

How does this work when riding?
Does the NC's generator put out enough power to run all the electrical (now all LED) AND charge the battery too?

I'm no expert on the inner workings of NC. I understand the alternator is rated for 420 watts which is more than enough power for the motorcycle's electrical system. Sounds like all of your incandescent bulbs were replaced with LED which should lower the demand on your alternator. Any extra LEDs will of course require extra power from your electrical system.

Your battery tender is acting like I would anticipate -- your battery was charged (green light), you drew current from your battery assuming you powered the grips from the NC while not running, your battery voltage dropped as a result, and the battery tender detected this and went into a charging state.

 

[StratTuner]

Just finished three hour test.
WOW!
I think I'm going to like this mod.
They generate a lot of heat, and they're close to the surface. I thought about adding one more thin layer of bar tape, but... maybe not.
It's nice to have the option.! ☺

The battery didn't run down, and nothing melted.