Using Power from Battery vs. Fuse...

[Yazz]

Looking into getting heated clothes. Seems there are two different trains of thought on where to get the power from.

1. BMW = cigar lighter going through a fuse.

2. Gerbing = going through the battery.
http://gerbing.com/Info/instructions_powersports.php

3. How about using a pigtail from your battery tender to get power for cell phones? Easy and no drilling?

Trying to weigh options and learn more about adding auxiliary electricals.

Thanks!

 

[Capt John]

I went with the Powerlet kit PKT-056. It has dual outlets and hooks directly to the battery. I use the outlets for battery tender, gps, radar detector and iPhone. Simple install and very useful. Here is a pic. You can see the outlet on the console on both sides of the instrument cluster.



View attachment 8253

 

[Yazz]

I went with the Powerlet kit PKT-056. It has dual outlets and hooks directly to the battery. I use the outlets for battery tender, gps, radar detector and iPhone. Simple install and very useful. Here is a pic. You can see the outlet on the console on both sides of the instrument cluster.
View attachment 8253

Glad I'm on the right track. Your instrument cluster is very clean looking. Like your idea.

Thanks for the PN too!

 

[Capt John]

Glad I'm on the right track. Your instrument cluster is very clean looking. Like your idea.

Thanks for the PN too!

Can't take credit for outlet placement. Scotty is the one. I just followed his lead.

 

[buck1234]

hook up for elec clothes

My dealer hooked up the dual heatroller control with velcro to the handlebar stem directly to the auxilary battery terminals under the seat. Same ones BRP says to use to jump start our bikes. I use one control for pants and socks the other for jacket and gloves. Works great and the wires tuck under the seat when not in use.

Toasty warm!!!!!! :clap:

Buck1234 :2thumbs: :yes:

 

[Yazz]

Can't take credit for outlet placement. Scotty is the one. I just followed his lead.

If Scotty says it, its good to go...

 

[Yazz]

My dealer hooked up the dual heatroller control with velcro to the handlebar stem directly to the auxilary battery terminals under the seat. Same ones BRP says to use to jump start our bikes. I use one control for pants and socks the other for jacket and gloves. Works great and the wires tuck under the seat when not in use.

Toasty warm!!!!!! :clap:

Buck1234 :2thumbs: :yes:

Oh man, we rode Highway 1 in June a ways back. Never been so cold in my life! Stopped to warm up and met some other bikers. They were floored to learn we didn't have heated clothes.

Want to get the jacket, gloves, pants and boot insoles. All of the juice comes from one plug with two controls?

Glad to hear battery is winning. :2thumbs:

 

[NancysToy]

Nancy's Spyder has two Powerlets in the dash, both fused, but one switched and one is not. I ran a Gebing (fused) harness for the heated gear, though. Hers runs forward to the feed for the auxiliary fuse block, but it could have been run to the battery (not the jumper connections under the seat) just as well. I brought the harness out under the dash, near the steering. It is zip-tied to a cable hook there, so it can be tucked out of sight when not in use.

On my RT, I ran the Gerbing harness to the battery for a while, and laid it under the seat. It is now hooked to the auxiliary fuse block near the battery, for convenience. I'm not much for heated gear, but I usually just plug my vest into the Powerlets on either Spyder. That requires an extension cord, though.

BTW, I think you can get an adapter cord from a heated gear (Gerbing) cable to most battery chargers from Powerlet Products, so the pigtail can do double duty.

 

[Raptor]

HMMM... Heated clothes. What a concept! However, I am leary of being tethered to the machine in any way. Having said that, If I was going to do it, the power to the suit would be fused for sure, but the source would be straight from the battery.

 

[boborgera]

I've been using heated jacket's for almost ten years now, I always wire it straight to the battery,with a in line fuse.
Now if i can only remember to unplug it every time i get off the bike :gaah:

 

[Yazz]

Nancy's Spyder has two Powerlets in the dash, both fused, but one switched and one is not. I ran a Gebing (fused) harness for the heated gear, though. Hers runs forward to the feed for the auxiliary fuse block, but it could have been run to the battery (not the jumper connections under the seat) just as well. I brought the harness out under the dash, near the steering. It is zip-tied to a cable hook there, so it can be tucked out of sight when not in use.

On my RT, I ran the Gerbing harness to the battery for a while, and laid it under the seat. It is now hooked to the auxiliary fuse block near the battery, for convenience. I'm not much for heated gear, but I usually just plug my vest into the Powerlets on either Spyder. That requires an extension cord, though.

BTW, I think you can get an adapter cord from a heated gear (Gerbing) cable to most battery chargers from Powerlet Products, so the pigtail can do double duty.

Was thinking if the fuse was the way to go to hook into the rear auxiliary fuse under the seat. Figured on putting in a 15 amp fuse?

What made me go more for the battery connect is I am going on a ryde north. Being from the South, can't take the cold like the people from up North. Having the fuse keep blowing out would not enhance the trip.

Powerlet Products is a wonderful place. Any configuration you want. Think I'm going with the pigtail and couple of splits.

 

[Yazz]

HMMM... Heated clothes. What a concept! However, I am leary of being tethered to the machine in any way. Having said that, If I was going to do it, the power to the suit would be fused for sure, but the source would be straight from the battery.

Used to poo-poo electric underwear myself. Until I got so cold once, couldn't think straight and no place to pull over. What was supposed to be one of the most scenic rides in the country turned into a night-mare.

As far as the fuse vs. battery, to safely use the battery, take the number of amps the battery puts out. Subtract out how many amps the byke uses. Include all the add ons. I would subtract out another ten amps to be on the safe side. The number left over is how many amps you can safely use for your heated gear.

 

[Yazz]

I've been using heated jacket's for almost ten years now, I always wire it straight to the battery,with a in line fuse.
Now if i can only remember to unplug it every time i get off the bike :gaah:

What size of fuse to you use?

Does Powerlet have connectors for an in line fuse?

Imagining you jumping off the Spyder, headed for the boy's room and getting pulled short by the plug-in wires.:roflblack:

 

[NancysToy]

It does not matter whether you use an auxiliary circuit and fuse, a fused Powerlet, or a fused pigtail directly off the battery, as long as the wiring is sized to the largest fuse you will use. Your formula for finding how much heated gear you can use is correct, but keep a couple of things in mind. First, the actual electrical load of most bikes, including the Spyder, is a guess. You may have to experiment, or cut back on addition loads, like foglights or auxiliary lighting. You may also have to run heated grips or heated gear on low to make things work. Second, keep in mind that the Spyder only puts out about half the rated wattage at 4,000 rpm. Keep the rpm up...and shut off the heated gear in stop-and-go traffic.

The load of each piece of heated gear is available on the Website or in the instructions that came with it. The correct size fuse for each load combination is also listed. Don't automatically go with 15 amps unless that is what you need. Too large a fuse will not work when it is needed.

One last thing...use of a Powerlet will require an extra adapter, at extra cost. The fused pigtail comes with the heated gear.

 

[Yazz]

O.k. Scotty, Thanks for slowing my mind down. Think I'm figuring this out...

Figuring watts or amps by amps x volts (12) = watts and vice versa kinda.

Gerbing gloves, jacket, pants and insoles = 13.4 amps - 163 watts

Gerbing battery harness to battery with 15 amp fuse.

Magneto generator output 250 watts @ around 4,000 rpm.

Total Spyder power usage - 347 watts.

My electrical add ons are:
BRP fog lights - 110 watts
Mud Flap Lights and Fender Tipz both LED's.
Rear lights replaced with LED's. Think this would neutralize the Flap and Tipz add-on.

With fog lights on, and all heated gear maxed out, the power drain would be 620 watts.

With fog lights off, and all heated gear maxed out, the power drain would be 510 watts. So would have to have RPMs over 7,000? to keep from sucking the battery dry, and also lower heating temps coming into towns.

Another cave man way of not using so much juice, is to put your rain suit on. It will cut the wind and you won't have to have the heated gear cranked up so high.

Going to get a pigtail for my Droid.

Thank you for heading me in the right direction.:clap:

 

[jgwoods]

I rode all last Winter with Gerbings gloves and jacket. I added a voltmeter to see how the charging system was holding up.
Normally I get a reading of 14.1 volts when riding, but turn on the heated gear which pulses on and off and it goes back and forth from 13.6 and 14.1V while riding.
At idle it drops as low as 12.6 but never less so I have no real concerns that my heated gear alone will cause me any problems, but I don't have foglights or other electric gear running. If I did I might be concerned.

My tolerance for cold is dropping with age. At this point I enjoy riding down to about 20f with the heated gear, I'm good for an hour, maybe two. Below that it is just no fun.

 

[boborgera]

:shocked:

O.k. Scotty, Thanks for slowing my mind down. Think I'm figuring this out...

Figuring watts or amps by amps x volts (12) = watts and vice versa kinda.

Gerbing gloves, jacket, pants and insoles = 13.4 amps - 163 watts

Gerbing battery harness to battery with 15 amp fuse.

Magneto generator output 250 watts @ around 4,000 rpm.

Total Spyder power usage - 347 watts.

My electrical add ons are:
BRP fog lights - 110 watts
Mud Flap Lights and Fender Tipz both LED's.
Rear lights replaced with LED's. Think this would neutralize the Flap and Tipz add-on.

With fog lights on, and all heated gear maxed out, the power drain would be 620 watts.

With fog lights off, and all heated gear maxed out, the power drain would be 510 watts. So would have to have RPMs over 7,000? to keep from sucking the battery dry, and also lower heating temps coming into towns.

Another cave man way of not using so much juice, is to put your rain suit on. It will cut the wind and you won't have to have the heated gear cranked up so high.

Going to get a pigtail for my Droid.

Thank you for heading me in the right direction.:clap:

I think you might be over gearing.[electric]
Don't know about all that heated stuff. I go out in 15/20 degree F. temps.
All i ware is a heated jacket, leather coat over it, jeans,boot's,heavy gloves Also i have a F1 windshield w/wings. I'll go out almost every day through the winter. And at least once a month I'll do a 160/180 mile round trip up the Delaware River.
Don't depend on electric only,if for some reason the heated gear fails, it will be a cold ride home.
:shocked: [been there froze that off]
\

 

[Yazz]

I rode all last Winter with Gerbings gloves and jacket. I added a voltmeter to see how the charging system was holding up.
Normally I get a reading of 14.1 volts when riding, but turn on the heated gear which pulses on and off and it goes back and forth from 13.6 and 14.1V while riding.
At idle it drops as low as 12.6 but never less so I have no real concerns that my heated gear alone will cause me any problems, but I don't have foglights or other electric gear running. If I did I might be concerned.

My tolerance for cold is dropping with age. At this point I enjoy riding down to about 20f with the heated gear, I'm good for an hour, maybe two. Below that it is just no fun.

Putting a volt meter on is a great idea. Can see exactly how much stress the battery in under. Thanks!

Right now, if the temps get into the 40's 50's, I look like a black leather snowman. Can handle that for hours but not too comfortable with all the layers.

On a road trip, all those layers take up alot of luggage space. Going to get the heated gear to simplify things.

 

[Yazz]

:shocked:

I think you might be over gearing.[electric]
Don't know about all that heated stuff. I go out in 15/20 degree F. temps.
All i ware is a heated jacket, leather coat over it, jeans,boot's,heavy gloves Also i have a F1 windshield w/wings. I'll go out almost every day through the winter. And at least once a month I'll do a 160/180 mile round trip up the Delaware River.
Don't depend on electric only,if for some reason the heated gear fails, it will be a cold ride home.
:shocked: [been there froze that off]
\

I'm planning a long road trip north and will be doing about 5 - 7 hours a day. Also have a touring windshield for the ryde. To me, its best to have it and never need it vs. not having it and wishing you did. I've been cold all day once before and never want to go through that again.

I hear you about relying on electric alone for heat. Will pack layers, just not as much as I would without heated gear.

 

[boborgera]

I'm planning a long road trip north and will be doing about 5 - 7 hours a day. Also have a touring windshield for the ryde. To me, its best to have it and never need it vs. not having it and wishing you did. I've been cold all day once before and never want to go through that again.

I hear you about relying on electric alone for heat. Will pack layers, just not as much as I would without heated gear.

:thumbup::thumbup: