Battery - Heated Grips Issue

[Sith Lord]

Didn't really find what I needed, so let's start from scratch.

Installed new Oxford Heated grips last year with relay. No probs for all of Australian winter. Sat dormant on the bike for 7 months. when I went to use them the other day, they wouldn't work.

They powered up no problem, started to heat, but then after about 30 seconds, they dropped to minimum (30%) setting. I nudged up the temps again, but after 30 secs it dropped again. I checked all the connections, cleaned out with air, fitted and secured again. Fired up the bike in the garage, where I let it idle with the grips on for approx 10 minutes. No probs at all - grips nice and warm. Jumped on the bike - 200 metres down the street, they went into minimum setting again!

My local bike shop said the battery may be on it's way out - not holding enough charge to run the bike at higher rpm and the heated grips together. Fine at lower rpm though (idle). Does this sound like a possibility? I have a voltmeter thingy at home that I can check it with. Obviously the battery is 12V, but what should it be sitting at when off, at idle, etc.

I can book it in to get checked, but would like to learn myself (and save the $80-/hour labour fees the bike shop will charge me!)

Thanks all.

 

[FinalImpact]

Didn't really find what I needed, so let's start from scratch.

Installed new Oxford Heated grips last year with relay. No probs for all of Australian winter. Sat dormant on the bike for 7 months. when I went to use them the other day, they wouldn't work.

They powered up no problem, started to heat, but then after about 30 seconds, they dropped to minimum (30%) setting. I nudged up the temps again, but after 30 secs it dropped again. I checked all the connections, cleaned out with air, fitted and secured again. Fired up the bike in the garage, where I let it idle with the grips on for approx 10 minutes. No probs at all - grips nice and warm. Jumped on the bike - 200 metres down the street, they went into minimum setting again!

My local bike shop said the battery may be on it's way out - not holding enough charge to run the bike at higher rpm and the heated grips together. Fine at lower rpm though (idle). Does this sound like a possibility? I have a voltmeter thingy at home that I can check it with. Obviously the battery is 12V, but what should it be sitting at when off, at idle, etc.

I can book it in to get checked, but would like to learn myself (and save the $80-/hour labour fees the bike shop will charge me!)

Thanks all.

After a run mines around 12.95 ~ 13.05v
Lead acid batteries run about 2.12 volts per cell in good health and depending upon the temperature ~ 70F.

 

[Motogiro]

Sounds like you have a controller problem. The controller has a Silicone Controlled Rectifier (SCR) The SCR and associated circuits may be failing and operating intermittently. It could be anything from the switching to the SCR to the wires that feed the grips. I would check where the wires that feed the grips bend at the steering and well as the throttle wires. The controller may default if it senses a problem and defaults to the low setting.

Usually it would be opposite. High RPM when your riding would provide more current for electrics as opposed to idle. Still check your battery voltages and connections.

 

[Sith Lord]

Thanks guys. Voltage was sitting at 12.8 last night turned off. This morning again, waiting at a set of lights for an eternity, I turned the grips on. No probs. Accelerated very lightly to the next set only 100m away. When they went green, took off, up to 50kmh or so and off the grips went

A bit out of my league - she's booked in on Friday......

 

[mave2911]

I'll bet it's not the battery.

It'll be the controller, for sure.

The bike doesn't 'use' the battery when running, per se, so whether you're going fast or slow just changes how much power is being generated by the stator.

This will have no effect on the heated grips, as it's working at idle - when the bike is making the least power.

I'd buy a new controller (if possible) as I'm fairly sure they're not serviceable, but before you do - check and reset (plug/unplug) all connections to make sure corrosion isn't inhibiting electrical connectivity.

Cheers,
Rick