[Analytical]

I guess it's time to start looking ahead towards cooler weather. Has anybody tried "warm wrap grips" or the equivalent? You wrap these around the grips when it's cold, take them off again when it warms up. An example is at
http://www.aerostich.com/riderwearhouse ... 2C1433&2D1

Think you could plug these into the accessory outlet? (Any idea how many amps the accesory outlet will support?)

 

[pauljo]

My preference is electrically heated gloves. I ride with a Gerbing heated jacket liner and gloves in the cold weather. I've ridden with them in temps as low as 19 degrees F. They are on their own fused cord from the battery - I think it is a 15 amp fuse. Previously I used Widder gear. Similar setup, but with a 10 amp fuse.

 

[Alan]

Use care with what gets plugged into the acc. outlet. My AN400 manual says 150 watts max. Think of it in terms of 12 volt Halogen light bulbs. Three 50 watt bulbs equals 150 watts but allows no room for surge or impulse amperage drawn for a slpit second when initially plugged in or turned on with a switch. Watts should be marked on what you purchase. If not, remember a simple formula: Power (in watts) = I (in amps)X E (volts)
Arson investigation of electrical fires was one of my favorite pastimes.

 

[BobG]

Use care with what gets plugged into the acc. outlet. My AN400 manual says 150 watts max. Think of it in terms of 12 volt Halogen light bulbs. Three 50 watt bulbs equals 150 watts but allows no room for surge or impulse amperage drawn for a slpit second when initially plugged in or turned on with a switch. Watts should be marked on what you purchase. If not, remember a simple formula: Power (in watts) = I (in amps)X E (volts)
Arson investigation of electrical fires was one of my favorite pastimes.

According to Widder the combination of their vest, chaps and gloves is the approx. equivalent of a 100 watt headlight.
http://www.widder.com/html/Electrical/index.htm

 

[pauljo]

According to Widder the combination of their vest, chaps and gloves is the approx. equivalent of a 100 watt headlight.
http://www.widder.com/html/Electrical/index.htm

I had the Widder chaps once years ago, but on the scooter I don't find them necessary. A heated vest or jacket liner along with heated gloves work fine - and I just slip on a pair of thermal "long johns" under my jeans if it's really cold out.

A couple of important considerations. These heated garment manufactures all provide their own fused harness that runs straight to the battery terminals, so you are not running this gear through the scooter wiring harness in conjunction with other scooter electricals. Also, most of them provide an optional thermostat control - and I highly recommend those. I seldom run my Gerbing gear at full power - so I am not anywhere near the max draw most of the time. The small thermostat clips to my jacket belt so that I can easily adjust it up or down while riding. It controls power flow to both the jacket liner and gloves.

For those who may not know, the difference between a vest and a jacket liner, is that the jacket liner also has heated sleeves and collar. Some vests have a heated collar - some don't. I rode with vests for years, but after buying the jacket liner last fall, I'll never go back. And the gloves hook in to the jacket liner sleeves, which is an added convenience. With the simple vest, you need to run a separate wire harness from the plug at the base of the vest down each jacket sleeve.

 

[NormanB]

Hi An...sorry Bruce (Humph - nearly!)

Love your Avatar, is that a new adobe effect applied to a portrait? :wink:

 

[BobG]

Paul,

Why did you switch from Widder to Gerbing?

 

[pauljo]

Paul,

Why did you switch from Widder to Gerbing?

1. I like the Jacket Liner concept a lot. The heated sleeves make a big difference. Widder has optional attachable sleeves for their vests now. But compared to the jacket liner it looks jury rigged. The jacket liner also looks good when just worn as a light jacket. I use it off the bike sometimes on a cool morning.

2. I don't like the Widder electrical connectors. They are simply screwed on to bared wire ends. As the gear ages, I've had trouble with them. The wire ends sometimes break, then you've got to strip off some more wire, fiddle with the small set screws in the connector, and reattach it. This always happens, of course, when you are on the road and it is very cold outside, so your hands get numb in the process. The Gerbing connectors are much more robust. I've forgotten that I was plugged in a couple of times and stepped off of the bike. The Gerbing connectors separate as they should. The Widder connector has sometimes pulled right off of the wire.

3. The Gerbing gear puts out more heat. You absolutely need the thermostat with it. I always used just a straight on/off switch with the Widder gear - and on really cold days sometimes there was less heat that I would like. I'd rather have a excess amount of heat available, that I can regulate - than not enough.

4. My dealer carries the Gerbing gear now so that I was able to try it on for fit.

After using the Gerbing stuff for a year, I wouldn't go back, I really like it.

The only advantages to the Widder were that the vest was thinner and stowed a little more compactly - and I slightly prefer the more rigid glove shell that they used. The Widder vest did seem to deteriorate in the level of heat it put out as it aged. I haven't owned the Gerbing gear long enough to know if that will happen - but, again, you start out with way more heat available than you need, so a little deterioration in heat level should be less of a problem.

 

[Analytical]

Use care with what gets plugged into the acc. outlet. My AN400 manual says 150 watts max.

I was wondering what the maximum is. In which manual were you looking (owners or service)? I'll need to double-check for the AN650.

Hi An...sorry Bruce (Humph - nearly!)

Love your Avatar, is that a new adobe effect applied to a portrait? :wink:

I figured that if you could have such a fine self portrait, so could I.
:roll:

 

[BobG]

Thanks Paul.

One more question: How difficult is it to install the Gerbing?

 

[pauljo]

Thanks Paul.

One more question: How difficult is it to install the Gerbing?

Piece of cake. Remove the nuts from both battery terminals. Slide the terminal bolts through the metal loops at the end of the harness wires and re tighten the nuts. Then just run the garment plug receptacle out the side so that it hangs down from under the seat on the left side of the scooter. There is plenty of wire, I just curled the excess wire up under the seat, behind the battery.

You will get a wiring harness included with each garment you buy. I got two (1 with jacket liner, 1 with gloves). I used the second one to put on my V-Strom. You'll need to buy the thermostat cord, and the belt clip separately. The belt clip is actually a little leather pouch that the thermostat slips into, with a belt clip attached. I also bought conversion plugs for my Battery Tender chargers, so that they mate up with the Gerbing power cord. I can ride into the garage, unplug my Gerbing garment cord, and plug in the Battery Tender in 2 seconds. Nice.

 

[BobG]

Sorry Paul - I should have asked about the installation on the 400. I think you described the installation for the 650.

 

[pauljo]

Sorry Paul - I should have asked about the installation on the 400. I think you described the installation for the 650.

Installation is the same for any motorcycle or scooter. The only variable is how hard it is to get to the battery terminals. Very easy on both of my Suzuki's - I've never seen how the 400 battery is mounted. Take a look. If you can get at the battery terminals you are looking at an easy install.

 

[seatec]

Was looking at Gerbing site, very expensive , but would make a great Xmas gift from the wife, :idea: and she would let me use if before Xmas :wink: Paul does the therostst control both liner and gloves with same heat or can each be turned up and down seperate :?:

 

[pauljo]

Was looking at Gerbing site, very expensive , but would make a great Xmas gift from the wife, :idea: and she would let me use if before Xmas :wink: Paul does the therostst control both liner and gloves with same heat or can each be turned up and down seperate :?:

The single thermostat I have controls both - and I find that to be just fine. You can run a separate wiring harness to the gloves on its own thermostat if you wish. I'd suggest trying it with the single thermostat first though.

Regarding cost. This is only my third set of electric riding gear in the past 25 years. You can expect to get 7 or 8 years use out of it easily. And being cold just sucks, never mind the dangers from hypothermia and frostbite. If you live in an area that gets cold in Winter, it can extend your riding season by 2 or 3 months. It is a very worthwhile investment.

 

[BertvL]

My preference is electrically heated gloves. I ride with a Gerbing heated jacket liner and gloves in the cold weather. I've ridden with them in temps as low as 19 degrees F. They are on their own fused cord from the battery - I think it is a 15 amp fuse. Previously I used Widder gear. Similar setup, but with a 10 amp fuse.

Paul,

I just bought the Gerbing gloves, but have not yet connected them. I have a couple of questions:

• The AN650 battery below the seat has a plastic cover. On top of that cover is a small 'box' to which two thick cables are attached. These cables are connected to the actual battery poles below the plastic cover. Question: did you connect the Gerbing cable to the battery poles below the plastic cover or to the small box on the cover?

• 
  Do you use the portable 'thermostat'. If so, where do you carry it?

 

[BertvL]

Sorry Paul - I should have asked about the installation on the 400. I think you described the installation for the 650.

Bob,

The battery of the AN400 is behind a plastic cover in the glove box. You may need to drill some holes for the cable to run through.

The AN650 has a power outlet in the glovebox. I am not planning to use it for my Gerbing gloves, because I don't want to drill holes.

 

[NormanB]

Bob

I have not done this specific mod (and nor do I have your model (year).

However in this case it makes little differences and I have done some modifications to the electrical system.

For a neat install and to make the intended use practical and convenient you are going to have to do some tupperware oragami.

Also you need to investigate what weatherproof connectors come with the kit and if none source some alternatives and modify the equipment tails. You also need to consider where yu will mount the inline fuse and how you will access in service (hopefully easily). If you have a battery tender you may wish to use that type of connector as the outlet/inlet so that you have dual use (but not at the same time :wink: ).


You need to take these tupperware sections off the bike to get a clear run and sound installation (my opinion):

Front Box

You do not need to take off the glovebox lid and compartment doors - take it off as a big assembly (after removing the battery). The first time you do this it will take about an hour - and you also have to take off both lower leg shields.)


Item 12 in this pic - it takes 2 mins to get this off:
Frame Cover


I would tuck the fuse holder behind the frame cover -- tied up to the frame somewhere easily accessible

I would notch the frame cover, secure the power lead to the frame and just leave the weatherproof plug and a half finch of lead so it flops out over the frame cover (thro notch) when it is installed, in a position of your preference.

Hope this helps

 

[Analytical]

I just looked at the Gerbing site too and, yup, they're pretty pricey -- $139 for a pair of gloves. Anybody have any experience with battery-operated gloves; where each glove has a pouch that holds a single battery?

 

[BobG]

Bob

I have not done this specific mod (and nor do I have your model (year).

However in this case it makes little differences and I have done some modifications to the electrical system.

For a neat install and to make the intended use practical and convenient you are going to have to do some tupperware oragami.

Also you need to investigate what weatherproof connectors come with the kit and if none source some alternatives and modify the equipment tails. You also need to consider where yu will mount the inline fuse and how you will access in service (hopefully easily). If you have a battery tender you may wish to use that type of connector as the outlet/inlet so that you have dual use (but not at the same time :wink: ).


You need to take these tupperware sections off the bike to get a clear run and sound installation (my opinion):

Front Box

You do not need to take off the glovebox lid and compartment doors - take it off as a big assembly (after removing the battery). The first time you do this it will take about an hour - and you also have to take off both lower leg shields.)


Item 12 in this pic - it takes 2 mins to get this off:
Frame Cover


I would tuck the fuse holder behind the frame cover -- tied up to the frame somewhere easily accessible

I would notch the frame cover, secure the power lead to the frame and just leave the weatherproof plug and a half finch of lead so it flops out over the frame cover (thro notch) when it is installed, in a position of your preference.

Hope this helps

Norman,
Thanks for the explanation. Unfortunately I'm "mechanically challenged" and I would not attempt it myself. Instead of buying it on the net I'll probably go to a local dealer who is also willing to do the installation.