Oxford grip heaters, handlebar mount for controller?

[Pat Conlon]

Hello good folks, I plan on installing some Oxford adventure grip heaters and I was wondering if anyone can guide me on how they installed the controller box on their left side bars? I'm using the new "premium" version grips.

I really don't want to drill my fairing inner panel to mount the controller, I will if I have to, but rather not.
Besides, space is limited on the left side panel on the later model FJ's with the choke and fuel reserve switch taking up most of the room on that left side. I want to keep the controller on the left side so when I need to adjust it, I can keep my right hand on the throttle.

I am curious on the bracket used....any picts or write ups?

Thanks in advance!  Pat

[Bones]

Pat, I've got the earlier grips on mine, but I'm assuming the bracket that comes with the kit would be the same. The left handlebar imo is the best place for it, easy to get at to push the buttons and to see the power and temp lights.



I used a couple of small nuts under each end of the bracket to make it level so it wouldn't bend on the master cylinder mounting clamp when tighting the screws.



They are a great bit of kit, you'll enjoy them.

                                                            Tony.

[ribbert]

Hello good folks.....

Well Pat, seeing as how you addressed me personally I guess I owe you a reply.

With all the add on's on my bike I have never taken a drill or saw to it. Everything in the photo below, except the GPS, is secured with heavy duty velcro (and you just about need a tyre lever to get that stuff apart) even the HUD unit. I like this for a couple of reasons, one, it insulates it from vibrations and two, and I can remove it temporarily (so I can polish) or relocate it permanently without leaving scars.



Often your first choice of location for such things turns out not to be the best once in use, for reasons that only become obvious once in use.

I don't find having it on the RHS a problem, we ride on the other side of the road here. It is not something you fiddle with constantly anyway, maybe a couple of times a day, and I have the lever type throttle lock that can be engaged, adjustment made, and disengaged in seconds. The wire neatly feeds through the top louvre and I mounted the control box on the RHS of the battery box (with Velcro!).

If you mount it on the bars, I think you will need it resting against something, with thick gloves on, it requires a very hard push of the buttons and I'm not sure the bracket wouldn't bend. The thicker the gloves, the harder the push required. It does allow you to ride with lighter gloves though.

As Tony said, they are a great piece of kit and you will enjoy them. Mine must have done 70,000km and six Winters by now and have just recently developed a thin spot on the LH grip. You will use them far more than you imagine. They seem to be a bit of comfort thing, not just something to stop your hands freezing.
Mine are probably in use all day long for at least half of the year, that's a lot of use and still going strong and most of the time I only use one setting -#3 (of 4)

The LH bar is a good mounting spot for the reasons you mention, as in Tony's photos, but for me, I didn't like the look of it.

Noel

[Pat Conlon]

Thanks Tony and Noel, exactly what I was looking for...

Noel, did you find the auto off function on the new version of the controller to work correctly?
The new style controller is supposed to sense engine vibration and when the vibration stops, after 2 minutes the controller drops the heat down to the 30% setting and 3 minutes after that (5 minutes total), turns off the system.
Kind of makes me nervous to rely on voodoo magic to shut off the system.

I was considering a inline toggle switch to assure positive power shut down when parking the bike.


oops, never mind Noel  ...I see you have the older version of the controller.

[FeralRdr]

Have you considered connecting the grips to the bike via a powered relay to the battery? 

I ran one of these on my FJ and have considered putting one on the N1K for powered accessories (though I haven't needed it yet).


http://electricalconnection.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=20_61&product_id=80

[Bones]

Thanks Tony and Noel, exactly what I was looking for...

Noel, did you find the auto off function on the new version of the controller to work correctly?
The new style controller is supposed to sense engine vibration and when the vibration stops, after 2 minutes the controller drops the heat down to the 30% setting and 3 minutes after that (5 minutes total), turns off the system.
Kind of makes me nervous to rely on voodoo magic to shut off the system.

I was considering a inline toggle switch to assure positive power shut down when parking the bike.


oops, never mind Noel  ...I see you have the older version of the controller.

The older versions have a auto power off function as well Pat, but not as sophisticated as the new ones. The old ones sense the voltage and if left on will turn off when it gets to about 10 volts so it doesn't completely flatten your battery.

I've left mine turned on twice accidentally, and while the motor will still turn over, their isn't enough oomph to start it, but a push and clutch start will get it going.

                                                                Tony.

[Pat Conlon]

Thanks Greg, I considered adding (yet another) relay to my system...I currently have 3 (low beam, high beam and coil relay) as well as the oem starter relay.
The 3 aftermarket relays are all the same relay, sharing the same plug base, and I keep a replacement in my tail cowl (just in case).
I thought about adding the grip circuit to the output of my coil relay but I am cautious...if something happens on the grip heater circuit and I blow my coil relay fuse, my bike's dead in the water.
The headlight high/low relay outputs won't do, I would lose power to the heater circuit when switching from low to high beam, or vice-versa, depending on which relay output I choose.

****Wait a minute*** With the key on, is the low beam relay always on? (except of course when starting) IOW when switching from low to high beam, does the low beam relay output remain energized or does it shut off?

Hmmm, perhaps I need to reach up and pull my headlight plug and get my multi tester out....



Thanks again Tony, yea, I heard the same thing about the controller.
When I think about push starting (Bump starting) my bike, I remember back several decades ago to a bad experience. Keep in mind I have bump started many, many bikes over the years...

I was solo, no help around, with my bike loaded with side bags with a sleeping bag and gear netted over my passenger seat. My bike's battery had juice but not enough to run the starter. It was night and I was stopped along a busy 2 lane rural highway. With no room to roll the bike on the soft shoulder, I had to use the asphalt roadway.
I waited for a gap in the oncoming traffic, key on, put the bike in second, clutch in, and with mighty shove, running along side the bike, got the bike rolling.
Left foot on the footpeg, I went to swing my right leg over the bike and my leg snagged on my luggage, causing me to tip the bike over....on the highway, at night, with oncoming traffic.

Not my finest moment.

Moral of the story...have a riding buddy push you....or if solo, remove your luggage. Lesson learned.

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

Pat... heated grips really. That So Cal winter is nasty. Damn near got down to 60 degrees today. Good thing I had my parka Hey sometimes when you haven't posted in while you gotta write something or maybe not.

[TexasDave]

Pat... heated grips really. That So Cal winter is nasty. Damn near got down to 60 degrees today. Good thing I had my parka Hey sometimes when you haven't posted in while you gotta write something or maybe not.

I don't know how old Pat is but the older I get the more I notice the cold. Even if it is 60 deg it feels cold to me.  Dave

[Pat Conlon]

Ok Mike....I'll remind you of your comment when we are in the Sierra's riding over Monitor Pass..

A wise man said to me, "Life is too short to ride with cold hands" (Lawson)

Yea Dave, I'm 62 and I begin to notice it on long rides. Love my heated vest!

[airheadPete]

"even the HUD unit...."



Noel, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!

What is that "HUD" unit???
I'll proudly proclaim that I'm a HUD cripple at work. I use it ALL the time. So this seems like a great mod to do to my FJ. It won't cost the $400,000- they cost at work either. Done well, stuff like this allows you to ride better without staring at a screen all the time. (What's that windscreen anyway?)

So, so? 

[magge52]

Another install on the left grip that works good. Easy to change settings with a (winter) gloved hand. Shuts down quickly if left on when the bike is off, no problems restarting. They kept my hands warm in 32f temps at hiway speeds on a new years day 3 hr test ride.

[Pat Conlon]

Ok, thanks George, that is good to know that the shutdown works as advertised.
Further reading about the Oxford "premium" controller is that the unit detects electrical noise from the charging system and starts the shutdown process then this noise is absent. I wrote in my above post that it sensed vibration, which is incorrect.

Thanks for all your help fellas!

[Firehawk068]

Pat, these grip heaters don't really draw much current.

I measured the resistance of my Oxford grip before I wired it up. (I got 8 ohms, each side)

At 14 volts, they draw less than 1-amp.(combined)

You would probably be fine adding it to an existing ignition switched source, and using a very small-amp fuse for protection.
Or wire it directly to the battery if it has auto-shutdown.

[ribbert]

Pat, these grip heaters don't really draw much current.

I measured the resistance of my Oxford grip before I wired it up. (I got 8 ohms, each side)

At 14 volts, they draw less than 1-amp.(combined)

You would probably be fine adding it to an existing ignition switched source, and using a very small-amp fuse for protection.
Or wire it directly to the battery if it has auto-shutdown.

If they shut down, it's not a problem, as you say, but I seem to recall something in the instructions about wiring it direct, can't remember what is was now. They have their own in line fuse already.

Mine also have the auto shut off feature - when they have drained the battery completely over 6 or 7 hours they turn off.

Noel