Cheap Grip Heaters

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Rider Eh!
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Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by Rider Eh! »

Anyone found anything that works well other than the heat demon/symtec heaters? I use to love the symtecs but they exploded in price. I remember when they were only $25! :crazy:

I know Kimpex sells some, Sodial, some other amazon and ebay cheap brands for $5-$10. Anyone had luck with these?

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by dirtyboy »

I use the Symtec.

I read that some folks use the cheap ones with the big resistor to control low vs high but they replace the resistor with a car flasher to cut down on the temperature.

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by Brass »

I have tried a few different ones over the years and keep coming back to the Symtec. The lack of a resistor adds a level of durability that is helpful for our type of use, at least for me anyway since my bike spends as much time on it's side as it does rubber.

FYI Canadian tire has their resistor type on clearance (discontinued) sale at the moment for $33. The foil heater elements seem to work fine but the resistors always seem break. I have never tried the car flasher as DB suggested.

If you end up trying the $5 ebay version, let us know how well it works and how durable it is.

:cheers:
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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by Spinalguy »

i bought 3 separate $11 versions off amazon.ca
i have not tried them yet.
You hurt? You just want to optimize your performance? Step inside...http://spinalguy.com

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Rider Eh!
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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by Rider Eh! »

Resurrecting an old thread as my hands froze Sunday.

I have the tusk/cheap style ones and found they barely worked. Are people wiring these direct to battery? Or the yellow AC wire on the KTM? I'm running through a rectifier off the white regulated wire and they sure didn't warm up unless I rev'd the engine a lot. Thinking of going straight to battery, but I don't want to kill the battery.

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by dirtyboy »

I was using the Yellow wire from the headlight on my 2 stroke. On the 4 stroke I went to the battery via a relay that I bought from Canadian Tire for $5. I did do a write up on how I set it up in the forum. From the battery, it was warm no matter what but the yellow wire also worked pretty well for me.

Insulate the bar with electrical tape before you install the heaters. BTW I was using the Symtec ones.

I don't think that the white wire is the correct one. I've always used the yellow one and then go straight to the coil bolts for the ground.

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by Rider Eh! »

Made a mistake in my previous post, I'm running off the yellow wire which I also added a rectifier to to convert to DC for my LED light. I'm wondering if there is an issue with these grip heaters, as I know I have plenty of power and my headlight lights up. I may have some time to look into it tonight.

I have insulated the clutch side, I usually don't bother with the throttle side.

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by axel99 »

If you tap into the stock headlight that’s AC Current and it will burn up a relay not designed for that. If tap into the battery like Dave mention a relay is best as it removes the inefficiency of the control switch. Also use a least a gauge wire down(heavier) from the pigtails on the grip heaters. The relay also allows you to use a very compact control switch with a low amp rating and it won’t be overloaded. I will also mention that you should plan to locate any relays in a way to minimize vibration, they don’t like engine vibrations and it will effect reliability. So now you have some design choices. I don’t see why grip heaters would not work on ac or dc current. On ac they will only get hot at high rpm and on dc you could deplete your battery bushwhacking at lower rpm but you will have consistent heat. If you don’t enjoy electrical stuff just tap into the headlight power and ground and keep it simple.

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by axel99 »

I just notice you update. Your rectifier is only converting half the power from the ac yellow wire to dc( half the ac wave). Read up on floating the ground and full wave rectifiers. Tons of power for the led, and leds will not really dim much as you drop voltage and have a wide operating volt range, so that’s not a good indicator of any thing. Have you actually measured the amps and voltage on the dc side of your aftermarket rectifier at normal ride rpm to compute the watts you have to work with?

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by Rider Eh! »

I think it was a full wave rectifier from memory, see:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13242&p=90540#p90540

I've got the voltage and amps listed in that above post as well.

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Re: Cheap Grip Heaters

Post by axel99 »

If the ground is not floating on the circuit you use from the stator, the full wave rectifier will only convert half the ac current to dc. Yeah this feels like dejavu. Lower right corner of the attached diagram is the hookup you should have, since you have not floated the ground. Based on a quick read of previous post, disconnect the brown wire from rectifier terminal and run a wire or some how attach rectifier body to earth on the frame. This miss-configuration explains the dimming at higher RPM you mention in the old post. Maybe I am full of BS and miss understand diodes and how these thing work.
rectifer-001.jpg

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