Gerbing heated jacket connector problems

[Tim Cullis]

I'm having problems with my Gerbing heated jacket (old style) with what I think is a bad connection. After fiddling with the connectors for some time eventually I can get heat but then 15 mins later I loose it again. The battery loom and controller unit are new and I have checked them with a multimeter. And I know from the lights on the controller that I've getting current without problems.

Jacket connector on right, controller on left

I believe the problem is that the connection to the jacket is slightly loose compared to plugging into new components. I'm currently in Spain and about to leave for Morocco in a few days, so no time to send to Gerbing for a repair. Any ideas what I can do to improve things. So far I thought...

- spray with WD40 (which I have) or some electrical spray (which I don't have)
- cut off the connector and use terminal blocks to wire in a replacement connecter (cannibalise a spare extension cable)

Any (useful) suggestions welcome.

 

[Kritou]

If that coax connector is loose gently deform the metal male bit with a pair of pliers and see if the tighter connection helps

 

[MikeO]

Have a look into the female connector Tim - mine was quite corroded and a little time with a cocktail stick and emery sorted it out...

 

[GrinningGSer]

As above , look at the female connector (which is the power source from your battery) . Remove the inline fuse FIRST before poking around inside the socket with anything conductive and emery/fine sand paper. clean any corrosion. Finish with switch cleaner. Then look at the central pin cos yours may be squashed tight after much use;

Dilate that pin very slightly by wedging a fine blade screwdriver .Note making sure that your inline fuse (which you must have )has been removed first or kaboom when you short the edges!!! Worked for me
Replace fuse job done

 

[Tim Cullis]

The connector from the battery is new, as is the extension lead and the temperature controller lead. I've tried each of these directly connected to the jacket with the same problems, so I'm fairly confident the problem is either the male connector from the jacket or a break in the wiring inside the jacket.

I was hopeful that kritou's idea of slightly deforming the male connector might work; the connection is now much stronger, but I've not managed since to get the jacket to heat at all.

At the moment my choices are
- some form of spray to improve connection
- further deforming of the male connector
- splice a new male connector into the jacket wiring.

Tim

 

[chrisjk]

Tim,

I'd splice a new connector. I have had trouble with this sort of connector before and have gone over to using SAE connectors in preference. You'll probably want to replace like for like though, given your new controller lead.

 

[MickTheSaw]

Have you checked where its soldered in to the jacket.?
as this is usually the problem when jackets start to fail.?
mine did it last year

 

[Tim Cullis]

I decided to splice a new extension cable onto the existing one using Scotchlok connectors. Works perfectly which is just as well as it's only just above freezing in the mornings here in Spain.

I deliberately left a long trailing extension to make it easier to connect to the temperature controller.