Making heated clothing/gloves

[andysdad]

I have a Gerbing heated jacket (simple on/off, no heat controller) that has connectors for gloves.

Rather than buy Gerbing gloves, I also have an old pair of heated inner gloves that I could modify to connect to the Gerbing jacket.

I can't see any reason it would not work - both are 12V resistive heating elements.

The connector looks to be a standard size. If not, I could replace the jacket connector to match the new glove one.

My first thought is, since the circuits are in series, then adding the gloves would mean less heat from the jacket (no bad thing, it's hot!).

Anyone got any advice, suggestions, ridicule (it is UKGSer after all)?

 

[beemerboy9]

I have certainly run heated gloves (Gerbing) of the same circuit as the jacket, but I am also using a heat controller.

 

[Hann]

It can’t be wired in series otherwise the jacket would be open circuit ( no heat) until the gloves are plugged in.
I assume the jacket has wires down the sleeves to plug gloves in?
Source some suitable connectors to hook the gloves up and you’re good to go, the jacket should have the same power and heat output with the gloves as without.

 

[wessie]

I would hope they are running in parallel from a single power lead - you do not want the current for the gloves being pulled through the jacket's heating element. This would mean the heat output of the jacket is not affected.

I run my Keis gilet and insoles from a single supply lead and controller. I only use the lowest of three power settings. The total current must be less than 5A as the ECU controlled accessory socket remains live. Part of my decision to buy Keis gear several years ago is the low power consumption compared to other brands so I could run the gear from the accessory socket on my R1200RS (it is located on the side of the bike under your right thigh).

You need to know the max current draw from the Gerbing gloves designed to work with the jacket and the alternative you plan to connect. Without these figures it is pure speculation as to whether the jacket wiring will cope. It's not just about the volts. My guess is that it will work but you might need a larger fuse in the supply lead. The Keis lead that came with my jacket for connecting direct to the battery was shipped with different fuses to use if connecting another element to the jacket.

 

[andysdad]

Hann & Wessie - of course you are correct - my limited brain knew it was bad design if in series. So adding the gloves will be relatively straight-forward (find suitable male connector or change jacket to suit what I can find).

I will look at the jacket wiring to check, but there must be a junction inside the jacket to branch the glove circuit off in parallel.

I will measure the existing jacket and glove resistances to see how overall current load would be affected. I doubt a pair of gloves will vary much (Gerbing OE vs. my inner gloves). Might need to uprate the fuse, as you say (jacket runs off a Hella socket directly from the battery).

The Knowledge of UKGSer wins again. Many thanks.