One heated grip not working - time for a new bike?

[Psyko]

Just discovered that the left hand side heated grip ain't working. Anyone come across this phenomenon before? Is there a simple fix or is it off to the dealer?

All and any help appreciated.

Cheers,

Psyko.

 

[Frank Warner]

Humm ... Irish business consultant .. probably got more money than me... yep ok...

Buy a new bike and sell the old one to some poor git.

You could take it to a mechanic and get it repaired... but you knew that already, right? It is not April up there yet .. is it? You can check the connections... no?

 

[littleredrooster]

Humm ... Irish business consultant .. probably got more money than me... yep ok...

Buy a new bike and sell the old one to some poor git.

You could take it to a mechanic and get it repaired... but you knew that already, right? It is not April up there yet .. is it? You can check the connections... no?

Sorry, psyko, I'm sure someone will be along in a moment to assist.

 

[Frank Warner]

You've heard the one about the vacuum cleaners?

The sales person became concerned when a particular customer was regularly buying vacuum cleaners...
"Didn't you buy a vxz vacuum from us 14 month ago?"
"Yes."
"Why are you buying another one?"
"Because it doesn't work anymore."
"What is wrong?" Does it make a noise?"
"It makes a very loud noise. But it does not suck."
"Have you tried removing the dust bag and operating without that bit?"
"Dust bag?"
"Yes the bag that collects all the dust."
"What bag?"
"The one that you remove to throw out the dust."
"I don't know what you’re talking about. I just want a new vacuum cleaner."


Later - sales person to boss
"This stupid customer came in for another vacuum cleaner, turns out she did not know that you have to clean out the dust to keep them working."
"Mrs. Fhsadfk?"
"Yes. That is her."
"Pity she has been a good customer. We have been on the verge of loosing someone. I am afraid you’re sacked. Pick up your stuff and go."
"What?"


---
Read through this on heated grips. Might give you some ideas.

 

[hops]

cool hand?

Have you tried connecting a voltmeter to the wiring to check if its the element or wiring? In the absence of a voltmeter you could try connecting a bulb to the wiring to see if it lights up? That way at least you'll know where the fault lies.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Dave Hall]

Have you considered a Dyson...they dont need dust bags.

 

[evenflow]

Is the other grip getting a lot hotter?
I would keep them switched off until u find the problem and fix it.
I suspect there wired in parallel therefore the remaining grip may be taking double the current.

 

[Professional Boxer]

The right grip often gets hotter quicker because it is not directly mounted on the handle bar ( plastic tube for throttle twist) the left hand grip is mounted to the handle bar, so it has to heat this before getting hot !!!!!!!!

Ever tried burning the label off a coffee jar? same principle!!!

Failing this take the tank off & check the resistance of the grips

 

[Tony Summers]

Left grips fail usually, this happens when lifting the bike onto the centre stand you pull on the left bar grip twisting it and breaking the element.

 

[ferguscawley]

Ohm's law !!

Is the other grip getting a lot hotter?
I would keep them switched off until u find the problem and fix it.
I suspect there wired in parallel therefore the remaining grip may be taking double the current.

Not so. A heater is a purely resistive load - i.e just a resistance.
Therefore, if the voltage remains the same , so will it's current -

V = I x R or, put another way, I = V/R

V = voltage (12volts for a bike battery)
I = Current drawn by the load (measure in Amps)
R = Resistance of the load (measured in Ohms)

So assuming (for arguments sake) that the resistance of your heated grip is 24 Ohms, then the current drawn by the grip would be

12/24= 0.5 Amps

Just because another grip has failed in the parallel circuit does not mean that the remaining grip will get any hotter or burn out.

Ferg

I didn't spend 4 years in College for nothing you know

 

[Psyko]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've decided it would be silly to buy a new bike now when I'm taking delivery of my new R1200GS on 1st Jan (just had to have one after the test ride) - have they arrived in dealers in the UK yet?

Vacuum cleaner didn't work as I highsided at the first corner and burst the dust bag.

I did scrape in to college and hung around for four years, but didn't pay attention - so I can't do all the clever stuff with denominators and numerators (or even Tobinators).

I'll have a careful look at the wiring tomorrow, decide I can't do it and call in the Cavalry. I have a long track record of starting to fix things and making it much, much worse.

Thanks for all the input anyway. If I have anything helpful to report, I'll let you know.

Cheers,

Psyko

 

[turbine_2]

Re: Ohm's law !!

Not so. A heater is a purely resistive load - i.e just a resistance.
Therefore, if the voltage remains the same , so will it's current -

V = I x R or, put another way, I = V/R

V = voltage (12volts for a bike battery)
I = Current drawn by the load (measure in Amps)
R = Resistance of the load (measured in Ohms)

So assuming (for arguments sake) that the resistance of your heated grip is 24 Ohms, then the current drawn by the grip would be

12/24= 0.5 Amps

Hmm, however in a parallel circuit you have two resistors. With this 1/Rt = 1/R2 + 1/R2. Using your assumption above

1/Rt = 1/24 + 1/24 normally = 1/12, i.e. Rt=12
With a failure 1/Rt = 1/24 + 1/infinity(ish) = 1/24, i.e. Rt = 24

Current drawn by both grips would be 12/12 = 1A
Current drawn by one grip working would be 12/24 = 0.5A

Overall heat would be the same but current would be halved.

I didn't spend 4 years in College for nothing you know

Pah, I raise you 3 years GCSE electronics

 

[pragmatix]

Common fault its nearly allways the left one for reasons described elswhere in this thread..New one available from Motobins, dead easy to fit Tank off to get to connector hardest part is threading wire through handle bars, if you take the grip off and pull about 6" wire through you can tape new wire to this and pull it in with the old wire a fifteen minute job all told.

Pete A

 

[ferguscawley]

Re: Re: Ohm's law !!

Hmm, however in a parallel circuit you have two resistors. With this 1/Rt = 1/R2 + 1/R2. Using your assumption above

1/Rt = 1/24 + 1/24 normally = 1/12, i.e. Rt=12
With a failure 1/Rt = 1/24 + 1/infinity(ish) = 1/24, i.e. Rt = 24

Current drawn by both grips would be 12/12 = 1A
Current drawn by one grip working would be 12/24 = 0.5A

Overall heat would be the same but current would be halved.



Pah, I raise you 3 years GCSE electronics

Turbine

Your are correct in your explanation of how resistance will change in a parallel circuit. In the case of heated grips, and assuming both grips have the same resistance, the current is shared equally between both. However, just because one grip fails (or goes open-circuit) does not mean that the remaining grip will carry anymore or any less current than it did when both grips were working.

I question your last statement - 'Overall heat would be the same but the current would be haved'. How can this be so. Power (or heat in the case of a heating element) is the product of voltage times current in a simple DC circuit

P = I x V

Assuming voltage stays the same (which it would), then the only factor that can affect the heat (P) is the current. Halve the current and you halve the heat.

If you can get the same heat with half the current and without doubling the voltage, I will gladly buy you several beers

I raise you 4 years Bachelor Of Electrical Engineering

Ferg

 

[MikeO]

Anyone got an electrically heated anorak?

Mike

 

[turbine_2]

Re: Re: Re: Ohm's law !!

I question your last statement - 'Overall heat would be the same but the current would be haved'. How can this be so. Power (or heat in the case of a heating element) is the product of voltage times current in a simple DC circuit

Ah, yes, but it depends on where you're measuring the current. The current from the point where the cable splits to go to each of the grips will have the current halved, the cable going to the good one will continue with it's standard current, the one to the dead grip will tend to zero.

I raise you 4 years Bachelor Of Electrical Engineering

Ferg

Ha, your Batchelor is nothing to my cub scout 'Wiring a plug' badge

 

[Psyko]

Thanks, Pragmatix, I might manage something like that! I'm in Motorworks territory next week so I might be able to pick one up there (although I end up buying other stuff then!).

Mike-O - those are the sort of comments I love about this site!!






Psyko