Splicing a heated jacket…

[REKMec]

So I bought a few years ago a basic Gerbing jacket which is such a godsend. Thinking at the time the simplest one (no power take offs) will do…. Now a few years down the line I’ve bought some Keis heated gloves and they have their own wires (and batteries).
Has anyone added (as in spliced) to the Gerbing system so it can run add ons and how did they manage it without too much clothing damage?

 

[casbar]

So I bought a few years ago a basic Gerbing jacket which is such a godsend. Thinking at the time the simplest one (no power take offs) will do…. Now a few years down the line I’ve bought some Keis heated gloves and they have their own wires (and batteries).
Has anyone added (as in spliced) to the Gerbing system so it can run add ons and how did they manage it without too much clothing damage?

Just buy the correct cable to connect a Keis to a Gerbing. There are cables on the Keis site

 

[wessie]

I just use a Y piece to split the power feed.
Gerbing and Keis use different versions of the co-ax lead with slightly different dimensions. The Y piece, Gerbing branded, seems to work fine with Gerbing gloves and a Keis jacket.

 

[Santa-2512]

Spliced as in added leads to add more items into the chain - say some gloves

if your gloves are already powered, i wouldnt be adding them to a unpowered system that i would then be powering

id add them as unpowered gloves, and have them run of the jacket power

 

[REKMec]

Spliced as in added leads to add more items into the chain - say some gloves

if your gloves are already powered, i wouldnt be adding them to a unpowered system that i would then be powering

id add them as unpowered gloves, and have them run of the jacket power

Yes that’s what I’m wanting to do, power the gloves from the jacket. As I’ve a ‘basic’ jacket, it doesn’t come with the trailing wires built into the sleeves so I’ve to find a comfortable and more so tidy way of retrofitting it in.

 

[Pepsi]

It’ll be less hassle to simply repurchase a correct Gerbing heated jacket surely?

 

[boatman]

Will the controller handle the extra load ? ( there are different ones )

 

[wessie]

Will the controller handle the extra load ? ( there are different ones )

this is why I suggest a Y splitter in the supply lead that will feed each garment separately. Keis gloves tend to have a controller on each glove so you do not want the gloves' supply restricted by the jacket controller. You just need to ensure the supply lead has a fuse big enough for a dual load.

 

[REKMec]

It’ll be less hassle to simply repurchase a correct Gerbing heated jacket surely?

It’s £200+ unfortunately. I generally make my own bespoke items at a fraction of the costs

 

[REKMec]

this is why I suggest a Y splitter in the supply lead that will feed each garment separately. Keis gloves tend to have a controller on each glove so you do not want the gloves' supply restricted by the jacket controller. You just need to ensure the supply lead has a fuse big enough for a dual load.

Are you referring to a Y piece from bike to garment or from garment then to gloves?

 

[wessie]

Are you referring to a Y piece from bike to garment or from garment then to gloves?

on my set up I have a lead connected to the battery. This sticks out as a pigtail at the front of the seat. I can connect a single garment to this lead, usually just my heated insoles. If I want to use my jacket as well, I add the Y piece to the pigtail. Each garment can then connect to one arm of the Y lead. https://gerbing.co.uk/products/gerbing-12v-splitter-cable

 

[wessie]

as it says in the blurb, you can also connect the splitter to the output of a controller if your controller can handle the current and you are happy for the garments to run the same setting

 

[beemerboy9]

So I bought a few years ago a basic Gerbing jacket which is such a godsend. Thinking at the time the simplest one (no power take offs) will do…. Now a few years down the line I’ve bought some Keis heated gloves and they have their own wires (and batteries).
Has anyone added (as in spliced) to the Gerbing system so it can run add ons and how did they manage it without too much clothing damage?

Consider the wider picture:-

I have Gerbing jacket with the power take-off for the gloves but I don't use them. I need the two at different temperature settings so use a Gerbing Dual Controller and separate wiring loom for the gloves

and ...

if you're running the jacket through a Gerbing temperature controller your shouldn't then run Keis gloves with a further temperature controller (in series) on the cuff.

My advice is to keep the 2 systems separate.

Hope this helps....

John

 

[REKMec]

Consider the wider picture:-

I have Gerbing jacket with the power take-off for the gloves but I don't use them. I need the two at different temperature settings so use a Gerbing Dual Controller and separate wiring loom for the gloves

and ...

if you're running the jacket through a Gerbing temperature controller your shouldn't then run Keis gloves with a further temperature controller (in series) on the cuff.

My advice is to keep the 2 systems separate.

Hope this helps....

John

So what you’re saying is for instance if I have the ‘correct’ Gerbing jacket for my needs it only has one power official control for both the jacket AND the gloves and can’t be differentiated?
Ok you have quite a valid point to consider. Thank you for that info john.

 

[wessie]

So what you’re saying is for instance if I have the ‘correct’ Gerbing jacket for my needs it only has one power official control for both the jacket AND the gloves and can’t be differentiated?
Ok you have quite a valid point to consider. Thank you for that info john.

I suggest you consult your jacket manual for the exact configuration. You need to know if the accessory outputs are pass through or regulated by the jacket's controller.

My Keis jacket can use the controller in 2 ways. You can have it in series with the power lead so all power entering the jacket is regulated by the controller. I also have the option to fit the controller inside the jacket so that it only operates on the jacket's heating element.

The jacket has 2 output sockets that can be used for my heated insoles or gloves. I have the option to run a single controller for both items by using the first configuration which is what I do using my Y piece on the single controller's output.
If I wanted to use a second controller for the insoles and jacket, then I need to choose the second option. This effectively gives a pass through the jacket with no regulation until the power hits the insoles' own controller.
All of my gear is Keis so compatible. The Keis gear has a very low power consumption to most other brands. Using the jacket and insoles only draws about 4 amps at 12V, so well within the controller's and wiring spec.

Your dilemma is using 2 different brands where the gloves almost certainly have independent controllers on each glove.

 

[casbar]

So what you’re saying is for instance if I have the ‘correct’ Gerbing jacket for my needs it only has one power official control for both the jacket AND the gloves and can’t be differentiated?
Ok you have quite a valid point to consider. Thank you for that info john.

No, I have the Gerbing, jacket, in my jacket the input has 3 plugs, one for jacket, one for gloves and one for other garments. You then buy a Gerbing controller, mine is for jacket and gloves, so the jacket is a feed via a switched controller so you can adjust the jacket via 5 heat settings. The other cable off the controller is a direct feed to the gloves, so you can control the heat to the gloves via the controllers on the cuffs of the gloves.

You can buy a cable from Keis that connects to the Gerbing cables in the sleeves to Keis gloves, so you can use the Gerbing jacket to feed.

You can do the same if you have Keis kit and want to connect to say Gerbing gloves.

 

[beemerboy9]

Sounds like Gerbing Jackets have gone through three iterations.

The earliest, which I have, has one combined feed for the jacket and gloves.

Mk2 had a separate 12V feeds for the jacket and older-style 12V gloves. I suppose one then needs a Dual Controller, which has three outputs - 1 for the jacket, 1 separate heat control for pants, socks or 12V gloves, plus 1 uncontrolled output for later-style gloves with heat control on the cuffs.

Hope this helps rather then confuses.....

John

 

[REKMec]

Gerbing isn’t really at fault, I just bought the base version when i could have bought the deluxe version. Worst case scenario is I run the Keis wiring (as supplied with the gloves as well as the batteries I have) singular down each sleeve and have them on show as opposed to hidden.

 

[casbar]

Gerbing isn’t really at fault, I just bought the base version when i could have bought the deluxe version. Worst case scenario is I run the Keis wiring (as supplied with the gloves as well as the batteries I have) singular down each sleeve and have them on show as opposed to hidden.

My Gerbing jacket (latest model), has access from inside to all the wiring, so you could quite easily do a bit of splicing if you wanted to change to a different configuration. I tidied up my wiring and did a bit of re-routing for more comfort.

 

[REKMec]

My Gerbing jacket (latest model), has access from inside to all the wiring, so you could quite easily do a bit of splicing if you wanted to change to a different configuration. I tidied up my wiring and did a bit of re-routing for more comfort.

That’s promising! Bit like wiring in base model cars where you just can plug in as you go along. BTW how old is your current jacket?