Symtec grip heaters not hot enough!

[jbh]

I installed the Symtec grip heaters under my grips (the ones you stick on your bars and then put the grips back over). I tried them out today with the day in the 40's and 50's and ran them on high all day. I had thin leather gloves on and I did not think they were hot enough. I even tried the low setting in case I mixed the wires up on the switch, and of course it was even less heat.

When I had my Vstrom I used these same grip heaters under the stock grips and the high setting would roast my hand with my thin gloves, and even with my heavy gloves. I always had to use the low setting, which was good.

I installed the BMW grips over the grip heaters on the FJR for my ride today. When I got home I thought maybe because the grips are ribbed that was why I could not get enought heat to the hands so I took one off of the grips and installed the stock grip again (thank you compressed air). The stock grips actually do not get as hot as the BMW grips. The heaters do get hot without any grip on them, I tried that for kicks.

Has anyone had this problem before? What could the problem be? I am running the grips, heated jacket, GPS and Satellite radio through a switched blue sea fuse box (they all have their own dedicated fuse). I am getting 13 volts at idle at the grip heater switch. My results are very different than the same setup I had on my Vstrom (maybe the Strom grips were thinner?). I also used to have a BMW RT with factory heated grips that also got very hot. This is the first time it is not hot enough.

Help!

 

[jjsC6]

I have those same grips on both of my bikes. Generally, they work very well. But sometimes when I'm out cruising at a steady speed, they seem to cool down some. But when I vary speeds (like in stop and go traffic) they seem to heat up more. But it's not consistent. Today I ran them for about 30 minutes straight on my Goldwing in 50 degree temps, and they stayed hot constantly - even on the low setting they were almost too hot.

Did you have your heated jacket and/or other accessories on at the same time? The FJR does not have a lot of alternator capacity. Could have been over taxing it if you had the jacket on as well.

 

[becoyote]

was the throttle hand warmer?

Maybe the strom bars are steel and the fjr bars are aluminum and sucking heat away quicker. If the throttle tube side is hotter that might mean something.

I have those same grips on both of my bikes. Generally, they work very well. But sometimes when I'm out cruising at a steady speed, they seem to cool down some. But when I vary speeds (like in stop and go traffic) they seem to heat up more. But it's not consistent. Today I ran them for about 30 minutes straight on my Goldwing in 50 degree temps, and they stayed hot constantly - even on the low setting they were almost too hot.
Did you have your heated jacket and/or other accessories on at the same time? The FJR does not have a lot of alternator capacity. Could have been over taxing it if you had the jacket on as well.

 

[jjsC6]

was the throttle hand warmer?
Maybe the strom bars are steel and the fjr bars are aluminum and sucking heat away quicker. If the throttle tube side is hotter that might mean something.

I have those same grips on both of my bikes. Generally, they work very well. But sometimes when I'm out cruising at a steady speed, they seem to cool down some. But when I vary speeds (like in stop and go traffic) they seem to heat up more. But it's not consistent. Today I ran them for about 30 minutes straight on my Goldwing in 50 degree temps, and they stayed hot constantly - even on the low setting they were almost too hot.
Did you have your heated jacket and/or other accessories on at the same time? The FJR does not have a lot of alternator capacity. Could have been over taxing it if you had the jacket on as well.

On my bikes, that is not the issue. They both are about the same.

 

[Checkswrecks]

was the throttle hand warmer?
Maybe the strom bars are steel and the fjr bars are aluminum and sucking heat away quicker. If the throttle tube side is hotter that might mean something.

ding ding ding winner

The thinner tubular steel bar of the Strom is a much less efficient way to soak up heat than the thicker aluminum FJR handlebar. Some quick ideas for improvement:

VStrom guards, so the blast isn't hitting your hands in the first place.

Plastic or some other way to increase insulation between the heater and bar.

Increase the power into the heaters, knowing that at some point you'll use too much.

As you've already started, try different grips for the best heat conductor (probably thinnest grip).

In the end, though, even a good set of heated grips just don't do what heated gloves do.

Bob

 

[ionbeam]

I installed the Symtec grip heaters under my grips...and ran them on high all day...and I did not think they were hot enough...on the switch...This is the first time it is not hot enough.

You are using the Symtec rocker switch? Are you sure that the heat elements are hooked in series and not parallel?

Thick grips won't stop the heat, only increase the time it takes for the grips to get hot. I know several people that have heat elements and their grips get hot so your problem is probably not the heat-sinking of the bars.

If you can measure the current, with the switch set for high you should see ~2.8 amps at 13 volts and 3 amps at 13.5 volts through the main power wire. If this is the case your heater elements must be producing 40 watts of heat and heat-sinking or grip insulation is your problem. If the current is less than 2.8-3.0 amps your problem is wiring or the heat control switch.

 

[road runner]

How did you wire them ? I think there's 3 wires if they're like the Dual Stars. I used the Dual Stars and put the isolator on the clutch side bar. They work great down to 25 F . I don't remember how I wired them, but here's a link that explains the wiring. I think I did as they recommend, except I used 2 left side heaters because both of my bars are isolated now and I wanted the same heat on both sides.

Edit; I found my records and this is what I did.

Purchased;

1 heated grip kit w/2 clutch side elements (paid extra for 2 same elements)

1 shrink tube,(to isolate clutch bar and keep heat from going into bar)

1 Warm & Safe Hand grip Heat Troller

I wired them using the blue & white wires (omitting the red). They are wired to bike in parallel (both white to ground & both blue to 12 volt pos.) I actually use a Heat Troller to control heat, so the blue & white go to troller.

I also put 2 layers of elec tape on my aluminum G2 throttle tube, to isolate it.

According to the link I added above, this wiring will give you 31 watts @ each grip.

I also have hand guards and wear winter riding gloves. With this combo I can ride comfy down to 25 deg F with grip troller all the way up.

Hope this helps.

A.C.

 

[ionbeam]

I think there's 3 wires if they're like the Dual Stars.

The Symtec heat elements come with the element wiring already done and wire leads coming off the heat elements. The Symtec elements are set up so that the Symtec rocker switch determines which elements are getting power to control heat.

Edited to add:

If you don't have a current meter you can pick up a RadioShit 1 ohm, 10 watt ceramic resistor ($2.00) and put it in series with the main power lead. With the engine running, the grips set for hi power, measure the voltage directly across the 1 ohm resistor. If you read ~2.4 volts the grips are wired correctly and will allow the full 40 watts of heat. Remove diagnostic 1 ohm resistor. If you measure 2.4 volts the problem is heat sinking, if it is less than 2.4 volts the problem is wiring.

 

[road runner]

I think there's 3 wires if they're like the Dual Stars.

The Symtec heat elements come with the element wiring already done and wire leads coming off the heat elements. The Symtec elements are set up so that the Symtec rocker switch determines which elements are getting power to control heat.

Edited to add:

If you don't have a current meter you can pick up a RadioShit 1 ohm, 10 watt ceramic resistor ($2.00) and put it in series with the main power lead. With the engine running, the grips set for hi power, measure the voltage directly across the 1 ohm resistor. If you read ~2.4 volts the grips are wired correctly and will allow the full 40 watts of heat. Remove diagnostic 1 ohm resistor. If you measure 2.4 volts the problem is heat sinking, if it is less than 2.4 volts the problem is wiring.

Hi Alan,

First let me say there is no way I know nearly what you do about electricity.

That being said I think the Dual Star elements are wired the same way. If you try different wiring combos you can get different results.

If I wired them with the switch that came with kit and wired them the way Dual Star said I would have 7.5 ohms on high and 12.8 ohms on low.

By using the blue & white combo (which wasn't listed as an option) I get 5.3 ohms.

 

[jbh]

Wow, lots of great posts.

I don't think it is a heat sink issue since I wrapped the clutch side in electrical tape before I installed and the throttle side is a plastic tube.

The heat between the two feels even when they are on.

I was using a gerbrings heated jacket, grip warmers, GPS and Satellite radio at the time. However I had used the same setup on the Strom and I think it puts out less power than the FJR.

When I get a chance I will get out my multimeter and take some measurements today. I wired everything up per the instructions.

One more question = If I was to use a heat troller I had read somewhere that it actually increases the output to the grips. Is this true? I am not an electrical genious so I don't have a clue, just something I had read.

Another thing I had read was maybe because of the length of the wiring I used I need a heavier gauge of wire? I think I used 18 or 16 guage. However I used 14 guage from the battery to the blue sea fuse block under the seat.

 

[ionbeam]

From the Warm 'n Safe site:

 

[jbh]

I took off the switch and wired in the high heat wires (white) straight to the power lead wire, bypassing the switch completely (this was not permanent, just a test). I had the bike at idle for about 15 minutes and they did get hot in my 65 degree garage. I think I might get a heat troller and try that out.

I found out I used 14 guage wire so I don't think it is my wiring (10 guage from battery to fuse box). Maybe the switch is faulty, not letting enough power through. It could also be the lack of wind protection (Vstrom had the handguards) that makes the difference.

I had a dead battery when I tried to start it. I had been turning the grips on without the engine running and I guess it was too much for it. I had to get out the battery charger.

I am still not totally sold I have solved the problem but I want a heat troller anyways for them, regardless of if I keep these grips heater or go to hotgrips.

 

[Wicked Webby]

JBH,

Well living up here in the Great White North, I too have the Symtec grip heaters under my grips. Even on sub 30 degree rides (with insulated leather gloves) my hands stay pretty warm(set on Hi). This also being true when I use my Powerlet Heated jacket liner and grips together. Something is defiantly not right with your setup.

WW

 

[jbh]

JBH,
Well living up here in the Great White North, I too have the Symtec grip heaters under my grips. Even on sub 30 degree rides (with insulated leather gloves) my hands stay pretty warm(set on Hi). This also being true when I use my Powerlet Heated jacket liner and grips together. Something is defiantly not right with your setup.

WW

Do you use the rocker switch that came with the grips? Also do you have hanguards?

I ordered a heat troller, and for just $20 more I got them included with a set of the heated grips. I will install the heat troller first and if that does not help (otherwise not the switch causing the problem) I can install the new heated grip elements. I can always install the extra set (if I have them leftover) on my DR650.

 

[Wicked Webby]

JBH,
Well living up here in the Great White North, I too have the Symtec grip heaters under my grips. Even on sub 30 degree rides (with insulated leather gloves) my hands stay pretty warm(set on Hi). This also being true when I use my Powerlet Heated jacket liner and grips together. Something is defiantly not right with your setup.

WW

Do you use the rocker switch that came with the grips? Also do you have hanguards?

I ordered a heat troller, and for just $20 more I got them included with a set of the heated grips. I will install the heat troller first and if that does not help (otherwise not the switch causing the problem) I can install the new heated grip elements. I can always install the extra set (if I have them leftover) on my DR650.

Jbh,

Yes, I am using the round plastic switch that came with the kit. Also, No I do not have handguards. I would double check the wiring and test it. If the wiring is done correctly and tests out within ohms specs. Be very suspicious of a bad switch, bad connection on the elements themselves and/or a poor inconsistent ground.

WW

 

[FJRBluesman]

You guys have this well under control.

I can say this. I have the Symtecs; however, I did nto sintall the grip heaters myself, and they got real hot. I can not run them on high for very long (Maybe 10 minutes) with thin gloves on.

My high side of the three way toggle switch broke and Symtec sent me a new one no charge, shipping included. Fixed that one fast.

Good luck!