| Author | Message | ||
     Impulse_101 |
I just got my Widder System 2 Lectric vest system. I'm very impressed with the construction and materials of this vest and it the options of the system. I didn't want a fleece style vest like the aero stuff. The Widder is windproof and the System 2 has a high collar design with heating elements in it, which is really important for my morning rides to work. I got the bi-metal thermostat and I'm working on mounting solutions right now. The plugs seem twice as substantal when you're holding them as opposed to the pictures on the website. I build cable harnesses all the time that are designed to survive the worst that a news crew can dish out (which is mind blowing!)and I would use Widder's connectors in my stuff if I needed a similar power connection. These things are substantial. Now if it would just get warm enough to melt the snow and ice off the roads and a we could get a good rainfall to get rid of the salt. JT | ||
| Road_thing |
I apologize in advance for what I'm about to say, but I can't help it. I have to tell the world that it was 85 in the vicinity of el ranchito chingadero today, the sky was cloudless, my chores were done, and the kid and I went riding. For about 200 miles. In T-SHIRTS! I have a smile on my face and sunburn on my arms. Sorry. I just had to throw that in. rt Hope the vest works! (Message edited by road_thing on March 13, 2005) | ||
| U4euh |
bout 70 degrees in North Carolina, but I agree, fleece is not as comfortable as the other type. Hope you get to ride soon! | ||
| Djkaplan |
It's easy to brag about the weather where you are (80 degrees here in Columbus, Georgia today!), but there are days I would have killed for an electric vest and some heated grips. I'll never forget a winter ride to Panama City, Florida. I almost got frostbite and was shivering badly until we got to the Florida border. By the time we got to the beach, it was 90 degrees and I had to ditch my Vanson. | ||
| Henrik |
Congratulations John. I've had my Widder for 4 years now and it's been working great. I stuck some velcro on my thermostat and stitched a velcro strap onto my tank bag. So now I mount the tank bag and attach the thermostat and hook it up with a short extra lead. DJ, the "rear window defroster style" grip heaters (I believe Al at American Sport Bike sells them) is the best aftermarket investment I've ever made for any of my bikes. There are some articles on the web about how to strain relieve the right side wiring to make it last longer. Henrik | ||
| Impulse_101 |
Henrick, I'll let you know what I come up with. I'm thinking about adding some extra cable and routing it into one of my faring bags, it would be protected and still easy to get to. I'd put it in my tank bag but I don't use it everyday and the vest will see a LOT of use here next to good ole Lake Michigan. I freeze everyday on the way to work and sweat on the way home. JT | ||
| Ray_maines |
Concerning the "rear window defroster style" heated hand grips from American Sport Bike: I wired mine so the left grip is always on in the High Heat position and the right grip is always on in the Low Heat position (or circuit), to compensate for the thicker rubber of the left side hand grip and I use a simple two position "On/Off" switch that I picked up at the Radio Shack to make it work. I wired the grips into the tail light circuit because the tail light doesn't draw much current and goes out when I turn the key off. But the heated grips are only so effective and I don't regret having purchased Heated Gloves to go along with my Gerbings heated jacket liner. Maybe next fall I'll get the pant liner too. Being warm is a wonderful thing. The alternator on Brand "T" bikes isn't really up to full on touring bike spec's so I'm always careful to start the bike before I plug all the heated clothing in. | ||
| Al_lighton |
Ray, The heater current itself is on the tail light circuit? I'm surprised there is enough fuse there to support that. I've been recommending that folks buying the heated grip kit run a fused wire right from the battery to a 12V automotive relay located up near the front of the bike (see here) for the heater, and then run the control wires to the relay from the lighting circuit. That way you don't draw high current on the harness or fuse block where it may not be designed for it, and you also can't kill your battery if you forget to turn the grip heaters off. I like your differential current idea for left and right grip, makes sense. Al | ||
| Reepicheep |
Even just 5 amps is 60 watts, so if the tail light circuit has a 15 amp fuse, and is only using 2/3'rds of it, you have 60 watts of heating power left to play with before the fuse blows. Not a huge margin, but maybe enough for grip heaters. | ||
| Henrik |
As for the R/L grip heat differential; I remember seeing somewhere, that the latest and greatest version of these heaters have such a differential built in, so you'd still be able to run a High/Low set-up. Henrik |
