Author Topic: Oxford Heated Sports Grips (Read 7647 times)

gel · « **on:** 29 February 2012, 08:42:40 pm »

Right, Have been running a new set of Oxford Sports grips off the battery for a few weeks to get used to them. I have now wired them into the lighting connectors on the handle bars where I had my hot hands. Noticed tonight that if the bike is on tickover and you turn on the grips it will only light the blue light, i need to rev it, or be Physically running to be able to up the heat setting. Is this OK ?

ghostbiker · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 February 2012, 09:22:27 pm »

if its like my oxford grips it wont start the heat untill the power level is above a set amount. reason is to make sure there is power to run them without killing the battery or restricting the starting.
at tickover the bike dosent produce enough electric power to charge battery and run grips, at say 4k it produces enough to do both so the grips work.

sounds fine to me.

gel · « **Reply #2 on:** 01 March 2012, 12:08:39 am »

Thanks for the response, I was wondering of that was the case, I can rest easy now

Cheers

gel · « **Reply #3 on:** 01 March 2012, 11:09:58 am »

The issue I have is that when I am at set of lights the grips turn off as there is not enough voltage avalaible to run the lights and the heated grips, is there another switched live I could tap into that would resolve this issue?

ghostbiker · « **Reply #4 on:** 01 March 2012, 12:14:10 pm »

Hmm thats not an issue i have seen before. normaly its only starting the grips
once running they stay on with mine.
so sorry but i dont know

keithfzs1000 · « **Reply #5 on:** 01 March 2012, 01:21:11 pm »

tap into the rear brake switch, if you use the headlight switch you already have a power usage on them, were as the brakes not always on, as long as the battery is healthy then when you tun on the heated grips they should be on permanently while the engine is running

Ghoti · « **Reply #6 on:** 01 March 2012, 02:10:43 pm »

Are you running straight off the wiring for the lights, or through a relay?

I don't know what the wiring for the light is, but I would be a little apprehensive to run heated grips direct off the wire for the headlight. I guess head light circuits will have around 4 to 5 amps in the circuit and by adding the heated grips another 4 to 5 amps or so. I doubt Mr Yamaha put wiring large enough for double the design current rating (being tight and all that, use the minimum + a little bit) and you could fry the wiring.

Also, running fromthe battery (through a relay) will have less loss of voltage so the grips will (I think) work better at tickover.

ghostbiker · « **Reply #7 on:** 01 March 2012, 02:41:43 pm »

A switched relay from the rear brake light seems a good idea. Easy to hide and the main power is better.

Think when I finally redo mine I will go that way.

keithfzs1000 · « **Reply #8 on:** 01 March 2012, 04:35:05 pm »

doesnt really need switched relay as most grips have a safety mechanism in that if the battery voltage drops below 11.5v then the grips stop working to protect battery, so an inline fuse would suffice to protect circuit.
You could wire direct to the battery as this built in protection is there to protect you from flattening the battery, however i do recommend the brake light switch with inline fuse

tomjimtom · « **Reply #9 on:** 04 March 2012, 01:00:18 pm »

Quote from: keithfzs1000 on 01 March 2012, 04:35:05 pm

doesnt really need switched relay as most grips have a safety mechanism in that if the battery voltage drops below 11.5v then the grips stop working to protect battery, so an inline fuse would suffice to protect circuit.
You could wire direct to the battery as this built in protection is there to protect you from flattening the battery, however i do recommend the brake light switch with inline fuse

Do test it first though, I had a pair that drained the battery to 5v without cutting out.

Also, I had a (different) set with the Oxford digital gauge that started doing what you describe - not coming on with engine at tick-over. They didn't always do it, but started doing it then did it for about a week, then stopped turning on/off. The digital gauge was at fault, Oxford replaced it for free even though it was out of warranty

Might be worth putting another gauge in there if you've got access to one, see if that is the problem.

HTH
Tom

gel · « **Reply #10 on:** 06 March 2012, 11:30:45 am »

Just to correct my original post I have the grips wired into the Breaklight switch on the right hand side handlebar. I have spoken to Oxford and they were going to get someone to ring me back but that has not happened to date. I am going to check all my connections again tonight as I noticed that under hard acceleration from a standstill the blue light comes on, and the grips stop producing heat.

keithfzs1000 · « **Reply #11 on:** 06 March 2012, 03:43:39 pm »

use rear brake switch as it better contact n sfare (doesnt get jarred n man handled)

gel · « **Reply #12 on:** 06 March 2012, 05:12:49 pm »

Anyone got any pics on how to take a "+" feed off the rear brake light switch? As I am not too sure how to do it. Bit of a Novice.

Bracechenko · « **Reply #13 on:** 06 March 2012, 07:46:33 pm »

Just as a side note, i've got Oxford Sports grips fitted to my FZS600 and I fitted directly to the battery.

So far i've left them on twice and although they flatten the battery enough to prevent the bike starting, they don't go on and completely kill it. They're designed (as mentioned) to turn off when the voltage reaches a certain low level purely to save irreversable damage to the battery....still a fricking nightmare when you do it though!....lucky i'm good and sprinting and bump starting!

My mate has them fitted to the battery but he's never left them on the git. Think my problem is that my FZ1 heated grips ARE wired to a switch so i'm used to not having to think about it.

The Oxford grips work well though, not needed 100% power yet but then i've combined them with winter muffs....it's like 2 toastie oven mitts to keep your hands in

Err.....isn't fitting them in Spring kind of the wrong time lol

ddtwelve · « **Reply #14 on:** 06 March 2012, 08:59:41 pm »

well today got to work ok on the way home jumped on the bike no power arrr , even the clock was dim think i knocked heated grips on when takeing tank bag off , tried bump starting but due to bike doing feul prime and all the lcd ons and off not enough speed in a bump start, mr rac man called out battery down to 4 volts so check ya grips are not on

bikerboys · « **Reply #15 on:** 06 March 2012, 09:18:49 pm »

Quote from: ddtwelve on 06 March 2012, 08:59:41 pm

well today got to work ok on the way home jumped on the bike no power arrr , even the clock was dim think i knocked heated grips on when takeing tank bag off , tried bump starting but due to bike doing feul prime and all the lcd ons and off not enough speed in a bump start, mr rac man called out battery down to 4 volts so check ya grips are not on

not good.

A mate of mine wired them in to the ignition so its ignition feed so no nasty flat battery

ddtwelve · « **Reply #16 on:** 06 March 2012, 09:22:25 pm »

so any brown wire as mine is connected directly to the battery?

flesh · « **Reply #17 on:** 06 March 2012, 10:11:59 pm »

I have had this same issue on all the bikes I have fitted the Oxford grips to. Blue flashing light followed byt the grips turning off (at traffic lights) is the most common.
Spoke to Oxford who advised the grips should be wired directly to the battery for "optimum" performance otherwise they "may" show the above characteristic. My local dealer refuses to fit Oxford grips on an ignition live and will only fit directly to the battery.

tomlinscote · « **Reply #18 on:** 07 March 2012, 08:59:36 am »

Re: connecting Oxford grips to ign or battery, you can effectively do both using a relay, the coil contacts on the relay go to the ignition live and the switched contacts go to the grips and direct to the battery, so when ign is on relay energises and connects the grips direct to the battery.
Cheers

P

ZiggyCol · « **Reply #19 on:** 07 March 2012, 03:26:56 pm »

Not stupid at all and the very best approach

VNA - BMW Wank · « **Reply #20 on:** 07 March 2012, 06:35:08 pm »

Take a switched live from the fuse box.

See pointertonull's thread on the old forum - http://fazerowners.yuku.com/topic/5650/HOWTO-Fit-your-heated-grips-PICS-BACK#.T1eoetW8uRM

He describes in detail ow to fit them. Scroll further down the page for the clearer snaps I added on how to access a switched live. It's not difficult, it means you'll have a proper switched live and you won't be loading, or rather over loading any existing circuits.

Sadly cos Oxford and other manufacturers now fit the silly battery protect feature the grips will have a tendency to switch off at traffic lights. At tick-over the voltage drops, plus you have your lights on and of course the fan might cut in further dropping the voltage.
I just turned the tick-over screw up a wee bit and this stops the grips cutting out.

cable tie · « **Reply #21 on:** 07 March 2012, 07:40:25 pm »

I always run grips from a switched relay using the correct wire core for the + into the relay they get toasty quick and no heat loss at all, i run em thro switch ignition wire from the plastic connector under the front left fairing cowling.

Dave

VNA - BMW Wank · « **Reply #22 on:** 07 March 2012, 08:29:03 pm »

No need to fit a relay.
There are spare tags for correctly fitting accessories in the fuse box.

The only tricky but is locating the little tabs that let you remove the cores. Once you understand what you are looking at it's a piece of cake.

VNA - BMW Wank · « **Reply #23 on:** 07 March 2012, 08:30:23 pm »

VNA - BMW Wank · « **Reply #24 on:** 07 March 2012, 08:31:33 pm »