grip heater or jacket controller equals stator rant

[Norm Keller]

I just installed an EBay rotary controlled LED (dimmer) controller for grip heaters on KLR#2. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/200798805322?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649   The controller box is too big for my taste: 2-1/4" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/2" plus 1/2" on each end for the mounting strips. The one received is slightly different from that in the photo, given that front is held by four screws for the one received. I removed the top, removed the screw holding the circuit board to the case, unplugged the green terminal strip, removed the knob and nut. This released the circuit board ( about 2" x 1-1/2" x 1/2" ) and allowed the following modifications: extend and heat shrink the three lead wires between potentiometer and circuit board; seal the circuit board within plastic, wrapped by plastic electrical tape; connect power, ground & grip heater wires; attach circuit board to inner side of fairing by double sided tape; drill hole & install potentiometer & knob.   Done! Simple! Takes about as long as to type this if one already has power relay and grip heaters installed.       I have used a wireless one on some bikes which has the advantage of not requiring wires to be run to the bars as the key fob can be tie wrapped to some handy place such as the left mirror stalk. Problem with this one is that only one can live on a given bike as they conflict:   http://www.ebay.ca/itm/New-Lighting-Ever-RF-Dimmer-Of-LED-Strips-Ribbon-Lights-With-Wireless-Control-/251407712535?pt=US_Lighting_Parts_and_Accessories&hash=item3a89114117   This is a interesting base for a home made security device. One could simply connect the controller into the ignition circuit and then set it to open/OFF. Another even better would be to set to a mid-range pulse as it would make the ignition misfire like a fiend! 

[john triplett]

Hey Norm, I too am using a PWM controller for my Hot Hands grip wraps. I found one getting hotter than the other so I went with a 2 channel control. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005S070UU/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Albeit a little more pricy it works well. I thought I would bring this up as I was wondering if there were any Arduino hacks out there. I recently purchased an Arduino Uno board and am playing with code and making some simple gadgets. I don't have it in front of me but it has multiple PWM outputs. Not so sure the board itself could handle the wattage of grip heaters, but one could control MOSFETS with it. I could also use small momentary push button switches to turn on and off my GPS, USB, added lighting output, and what ever else. All would be in one small control panel. You could even program the the power output for the GPS to time out after ignition input is lost, say a half hour or so. That way it doesn't shut off right away and loose what you were doing, but will eventually shut down when you forget and walk away, not draining your battery. Just a thought,John

[Norm Keller]

John, programmable devices are what makes much of our world function but my understanding is very rudimentary although some close friends are involved in the field. Problem there is that they aren't willing or capable of teaching someone.   I wonder if you would be willing to do a short, basic overview here?   What are these devices, what do they actually do from a black box perspective, how might one get started in learning?   I am very well rooted in electrical but lack the ability to move much beyond the black box approach to programmable electronics. Black box = "It doesn't matter what it does inside the box. We only need to be concerned with input and output because the box isn't repairable."   It is certain that many others are at this level and would greatly appreciate some basics. It might well be that others will chime in with support.   The turning off of devices according to factors such as time for GPS is a very intriguing area for some of we hobbyists. Many years ago, some Gold Wing people were designing logical devices which would shed electrical loads on a priority basis according to a programmed criteria. Unfortunately there was no intent to engage we "peasants".    One standard practice I use in installing relays is to ground the relay's coil to the starter cable side of the starter relay (starter solenoid). This "turns off" the relay during starting in order to remove the non-essential loads from the battery. One can shed lights (maybe 8 amps), grip heaters (maybe 2-1/2 amps), etc. which can make a difference in a low battery state. Regardless, it can reduce cranking time which therefore reduces power extracted from the battery.   Please consider communicating more about your projects. I would be very grateful for any level of information from how-to, to "I've wired up this magic black box circuit to do 'Y' but am not prepared to go into explanations".  

[john triplett]

First off, let me be clear. I am in no way an Arduino expert. I am a beginner. I was perhaps looking for pointers myself. I got started about two months ago after surfing the web on DIY led motorcycle tail lights. I ended up on YouTube watching video after video on Arduino projects. I was amazed at what people were doing with them and how cheap they are. ($35.00 or less for an Arduino Uno controller board at Radio Shack) And please understand, I like to play. I can't begin to describe or do justice as to what can be done with one. I will direct you to some sites below. Essentially it's an input output microcontroller device. You tell it when this or these input pins are this, make these output pins do that. This is done with a simple code that you write on your PC and upload it to the Arduino via USB. This is all accomplished through the Arduino Environment downloaded from the Arduino site. All Arduino software is absolutely free! Don't be intimidated with "writing code". I had never written a line of code in my 52 years. If my old oxidized brain can learn enough to Arduino operate a relay, anybody can. I still use an old flip phone. Here are some things that make the Arduino user friendly. The site (Arduino and many others) have tutorials that start off real slow and simple, and well explained. Radio Shack sells a book,"Getting Started With Arduino" that I found very useful. The first project is just making an LED blink. Then it moves on to the next. When things start to get a little complex, as in motor and servo drives, there are thousands of libraries of pre written code that can be downloaded and tweaked to your purpose. Plagiarism is encouraged in the Arduino world. Here is a YouTube project I am mimicking now. Watch all the way through to see the possibilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2SYGGqxxEo OK, enough already. Have a look at these sites when you have time. I can't begin to explain. http://arduino.cc/ https://www.sparkfun.com/categories/240 http://www.makershed.com/Arduinos_Microcontrollers_s/43.htm https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=arduino+motorcycle&sm=1 If anybody is in this or wants to, let me know, I'd love to chat.John

[Norm Keller]

  The problem in determining the correct torque is compounded by the use of stainless fasteners. As soon as one changes to a lower strength fastener, one has to compromise on tightening between the clamping force intended by the designer and the fact that the fastener may not be able to withstand the tension.   The fasteners which you replaced were presumably Grade 8.8, correct?   What grade are the stainless?   Let me save you some time: unless you bought labeled industrial quality stainless, and I'll bet you did not, then you have some unknown which will not be up to Grade 8.8. This is an important matter about which everyone doing service work should educate themselves. Unfortunately, most technicians receive little education in fastener characteristics.   I posted a copy of an excellent short booklet by Bowman Distribution (Barnes Group Inc) to some of the KLR groups under its title: Fastener Facts. There are many other useful appreciations of the subject but IMO this one gets one up to speed on the subject sufficiently to avoid most pitfalls. We used it as content in automotive and heavy equipment mechanics courses in colleges in which I taught.   Check out page 48.   Do some searches of tensile strength (how much "pull" a bolt can support) of one size of bolt of various grades and compositions. It will take perhaps 10 minutes.   Most stainless bolts & screws sold for bikes are garbage.   Hope this doesn't appear as a rant. My concern is the amount of problems reported from use of stainless fasteners. 

[achesley43@ymail.com]

it's probably 6 mm diameter if I remember right.  The Old Kawasaki manual says  5 mm = 30 - 43 In-lb 6 mm = 52 - 69 in-lbs.  8 mm = 10 0 13.5 ft lbs.  Sheesh! I've never torque these, even with allen heads. Just snug them down with a t handle. Had my left side case off several times and right side off twice in the 13 years I've had this bike. So far, no leaks.  Andy in Jennings.