Heat Troller

[Landon]

I just got a warm and safe heat troller for my Connie so I can use my heated liner when needed. It specifically states on the instructions to run it directly to the battery and not a fuse block. Why? What am I risking running it through a fuse block? I am wanting to run it through my Fuzeblock so its on switched power.

 

[John Anthony]

Hmmmmmmm. Pretty sure that mine is wired through my fuse block and I haven't had any problems in 10 years.

John

 

[Soontobeone]

I just got a warm and safe heat troller for my Connie so I can use my heated liner when needed. It specifically states on the instructions to run it directly to the battery and not a fuse block. Why? What am I risking running it through a fuse block? I am wanting to run it through my Fuzeblock so its on switched power.

Believe me, you do not want to run it through your fuse block. The amperage draw is high enough that it will cause melting of the insulation around the connectors. I learned this the hard way when I connected mine through Powerlets Temin-8 http://www.powerlet.com/product/termin8-easier-than-fuseblock/409 I had trouble with inconsistent heat to the garments and gloves, as well as issues with the connector insulation melting onto the metal block that the harness was connected to. Because I was having heating issues, I found a way to connect the wire harness directly to the battery. No problems since.

As for running them on switched power, if you're using Warm n Safes Heat Troller, then you already have an on-off switch. Initially when you plug your gear in the heat should automatically go to 30% ON (My experience is with their Remote Heat Troller, not the hard wired unit). This is done so that if the batteries should go dead in the Heat Troller you will not be left without some heat. (I believe there is a 30 minute time limit in this mode). By turning the Heat Troller from OFF to ON the unit will then heat to whatever setting you set. If you turn the unit OFF-ON-OFF then you have turned the heat off, and there is no electrical draw.

 

[Landon]

The FZ-1 Fuzeblock says a circuit can carry 10 Amps. The warm and safe jacket liner says it draws 7.5 amps. I don't see why the Fuzeblock wouldn't handle the jacket liner.

 

[dr1954]

The FZ-1 Fuzeblock says a circuit can carry 10 Amps. The warm and safe jacket liner says it draws 7.5 amps. I don't see why the Fuzeblock wouldn't handle the jacket liner.

Landon, I have two dual heat trollers running through my Fuze block. Each on their own circuit. No problems for going on two years. Had the same set up on the Honda running a blue sea fuse block.

 

[T_C]

Most fuse blocks can handle the draw no problem. Just make sure your wiring to/from the block is adequate, as well as the connectors.

But for warranty purposes you can not cut or change the wire ends. So be creative and you can have your fuse blick and heat too.

PS I'm running dual 2 channel heat-trollers and I have two more channels (one wireless one wired) for seperate front/rear seats and then another for heated grips. All these go through a fuse block somewhere... but if asked... all these are wired direct to my battery. When I remove them to send in (if needed) you can't tell the difference.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Been running my Gerbing heat controller through a Blue Sea fuseblock on all three of my ST1100s as long as I've had them. And I've run them all day along (12 hours+) on long distance trips. As long as the wiring and the block is sufficient to carry the load, there should be no problem. I wired my own 'socket' from Powerlet (BMW Style) to plug the controller into by the handlebars. 'By the handlebars' because that's where my headset connection is and that way I don't forget to unplug both when I dismount. ;-)

 

[Landon]

But for warranty purposes you can not cut or change the wire ends. So be creative and you can have your fuse blick and heat too.

I'm really not to concerned about the warranty. Never needed it on the previous heat troller I had on my ST.

 

[st1300r]

Landon the only guess is maybe that's an end around for bikes with CAN bus or to reduce support calls/emails.
The controller won't know if it's hooked up to the battery our your acc fuse block.

Any heat issues and connector melting would be the result of a dirty connection, bad crimp, corrosion etc. Workmanship issues.
(assuming the wiring and fuse block is sized correctly).

 

[TMUS]

I had my self made liner wired thru a fuse block and could see my running lights pulse every time the controller would pulse on and off, than I ran it off the battery tender plug without any more issues.

 

[SMSW]

Any heat issues and connector melting would be the result of a dirty connection, bad crimp, corrosion etc. Workmanship issues.
(assuming the wiring and fuse block is sized correctly).

That't right. The only reason Warm n Save might want you to run their harness directly to the battery might be because of dodgy wiring to the fuseblock. Since the heated clothing has a high electrical draw, you must make sure the feeder from the battery to the fuse block is heavy enough (i.e. the wire gauge is large enough) for all the loads, the fuse block itself is rated for the required current, and all terminations are clean and tight. I would not use any dielectric grease on these terminations.

If Soontobeone had problems with his unit, he must have had either too small a feeder to the block, or a fuseblock that could not handle the load. Overheating and melting of the wire's insulation indicates the fuse block was overheating - since the wires did not overheat when connected to the battery. Look at it this way - the wiring in your house has (probably) a 100 or 200 amp service drop from the pole. The breaker panel/fusebox bus has the capacity to handle this much current and the individual circuit breakers then protect the wiring attached to them. Overheating and melting of the insulation on wires attached to the breaker indicates too high a load with heat being produced by the breaker. If the load is so great that the wire overheats in the middle of a span and melts the insulation then the load is too great and the breaker is oversized or not doing its job. Note that there is higher resistance at wire termination points - higher than the wire itself. So a loose or dirty connection will produce more heat than a clean properly tightened one.

The loads for household appliances are much greater than for any load on a bike - and how often do you see melting insulation on the wires in your house (breaker panel)? It's all about correct wire sizing, properly made connections, and equipment that can handle the load.