thinking about getting heated gear...

[ERM83]

just wanted to ask for some advice on this...I was spoiled by last winter here. All I did was bulk up, and I was fine! This winter is a bit more harsh, so I looked into some heated gear. Do I just use gear that won't go too close to the 10 amp auxiliary fuse limit, and hook it right into that?? Or, hook it directly into the battery?? I have limited experience using the auxiliary circuit, let alone heated gear! I put an AWESOME LED headlight lamp in, so I could ditch my aux-lights for the winter to free up some power if needed. All I really need is a jacket-liner, and gloves or glove liners. Just wanted to ask before I did anything about this! Thanks, guys!

Eric

[IanDMacDonald]

Wire it right to the battery. I use Tourmaster gear.

[DeanR]

yep, directly to the battery. 2017 was my first year using a heated liner. Have always done fine just layering up, but this is nice. Warm & Safe by the way, and they have a discount code. Great gear.
Heated my grips years ago.

[ERM83]

Thanks again...

Limits as to how many accessories? AKA, glove/jacket/pant liner combinations?? How much functionality depends on the strength of my stator, and reg/rec??

[IanDMacDonald]

Yes, there is. The gear is all high amperage stuff. BMW owner can wear the full get-up, and still have room. I have LED everything on my bike, and have to switch-off the LED fogs in-order to use my jacket, which I believe is 7A draw. So, figure-out what u want heated the most. The XS charging system is weak.

Btw, install a voltmeter if u have not done so already. It's how I know when the charging system is taxed. Tony's R/R has me at 14.4 going down the highway. If I attempt to use heated gear AND fogs, those numbers drop to mid 12's. It's not worth taxing the stator, so I turn the fog's off.

[jetmechmarty]

The XS1100 has a 20 amp alternator. Your old bike will have voltage drops from years of corrosion at switches and connectors. Just keep that in mind. A dead battery on a cold day won't be fun.

[DiverRay]

I've used a heated vest for years. Worked on the BMW, and now the Connie, even though the Connie has a problem because of the small battery. Heated gloves work much better than grips if you do not have a windbreak in front of you. Glove liners are about the same, so you will be looking at about 10-12 amps total for the gear. Don't forget the "controller" if you don't want to keep shutting it off and on, like I do.

[IanDMacDonald]

I've used a heated vest for years. Worked on the BMW, and now the Connie, even though the Connie has a problem because of the small battery. Heated gloves work much better than grips if you do not have a windbreak in front of you. Glove liners are about the same, so you will be looking at about 10-12 amps total for the gear. Don't forget the "controller" if you don't want to keep shutting it off and on, like I do.

You will NOT be able to use 10-12 amps in accessories on this bike, unless your wiring & charging system is in tip-top shape, and even then, I would advise you not to!

[jetmechmarty]

Out of that 20 amps, the headlight will consume 5 amps and the tail lights almost two more. Add in the losses for corrosion in the 35+ year old wiring interconnect system and it equates to a dead battery pretty quick.

I think you may be able to run some heat, but the system has to be nearly perfect.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Ian,

Are you running old 55W halogens for your AUX/FOG lights, or LED? The LEDS I put on mine only draw 1 amp each vs. the 4+ of a 55W halogen. Marty, he has a LED headlight/bulb and it should only draw 1-2 amps also, so that frees up several for the heated gear.

T.C.

[jetmechmarty]

Hey Ian,

Are you running old 55W halogens for your AUX/FOG lights, or LED? The LEDS I put on mine only draw 1 amp each vs. the 4+ of a 55W halogen. Marty, he has a LED headlight/bulb and it should only draw 1-2 amps also, so that frees up several for the heated gear.

T.C.

Yep. When responding, I considered who may read this and when. I don't think it's common knowledge that the XS11 has a 20 amp dc alternator. That was on a new bike. After almost 40 years, there is corrosion in the electrical system that will eat a lot of that.

[IanDMacDonald]

TC-

I have LED everything on my bike, headlight to taillight. I've tried to save as-much current as possible, and at the end of the day, this bike will NOT support a full heated gear setup! If you have lights, you can't bave both. I have to turn my fogs off to use the jacket.

[red bandit]

Ian.......if you have been riding in this weather that we've been having, you have HUGH Cojones.

[IanDMacDonald]

Heck no, lol. My riding starts in April, ended in December. But, I have done all the mods necessary to keep my electrical system in tip-top shape, including upgraded cables going from battery to frame ground, positive post to solenoid, solenoid to starter, Geezer R/R, new Molex connectors, TC fuse box, LED everything, and the bike just plainly put, has a small output of 20a. The ignition system uses the majority of it.

LED fog lights AND heated jacket pulling 5a, and the running voltage @ 80 mph drops down to 12v. It's not worth taxing the system. Fog lights go off, and it stays in the 13's. With just the fog lights on, it stays around 14.2v. With fog & headlight off, 14.6v.

[skids]

One thing to think about is that the stock charging system goes negative at idle rpms. It doesn't matter how you reduce the OEM draw (unless you modify the alternator). You will need to remember to turn off everything you can if you are at prolong idling just to prevent the battery from going below 10.4 volts. Of course reducing draw will help!