Beware dem wires! They make Gremlins!

[sparklr]

Help me before I blow up the Pig!

First the incidentals! I wired up a 30A-12 gauge hot wire to an automotive relay, which powers up a terminal block grounded back to the battery via 12 gauge. Apparently it is opined that this may not be a favourable form of grounding, albeit I don't understand why not, some thoughts? All was looking beautiful and progressing well, I had opted to use my instrument cluster lamp as my switching source for the relay. I turn the key and nothing. Hmm. No time to mess with that so I focus on powering up my grip heaters, straight off the battery via the Symtec controller that has no instructions. Egad, those won't work either. Conclusion, let Brainfart pass, disconnect and ride, then try again. More reading and research takes place, and even more head scratching. Momma was wrong, it's wood under my fingernails, not Rocks.

Now that I am confused, I head to the garage and play again with the Fluke machine, poking and prodding like a guru, yep good, scratch n scratch, yep good again, then I Fluked a Hmm. No juice from the lamp to switch the relay. So I dynamite the friggin crimp splice connector and use the old school version. Clickity click, and relay sends the electrons to the terminal block. Slow motion back flip for the Fluke!

Next item, the grip heaters and controller dilemma. Grip heaters are 2 wire Kimpex ATV heaters, both black wires. Hooked up or trying to do it properly without instuctions or meaningless online manuals is most frustrating. The controller has a red for go-go juice, no problem there so far, powers the unit up. A black, I interpret as to be welded to a ground. A brown for the thumb warmer, not used or part of the equation. And the evil white wire which seems to send the appropiriate voltage signal via selected controller power level. One lead from each grip goes to the white the other two leads I landed on the hot part of the terminal block. Heaters work, another back flip with a twist.

Fortunately with keen ears that overcome the pelting monsoon, I hear a gurgle. This usually means the suds quota is insufficient. So I count 1 and 2 and a glass of red, nope levels are manageable. I go ear the battery and it's gurgling. Emergency stop actions implemented. Hmm. Ground to frame, same test, same result. Please note that all this time, ignition key on only, Pig is not running. Does the Pig have the Swine Flu and need a vaccination?

:help:mad3::gaah:

 

[Sparkle]

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Hi sparklr:

Grounding the relay with a wire to the battery isn't as tidy and trouble free as grounding it to a frame lug, but still should be okay....it's just a relay ground, the wire can't short, but it's a long way to go for a ground to a relay.

According to the 'net, a pair of Kimpex heaters runs around 3 amps flat out. This is a big-time current on a bike battery when the bike isn't running. With the bike running the current draw would (hopefully) be mostly from the charge current, with a little bit left to charge the battery....if your bikewasn't running when you heard the gurgling...it might bejust your battery screaming in agony.

The relay is supposed turn on only when the bike is actually running, to avoid gurgling the battery.

Another example of me talking about something I know nothing about...:TTT:

Sparkle

 

[sparklr]

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Thanks for the reply and I have seen that diagram, with my controller it gets a little trickier but I THINK I may have it right as it seems to work as it is supposed to, although I'm not confident enough to vouch that it is correctly wired. I have moved the ground to the frame although it is still a long run. I'll shorten the ground next time I feel motivated enough to pull the tanker can

"The relay is supposed turn on only when the bike is actually running, to avoid gurgling the battery." Yikes! This seems near impossible. RPM would have to be proved. But perhaps I should run it, however the little one sleeps when I'm tinkering and she seems to find the Pig to be a nuisance.

As for the gurgling, this seems to be my real concern. Is this detrimental to my battery? As I understand it this would indicate boiling as a result of overcharging when in essence as you say she screams in agony, whilst being depleted. This phenomenon has me baffled. I can't seem to get definitive answers even after doing multi-method Googles. I don't mind toasting my stock battery, yes I do!

"Another example of me talking about something I know nothing about...:TTT:"
Seems we have a few things in common.
:hb:

 

[04klr]

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a battery will, bubble "off-gas" (boil, if you like) on a big, charge OR discharge, and while the thought of having the lectric accsesories only work withthe "pig" running isn't a wrong thing, certainlythe grips etc. should at the very least only work in a "key on" position, true it will bein a pure discharge state but it's relativly hard to accidentally turn the key on and leave it on. perhaps buy the "little one" some earplugs just likedaddy's for his/hers birthday ;}

 

[Sparkle]

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Hi sparklr:

Heat is the thing. As 04klr points out heavy current drain heats the battery plates, as does heavy charging.... The gurgling is caused by the heat generated by the heavy current flow through the battery's internal resistance. This heat causes the acid in the battery to boil off as gases, and this is the process that causes loss of battery fluid and sulphated and warped plates.

Although the battery can withstand hundreds (or even thousands) of normal "shallow cycles", heavy discharge (and charging) will wear out the battery, in a very short time.

If your bike was running, the current for the grips would still come from the battery, but it would be continually replaced by the charging system, and there would be no discharge or effect on the battery.

The other problem....starting the bike with the grip heaters onmight be a difficult chore for the batteryif it isn'tin perfect shape.

Sparkle

 

[sparklr]

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Thanks very much Sparkle and 04klr for the battery info, I feel at ease now and have learned something at the same time. The rest of the wiring issues seem to be dealt with. The controller has a memory of your last setting, so I'll just have to be aware of that. Doesn't make much sense to wire up anything else to avoid this. The power is relayed and only comes on with the keyed ignition.

" perhaps buy the "little one" some earplugs just likedaddy's for his/hers birthday ;} "
Hehe, I think she would eat them!

Thanks guys,

:hb: