The heated grip switch was broken on my bike so a replacement arrived from motor works. Connected up and when switched on smoke starts appearing & the cables on the bike side of the connector overheat. Any ideas?

GMcQ

My first guess would be that you have a short to ground in the wiring between the connector and the grips.
Disconnect the grip connector, and measure resistance to ground at the four small connectors.

Inge, on the four pin connector, one brown wire feeds one pin with a loop going to a second pin. Both of these pins (brown wire) read approx 1.0 - 1.1 ohms, zero on the other two (black wires)

G

You have measured at the side on the connector to the bike wiring.

To check if the wiring to the grips is shorted, you must measure the opposite part of the connector.

Opps! Not getting any reading

G

If that means that you read infinity ohms at all four, the wiring to the grips is OK.

In the previous post you did measure 0 ohms at the black wires to the harness side....should be infinty.

Try to disconnect the switch, an measure again.

Without appearing like a complete thicko, if by infinity you mean that a constant 1 is shown on the left side of the screen, then that is what i have got on the black wires, this does not change. This is also what is shown on the handle bar side of the connection.

G

Also blew a fuse, the top one

G

gmcq wrote:Both of these pins (brown wire) read approx 1.0 - 1.1 ohms, zero on the other two (black wires)

I did understand this that you did read 0 ohms at the black wires.
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Then I don`t have any other suggestion, but while measuring the wiring to the grips....you could try to wiggle the wires, turning the handlebar and twistgrip....and see if that changes the readings.

When the problem did occur did you try both hi and low position on the switch?
On the low position the current is feeded through a resistance wire in the intermediate wiring....it have been reported problems with resistance wire in other forums.
I don`t have experienced any problems with this wire during the 25 years I got the OEM heated grips mounted, tho.

gmcq wrote:Also blew a fuse, the top one

G

That one is for the heated grips, allright.

To check the intermediate wiring, disconnect all three connectors.........
measure between the black and the brown wire........
and between the orange and the brown wire.

You should measure no connection between these two pairs.

Tries again, blew another fuse. Would this suggest a short somewhere?

G

Yes, indeed........have you read my last posts?

Yes, done as instructed, no connection between black & brown or between orange & brown. Looking at the wires, the orange one seems to be the one causing the heat, the insulation has melted about midway along the wire. If the wires are in a poor condition, would this cause these problems?

G

The orange one is the one with resistance wire for the low position.

It seems like this is the reason to your problem, and while measuring it`s to less current used...so no fault is indicated.

But before installing a new intermediate wire, be shure that you ain`t got any shorts at the grip wiring....so you don`t destroy the new one also.

You could try and connect each of the grips directly to a power source, and measure the current draw.
They should draw ~1,0 A each.

I will try that tomorrow, getting to cold my feet are like ice cubes! Time to light the fire. Thanks for your help

G

Problem identified! On doing the load test at the grips, smoke started coming out the end of the handlebar. On further investigation, the wires connecting to the heated grips have snapped off. The wires are visible on the throttle grip, cant see any wires on the clutch grip. Around £130 for new parts from motoworks

Clutch side handlebar. Where do the wires come out? The end weight screws into the end & i can see no other hole

When you buy a retrofit kit for heated grips to a K11LT, a new handlebar is included.
Looks like a PO have been a cheapo and tried to save some money.

The bars for heated grips have a cut out at the end for the wiring.
(see attached picture).
Should be possible to make these cut outs with a angle grinder, just be shure that you
round all sharp edges.....especially on the throttle side.

£ 130,- is for new grips only, you probably need a need a new intermediate wire also
since the resistance wire allready is fried (worst chase scenario....a fire on the
underside of the tank, while driving.....the chance is minimal but,but,but).

At least have good and long test (~0,5 hour?) with the grips on the low position
before putting the tank back on (and keep in mind that the wire would get a bit
hotter when the engine reaching operating temp and stays there for hours and
the area being more closed when the tank is back on.

It's your call, good luck.

This picture from the installation instructions shows the cutouts at the end of the bars.



Paul.

sidecar paul wrote:This picture from the installation instructions shows the cutouts at the end of the bars.

That mounting instruction is for K100`s with bar end weights.
These end weights is mounted with a couple of sleeves, which expands o-rings
on the inside of the bars.

K11`s have threads on the outer end of the bars, and the outer end have a
smaller dia. which partly is mounted inside the weights.

But since the bike in question is a former police model you newer know,
as these bikes often differs with this and that.

I learn something new every day here.

IIRC the bar weights had different parts that fitted into the bar as well (where they bolt on to), which allowed the wires to pass through.

If you have not spent the money why not opt for heated gloves they are much better than heated grips and I wuld guess a whole lot less trouble to install than grips.
Regards,
K-BIKE

They are working, heat at last! Spliced the wires together at the grips and covered with heat shrink insulation. Had to use the angle grinder to cut a channel in the left bar to allow cable access. As Inge suggested, I left them on for 30-40 mins, no smoke or over heating. Also got the hazard warning lights working, soldered the wires back on to the switch. Thats two things crossed of the list.

G

Good work now you should be a little more comfortable when the excentrics go riding.