ol'klx-er: I think you'll find the relay redundant, with repect to my set up anyhow. The headlight on the KLX only comes on once the starter button is released (on CDN models at least), and the Oxford heated grips I installed have an intelligent switch which disables the heating elements if it detects the battery is not at full charge.

 

Hey ya'll...

my '06 US model headlights come one as soon as the key is turned on, engine running or not. I put the headlights on an on/off switch (no relay) so that the headlight, and only the headlight, can be switched off either for stealth or just to save battery power. I like the ability to turn on the headlight without the motor running (it's one heck of a flashlight!). And yes, I know that there is still a little power draw with the installed switch in the 'off' position (it is a simple SPST on the ground wire) as evidenced by the 'high beam' indicator light turning on when the installed switch is in the 'off' position (this was discussed in earlier threads).

What I want here is to connect the grip heaters to a power supply that is powered ONLY when the motor is running...okay...as someone said above which is a better description...ONLY when the system is charging. I do not want to accidentally have the heaters on and draw down the battery when the bike is not charging.

So, it sounds like we need a relay here. Correct? It sounds like ol'klx-er would like something similar.

Suggestions on how and where to install this relay?

thanks again for any suggestions. Cheers!

 

I respectfully submit that relays have become a well-intentioned red herring in this thread. With respect to IDRIDR’s original intention, which was to install grip heaters in such a manner as to “reduce the chances of unexpected battery drain”, the stock electrical system is already equipped to do this as long as you tap into a switched power source (On the KLX, it’s the brown wire which supplies the fuse box).

When functioning properly, the alternator will be supplying excessive power to charge the battery, run the bike’s core electrical devices and peripherals, including reasonable aftermarket devices such as grip heaters & GPSs. It’s the job of the regulator to remove the excess power from the system by dissipating it as heat. You could think of the grip heaters as simply diverting some of the heat from the regulator to your grips. In essence, grip heaters are not robbing any juice from the battery while the bike is running.

In regards to ol'klx-er’s concern that grip heaters will reduce the battery’s capacity to crank the engine; yes, but only negligibly. Grip heaters draw ~3A, while the starter motor draws at least 50A from the battery. If the bike fails to start with the grip heaters on, it’s well past time for a new battery. Regardless, the grip heaters should be toggle-switched so that they can be turned off when not needed or desired, such as when starting the bike, or when it’s not cold out. Indeed the Oxford heaters shut themselves off if they detect battery voltage <11.5V.

I can attest that none of the 4 bikes I have with grip heaters has ever experienced any form of starting or charging problem. I’d suggest that introducing a relay is a needless complication. I also appreciate however that part of the fun of owning a bike is in developing creative customizations, and if there is someone out there who knows of a simple circuit design which self-switches at a certain voltage threshold or amperage draw, I’d be as interested as anyone to see it.

 

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd just add my question to this one. I am installing grip heaters this weekend--the inexpensive kind that go between the handlebar and the grip. My KLX is a 2009. Will the wire mentioned in the quote above still be brown on my 2009 model, or only on the older KLX's? If not, what color is it? I want to make sure I tap the correct wire. Also, for those of you have have done this, where is the best place to ground the two ground wires?

 

Hey jckid,
Can't tell you about wire colors on your '09, but I did install the grip heaters. I didn't use a relay or anything special. Just spliced into the ground and switched live wires from the ignition switch.

Then when going through some harsh brush, the wires from the throttle side, which were pointing downward, ripped away from their soldered connection to the heater element. I rolled the grip back (it wasn't glued down, on purpose) re-soldered, then split the two wires apart, wrapping one clockwise around the throttle tube, and the other counterclockwise so they exited the grip about 180 degrees from where they were initially, then pushed the grip up further so the grip rolled over these two wires by about 1/2 inch or so. The main reason for changing the wire exit position and wrapping them around was so the grip would roll over the wires, thus securing them a little better than before, and to change where they exited from between the grip and throttle tube so they would be less susceptible to catching on brush. Now the wire points upward and to me at closed throttle, and about directly back toward me at WOT. It's not necessarily pretty having this wire stick out from the grip, but heated grips have been very worth it. I'm loving them.

 

Relays are overated...just weld a penny in there. LOL

 

My KLX is an '09 and the switched wire which feeds the fuse box is the brown one. I grounded the grips directly to the negative post of the battery.
I also agree that relays are unnecessary for applications where the amp draw is low enough to be easily handled by light/medium gauge wiring. Relays are vulnerable to moisture & dirt so I prefer to leave them out of the system if possible.

 

I would like to find one of those "smart switches" from your heated grips mentioned above.