[ceekay]

Hopefully someone can enlighten me. What exactly is the theoretical problem with a 75w draw on the battery? I know next to nothing about electronics by the way. I couldn’t even tell you the difference between volts and amps. I guess I just don’t understand why they would make this stuff for motorcycle batteries to power them if it’s not feasible. Or is it just a matter of the RE 650 battery being insufficient in some way?

not the battery, the charging system is what gives you some excess wattage. you have so much watts from the system. some is used by the bike....lights, ignition, charging battery. what's left is available for other stuff like heated gear. the question is how much is left. Maybe not enough but I don't know. maybe royal enfield didn't consider heated gear in their criteria for the generator output. I have queried them but no answer.

[olhogrider]

Only pussies use electric heat! Real men use whiskey. That said I own an electric vest and two electric jacket liners as well as heated gloves. They all get too hot to bear at the highest setting. I have never had any trouble with a bike's electrical system not being up to the task, including a 150 scooter. The charging system will handle it just fine. The Varta battery on the other hand is crap and should be disposed of before it strands you on the road somewhere.

I can recommend the Cycle Gear house brand. The other advantage of buying from a real store is it is easy to return if you have a problem or change your mind. This one does look slick with its wireless remote.

[JP33090]

not the battery, the charging system is what gives you some excess wattage. you have so much watts from the system. some is used by the bike....lights, ignition, charging battery. what's left is available for other stuff like heated gear. the question is how much is left. Maybe not enough but I don't know. maybe royal enfield didn't consider heated gear in their criteria for the generator output. I have queried them but no answer.

Thanks for the info, makes sense.

Only pussies use electric heat! Real men use whiskey. That said I own an electric vest and two electric jacket liners as well as heated gloves. They all get too hot to bear at the highest setting. I have never had any trouble with a bike's electrical system not being up to the task, including a 150 scooter. The charging system will handle it just fine. The Varta battery on the other hand is crap and should be disposed of before it strands you on the road somewhere.

I can recommend the Cycle Gear house brand. The other advantage of buying from a real store is it is easy to return if you have a problem or change your mind. This one does look slick with its wireless remote.

Boy I hope you are right. After this discussion I was thinking I’d have to just hook it up and hope it works, or be out $400 for the jacket and gloves as revzilla won’t take returns on worn gear.  The cold really bothers me ever since I got hypothermia about 10 years back. I’m really hoping the heated gear works out.

[NVDucati]

I freely admit to being a little tone deft regarding automotive DC electricity.
My understanding is that the alternator only has to put out enough "juice" to keep the battery charged while using accessory electrics.
I have a volt meter on my RE. When the bike is running it shows about 14.3 volts with nothing else plugged in. When I turn on my e-vest, e-chaps, phone, radar detector, high beam, and brake light and turn signal ... it reads 14.3 volts (at idle). When I do essentially the same thing on my old Ducati (no winkers), it drops to 11.9 volts at idle and gets back up to 12.7V at 5000rpm.

[olhogrider]

Thanks for the info, makes sense.

Boy I hope you are right. After this discussion I was thinking I’d have to just hook it up and hope it works, or be out $400 for the jacket and gloves as revzilla won’t take returns on worn gear.  The cold really bothers me ever since I got hypothermia about 10 years back. I’m really hoping the heated gear works out.

You will love it!

[Bagonne]

Fyi, Firstgear heated clothing is on clearance on US internet stores, dont know about elsewhere 

I got the 42 watt 12v jacket liner. Theres also a 75 watt, cloves, pants, socks, etc....

I paid $119 us and it came with the battery harness.  It will run off a portable battery, too.

No idea how well it works, I installed the wiring today.  It also has built in connections for gloves and pants

Probably not the highest end stuff but for both ends of the season it seems like it'll do for a good price

[twocoolgliders]

Well...when the bike is running....it's not the battery which is the weak spot in the system...it is the alternator.

The "draw" from the heated gear, will "draw" from the battery...but the alternator will put the power back into the battery.  If you draw more and faster than the alternator can replenish...you will slowly, or not-so-slowly kill the battery...

A low, or dead battery on a fuel injected (computer operated) bike is an ugly mess...it wont run right, or it won't run at all..

Just some fast and loose math...

The battery is rated at 12 amp hours.....this means you can draw one amp for 12 hours...or 12 amps for one hour, and the battery will not only be dead...but damaged...

Normally you should not drain more than 1/2 the capacity..this will bring the battery to the discharged state, but not "dead"


So you really have only 6 amp hours useful capacity....

A 75 watt device at 12 volts will draw 6.25 amps.....so the battery alone (not being charge by the alternator) will last less than  one hour.....

Does the alternator have enough charging to replace this, along with running the lights, computer, injectors, etc?

I dunno....

high beam headlight 60 w
tail light 5 w
turn signal 10 w


That's 75 watts just there...

Plus add the computer, fuel injection, dash lights and whatever....

The alternator can only handle 156 watts (at idle)

So to run all the equipment plus 75 watts for a heated gear...you are at the limit..

Yes, at speed you may get a bit more out of the alternator...

But I would not add an additional 75 watt draw to the system....just me..

Cookie

Hopefully someone can enlighten me. What exactly is the theoretical problem with a 75w draw on the battery? I know next to nothing about electronics by the way. I couldn’t even tell you the difference between volts and amps. I guess I just don’t understand why they would make this stuff for motorcycle batteries to power them if it’s not feasible. Or is it just a matter of the RE 650 battery being insufficient in some way?

[olhogrider]

You won't be sitting at idle with the maximum power draw. The whole point of this stuff is to ride. And you won't have it at the maximum setting for long. If you are that concerned, get an LED headlight bulb. There is the theoretical load and output, and then there is reality. You have to decide which one you ride.

[twocoolgliders]

I use my Royal Enfield to recharge my Tesla!

Cookie

You won't be sitting at idle with the maximum power draw. The whole point of this stuff is to ride. And you won't have it at the maximum setting for long. If you are that concerned, get an LED headlight bulb. There is the theoretical load and output, and then there is reality. You have to decide which one you ride.

[JP33090]

You won't be sitting at idle with the maximum power draw. The whole point of this stuff is to ride. And you won't have it at the maximum setting for long. If you are that concerned, get an LED headlight bulb. There is the theoretical load and output, and then there is reality. You have to decide which one you ride.

Just curious what you mean by get an LED bulb? Does that draw less power than a stock bulb?

[twocoolgliders]

Yes...way less draw...old fashioned standard bulbs make light...but also makes heat..a lot of heat...it takes energy to make heart ....  but this is wasted energy...

LED bulbs do make a small amount of heat..but most of the electrical energy is converted into light....so much less amp draw on the electrical system...Headlight is biggest user of electricity at 55/ 60 watts....

But you can change out all of the bulbs to LED...

Also LED lasts longer, and less susceptible to breaking filament due to vibration...(there is no filament)


Cookie

Just curious what you mean by get an LED bulb? Does that draw less power than a stock bulb?

[JP33090]

Yes...way less draw...old fashioned standard bulbs make light...but also makes heat..a lot of heat...it takes energy to make heart ....  but this is wasted energy...

LED bulbs do make a small amount of heat..but most of the electrical energy is converted into light....so much less amp draw on the electrical system...Headlight is biggest user of electricity at 55/ 60 watts....

But you can change out all of the bulbs to LED...

Also LED lasts longer, and less susceptible to breaking filament due to vibration...(there is no filament)


Cookie

Great info thank you

[eddiesgirl]

It is called "manchon" in french, no idea how it is called in english.

Salut, Cyril31! Ici, je qrois c'est comme NVDucati - "hippo hands", mais c'est possible il y a des autres types?

I was just considering hippo hands for winter, and NVDucati, I'm impressed with your kidney knowledge. My mom worked in nephrology and renal failure her whole life.

This is all great for heat - I get damn cold if I'm out and the sun starts to go down - I was just thinking today what I'm going to do with this coastal cold weather.  Hippo Hands to start, and then...a warmer coat, but I am sorely not into hooking something up to heat on the bike - way above my salary.

[Bagonne]

The Varta battery on the other hand is crap and should be disposed of before it strands you on the road somewhere.

what battery can you recommend?

[JettaKnight]

Thank you for the help and advice!

Reading some other threads in here, it sounds like 147 watts as output is low. Not wanting to risk possibly stranding myself with a dead battery, I'm going to go with a vest that runs on a battery pack instead.

Got a 800 mile trip through northern Michigan planned for this weekend. =)

Looks like the weather is going to be pretty warm - highs around 70. I guess you might want it in the morning...

That looks like a great trip - I've never done both sides in one trip. Usally just the dunes/Glen Arbor in the Summer and then Altanta/Gaylord in the Winter for the Sno*drift rally.

Come to think of it, I've never been over to Alpena yet...



You stopping at Tony's truck stop for bacon?