Installing a inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

[Chucksklrst]

Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

So yesterday I was down-town at Performance Cycle and bought me a PR4 rear tire for the ST700. Just to have it on hand for when I need it in a couple months. I also saw a pair of inexpensive heated grip elements. The type that stick to your bars under your rubber grips. I have BMW rubber grips on my bike and I really like them so I did not want to change them out. I also have the same type of heated elements on my Wee and they work very good. So I thought I would try these out. They were 30 bucks and I am going to want to make a better wire harness for them.

Any way I opened up the ST700 to gain access to the areas I need to get to. Having three extra circuits already, I decided I can't put any more connections to my battery and I need to install an aux fuse panel. Well, I just happen to have a Blue Sea Fuse Block, some one had given me years ago. So I spent the day installing it and rewiring all three of my other circuits in to the block. Have not got the grips installed as of yet but will be working on those this weekend. I will up date this thread as I make progress. I am retired, and the weather is not so good, so I am going to be taking my time with this project..

Here are some pictures of the fuse panel install.

 

[Herb]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

I noticed that you put you fuse block at a different place than others. How did you attach it? Nice job.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

I noticed that you put you fuse block at a different place than others. How did you attach it? Nice job.

Hook and Loop (Velcro) The block was too big to fit under the seat and I did not like it in the back, blocking the taillights bulbs
Been working on the grips. Will have them finished tomorrow.

 

[Herb]

How did you attach the Velcro to the frame?

 

[Chucksklrst]

How did you attach the Velcro to the frame?

There is a plastic panel next to the battery on that side. (Right side) Used stick on Velcro. I have a non ABS so there is room on that side of the battery.

 

[Dee G]

I put my Fuzeblock in the same place...but I drilled two holes in the plastic and perm mounted it instead. I had used HD Velcro for the Fuzeblock on my GS, but it didn't work so well.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

So, I said I would take my time with the heated grip install. And I did but when I start a project I tend not to stop until it is finished. I hate to leave something unfinished for later. So using the cheap set of heated grip elements, it took a bit of finalizing to get a finished product. First I had to stop and make a trip to Harbor Freight to get more heat shrink tubing, and then because I made harnesses for the supply wires I needed more electrical tape. The hardest part of the complete project was to get the wire loop on the throttle side just right, so as not to stress the supply wires as the throttle is twisted. I suppose I could have gone with a more expensive set of heated grips, but this was a fun project and it was windy and cold outside and my wife was at work. What is the old saying "idle hands get into mischief" Had to keep myself busy. Anyway I soldered all the connections and used heat shrink on the grip wires and then made harness for all the other wires coming from the 12 volt and ground supply. I mounted the switch in the right speaker grill. I don't like the looks of the switch, but I will keep an eye out for a more ascetic looking switch to replace it with. I tried to take a picture of the element wrapped around the handle bar, but it did not show up very good. If these heaters last even one season then I got my moneys worth. I used compressed air to lift my BMW grips off the bar, and then when I re-installed them I use hair spray to help them slide back on. Also when the hair spray dries the stickiness will help the rubber grip to adhere to the bar.
Here are some pictures.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Looks good, Chuck!

 

[Chucksklrst]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

So I get the heated grips installed, I get the aux fuse box installed, I take the bike out for a test ride (see
http://www.nt-owners.org/forums/showthread.php?7948-Just-GO-RIDE&highlight) and all is working great. The next few days are bad weather days so I decide that I need to put a relay on the aux fuse box to disconnect it when the key is off. My heated grips are wired thru the aux box and I don’t want to run the battery down accidentally by leaving the grips turned on. So off to work I go.. Had fun rerouting wires and installing the relay. Also did some clutch and brake handle/cable maint. Rerouted the cables to get a bit more room from them. My new again MRA windshield was due in also to replace the one I broke back in December. In Short I was just playing in my Toy Box having fun. The NT was on my HF Lift and all was fine. Next day a FJR friend called and ask if we wanted to meet for Breakfast at GrandPa’s Caf? for breakfast about 60 miles north of Denver in Berthoud. Having not ridden the ST1300 in about two months I said yes I would meet him there and bring the ST13 along. (By the way, Great place for a ride to eat some day)
All went fine, great breakfast until it was time to ride back home. The ST1300 barley wanted to start. The battery was about gone. It finally fired, stated and off to the house I rode. Wanted to get the ST up on the lift so as to trouble shoot the battery issue. Go to move and went to start the NT, which was still parked on the lift from the previous days farkeling. Turned over but would not fire. O-man, I don’t need this now. What could be wrong? Bike was not throwing out a code. What sensor went bad now?
So now I have two bikes that are ill. I know the ST1300 is going to need a battery but what is wrong with the NT today. Why won’t it fire. Well into the troubleshooting mode I go. I am not a happy camper as I do not like, not knowing, what is wrong with my machines at any given point in time. I finally pay attention to the symptoms. I am not hearing the fuel pump priming the fuel rail and I also am not registering any fuel level on the fuel gage. Hmm. Wonder what is common to both of them. Would not be a sensor to give me that type of symptom. Good thing I have the service manual. Got to be an electric issue. So I open the service manual to the wiring diagram and start looking to see what is common to both the fuel pump and the fuel gage. Well low and behold, it looks like there is a connector somewhere in the bowels of the bike that feed both of those items power. Now to go in and find where that connector is to be able to check it. I removed the seat and the gill side panel and remove the left and right pockets and raised the tank. There is a wiring harness that comes off the fuel sending unit and fuel pump. I finger trace the line until I find the connector, and low and behold it is disconnected. Reconnected it and the bike fires up immediately. No issues.
Now how did it come apart? Those are locking connectors. I have to make an assumption here. The last time I serviced the bike was for the 24k service and valve check. I had the tank off the bike. I must not have fully locked the connector together and when I was rerouting wires and installing the Aux Fuse
Box relay, that somehow I pulled it loose. All is well that ends well.
Morel of the story: Make sure you are connected and secure. Don’t get in a hurry when completing important tasks and have the appropriate reference material and literature on hand when accomplishing those tasks. Now to, GO RIDE.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Wow! That was strange. Strange that the connector stayed connected with all the riding you've done and then came loose while the bike was sitting there getting maintenance that didn't cause you to move the tank.

I'd have probably been towed to good old Sun Honda where Nic would have found it and charged me for an hour or so's labor.

 

[elizilla]

I had an experience like that with my Honda VF1100S, back in 2000 on my very first cross country trip. A couple weeks before the trip, I had replaced the steering head bearings. On that bike, the fuse panel is behind a little cover under the headlight, and next to the fuse panel is a little tray with a dozen connectors held in one spot. I had to take them all apart to get to the steering head bearings, and darned if I didn't fail to get one of the connectors locked properly when I put it back together. It worked fine all the way from Michigan, to a no-services rest stop about halfway between Pecos and Odessa TX, where I stopped to take a drink of water, and then the bike wouldn't start again. There I was in the hundred degree heat, with not a bush or shack anywhere between me and the horizon, thinking about how much I needed to pee.

Alls well that ends well, though. My phone actually worked, and I called for road service. They said it would be late that night or maybe the next morning before they could get a truck to this godforsaken spot. I had brought my service manual and a lot of tools and didn't have anything else to do. So I eventually took the fairing off, there on the side of the road, and found the loose connector. I was back in business! I put the bike back together and called HRCA to say "never mind" and I was on my way.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

Hi CHuck.

I think I know which connector, but if you can post a picture of the offender (I am pretty sure that you have posted it before) it would be helpful to more than the block-headed (me).

THanks.

Here we are. Hope this helps

 

[bicyclist]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

Hope this helps

Not really, ya fergot to post the pic.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I could see two photos.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Re: Installing an inexpensive set of Heated Grips and Aux Fuse Panel

Not really, ya fergot to post the pic.

Here is the pic's