Life expentancy of heated gear ? Specifically Gerbing ?

[ett]

How long (miles) has everyone's heated lasted ?

Back in 2000 I bought my first piece of heated riding gear. A Widder vest.
Around 2003 (?) I added a pair of Gerbing G3 gloves.
That is all the heated gear my 2000 GSXR750 could handle.
The Widder vest was rather troublesome. It's leads going into; and out of; the toggle switch would routinely pull out.
So much that I carried a screwdriver to make roadside repairs.

Fast forward to 2011.
Replaced GSXR with a leftover 2010 Moto Guzzi Griso.
I was excited to have a motorcycle that had a real alternator that could handle full electric gear.
So I dumped the Widder vest and replaced it with Gerbing full sleeve jacket liner and pants liner.

That Gerbing jacket liner only lasted 1.5 Winters (about 20k miles) before it's right hand glove lead failed.
Had it repaired by Gerbing. That was in 2013.
Now it's 2015 and the pants liner appears to be failing. They tend to stop working about 10 minutes into my commute.

However; the oldest Gerbing gear I have; the G3 gloves; appear to still be going strong.

So I think the jacket liner had 20k miles on it before it failed; the pants liner had about 40k miles on it before it failed, and the gloves probably have close to 300k miles on them and they are still working.
Each of these Gerbings were made in China. And the jacket liner had (but recently replaced) their PDU connector instead of simple wire leads.

Is this the typical life expectancy of heated gear ?

--ET

 

[charlie b]

Glad to see your gloves are still working I have the Gerbing light gloves. This is their third winter and still going. Not sure how many miles, maybe 20k.

Sad to hear of the jacket as a full sleeve jacket liner is to be my next purchase.

Was the full sleeve jacket liner that much better than just the vest? Many people seem to have just the vest so wondered about that (yes, I know all about keeping your core warm).

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've never plugged gloves into my Warm'n'Safe heated jacket, but I'd guess I've got 30-35,000 miles on it. I bought it in 2010, not long before I bought my NT. It still works great. And, IMO, the jacket is a substantial improvement over a vest. I've only had one vest. It was an Eclipse with only an on/off switch and it didn't last for long. I replaced it with a Widder jacket and it didn't last a long time before I bought Warm'n'Safe. I upgraded it when they introduced a smaller wired/quicker reacting version and it's worked fine ever since.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

The failures I have had with all the heated gear was from the wire leads. The wire breaks due to the constant bending. I would say every 2 years or so the sleeve wire leads require fixing. I don't know how many miles I have on the gear. Maybe 50k? There is a reason why Gerbing (after it was sold to the current owner) discontinued the lifetime warranty.:mad1:

 

[ett]

Glad to see your gloves are still working I have the Gerbing light gloves. This is their third winter and still going. Not sure how many miles, maybe 20k.

Sad to hear of the jacket as a full sleeve jacket liner is to be my next purchase.

Was the full sleeve jacket liner that much better than just the vest? Many people seem to have just the vest so wondered about that (yes, I know all about keeping your core warm).

The full sleeve jacket liner was a HUGE improvement over the vest.
You lose a lot of body heat from windchill on the biceps, shoulders, and elbows with a vest.
Plus the jacket liner meant no more 6ft of wires traveling through your riding gear to get power to the gloves.

--ET

 

[ett]

The failures I have had with all the heated gear was from the wire leads. The wire breaks due to the constant bending. I would say every 2 years or so the sleeve wire leads require fixing. I don't know how many miles I have on the gear. Maybe 50k? There is a reason why Gerbing (after it was sold to the current owner) discontinued the lifetime warranty.:mad1:

Ah ! So my experiences have been on par.

When my jacket liner failed. It was in January, during my morning, 65 mile each way commute to work, and ambient temps were in the teens.
So when I got to work; I verified it was the jacket liner that failed and not the glove. I then called Gerbing for info about getting it repaired.
And since it was so cold that day; at lunch time I went to a local motorcycle dealer and bought another Gerbing jacket liner.
The only jacket liner they had; was one size too large.
Being too large, it is very baggy and does not keep me as warm as the proper fitting liner.
BUT it does power my gloves; preventing my hands from getting frostbite; did get me home that day, and does make an acceptable spare.

And when my pants liner failed this week. I did the same thing and bought another pants liner at lunch time from the same cycle shop.
And same as jacket liner; they are a little to baggy. So I may get my original pants liner repaired and use this new as a spare.

Now here is the interesting part. Both of these too baggy liners are made in the USA; where as my original liners are made in China.
So when Gerbing was a U.S. company; their product was made in China. And now that Gerbing is a U.K company; their product is made in the U.S.


Think there will be any difference; good or bad; with the older liners made in China vs. the newer liners being made in the USA ?

--ET

 

[RUSTINPEACE]

I don't have any experience with Gerbing heated gear since I use First Gear Warm & Safe heated gear. But I had a failure with the wire that connects the heat controller to the battery while out riding one night last winter.

I first bought the heated gear back in November of 2013 so the wire only lasted about 15 months. But in those 15 months I probably used it at least 20,000+ since I used it on most of my ride to Alaska last year.

Last month I actually bought a set of brand new full heated gear just in case something fails this winter.

 

[DirtFlier]

It would be a good idea for everything who uses a heat controller to take a look inside and make sure the set screws are tight against the wires. Those have been known to come loose and create a poor connection or even an open circuit.

ps. To help them stay tight, I always "tin" the wire ends which provides a solid connection for the set screws. Untinned wires are easily crushed by the screw tip, then you have a loose connection.

 

[charlie b]

Almost every comment I have heard about heater gear failing is at the cable connection to the garment.

Has anyone tried reinforcing that section, eg, sewing a tab around the cable to keep it from flexing the connection?

I'd be ticked if my gear failed after a couple of winters or 20k miles.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

I don't think it is the quality of the garment but rather a wear and tear issue. You can only repetitively bend a wire back and forth so long before the wire breaks. I fault the general design of the pigtails. Gerbing should make the glove plug in wire in the sleeve replaceable. I plan on making a connector so that the sleeve pigtail is easily replaceable. This is the only area I have had continuous issues.

 

[Warren]

Interesting information. I don't have any experience to add as I just bought my first wired heated gear. I bought the Warm and Safe waterproof liner, gloves along with the wireless remote control. I used them the first time this morning. It was 35? and they worked as expected. I hope I don't have any issues in the next few years but at least I know to where the failures are likely to occur.

 

[Woodaddict]

i might have the longest lasting heated gear. bought gerbing heated gloves and vest in dec 2010, so that's 5 yrs now. I only wear the gloves when I need heat, otherwise just use non- heated gloves. the gerbing gloves have been fully wet several times. I did buy variable permanent controllers, but sent 2 back for warranty repairs, decided I would always turn on high, so I sold them and just use the lead right to battery. I do use 2 leads, 1 for gloves and 1 for vest, so I don't have to string along to mating items, get full amps to each item. so i'm happy with gerbing. I wrap Velcro around leads and have piece on NT about pocket area to attach them so they don't dangle. once had my knee uncouple connection when I stopped.

 

[banjoboy]

My jacket of five years has been fine. After three years, one of my Gerbing gloves failed and I bought another pair and they're working fine. Mainly I use the jacket and heavy winter gloves unless it is very cold out--in the high 30's or so.

Terry

 

[charlie b]

Yep, my gloves are wired direct as well. The connector is where I can get to it so it gets too warm out I can disconnect them.

The gloves and wires get a LOT of flex so that's where I expect them to break. I did notice that the gloves have a little hard, flat area where the lead enters the glove itself. A strain relief so the connecting wires are not stressed.

Eventually, there will be a break somewhere, just fact of life with 'flexible' wires. Just hope it is later rather than sooner.

 

[EX Winger]

I would suggest that you do some research into Gerbing and Gordon Gerbing. the old original gent has ( as of about a year or so ago) restarted back into the heated gear buisnes. Not related to Gerbing Heated gear. I hVE NOT RESEARCHED IT OR PAID ATTENTION TO THEM IM=N RECENT TIMES DUE TO EYE PROBLWMS.
mY OLDER GEAR HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME OVER THE YEARS, MOST OF IT WAS PURCHASED WHEN THE OLD COMPANY WAS IN Tumwater/ Olympia wA, BEFOR THE SELL OUT TO THE se usa COMPANY THAT BOUGHT THEM.

ELDON

pARDON THE CAP'S I ONLY SAW THEM WHEN DON WITHPOST!

 

[RUSTINPEACE]

I actually just had a heated gear failure on my CRF250l tonight. Earlier tonight I rode my NT700V over to my mechanics shop then I went out riding my CRF250L and noticed I had lost the heated gear so I rode back home since it was only in the mid 30's. I pulled the battery to coax cable and it looked okay after I already replaced it.

But then I noticed it had a blown fuse.

So I think carrying a spare battery to coax wire is a good idea.

 

[charlie b]

So, why would that make you want o carry and extra wire? I do carry extra fuses. When I have one like that I will tape a spare fuse to the wire right next to the existing fuse.

 

[RUSTINPEACE]

I was mainly just thinking it might take less time to fix a heated gear issue if you already had a brand new second wire wired to the battery laying just under the seat. That way you could just take the seat off and swap in a spare brand new heat controller. Instead of trying to figure out why the fuse blew when you might only have a few minutes before your hands could start getting frostbite.

 

[charlie b]

Oh, ok, you meant a spare heat controller. I don't use one so if the fuse blows it means the heater gear is shorted.

 

[EX Winger]

I was mainly just thinking it might take less time to fix a heated gear issue if you already had a brand new second wire wired to the battery laying just under the seat. That way you could just take the seat off and swap in a spare brand new heat controller. Instead of trying to figure out why the fuse blew when you might only have a few minutes before your hands could start getting frostbite.

A good idea, I have s second hot lead from Battery coming out separately and to a convienient location so if a short blows one fuse I have a second wire to plug into from my heat controller. I also try to carry a spare controller with me. I use the dual controller as on occasions the controller has had one side fail , also a small ohm/volt meter and small test light in my small tool kit.

For what it'a Worth The My riding pard/ chaufer just spoke to them yesterday so they are inplace in Union and Seattle gerbingsheated.com for GORDON'S is the only place I would go if I needed a good heated Jacket liner,

Eldon