Re: Oxfords are fitted and working
 

Hi Dave,

cheers for the excellent description, I like the auto shut off feature, having once flattened the battery in my van, in a remote part of Scotland, by leaving an electric coolbox switched on overnight! Definitely going to invest in the Oxfords, just trying to source a set locally to avoid postage!

Patrick, I looked at the Symtecs, always up for a bargain:thumbup1:, but over here they go for the equivalent of $77.00 + post, not much less than the Oxfords.

Actually, this may go some way towards explaining our slow uptake of heated gear, a Gerbing jacket liner works out at nearly $300. Too rich for me.:(

Thanks again for all the info folks.

Ebay is always worth a go; if you are patient, you can get a bargain - I did.

I don't think it would be possible to ignore the LEDs when switching off the engine - I have the clever box of tricks switch just a few inches from the ignition key. A mounting bracket comes in the box.

As for the muffs; yep, I have been thinking about getting some - heated grips set at 100% inside them should be wonderful!

[QUOTE=Crusty;158269]Patrick, I looked at the Symtecs, always up for a bargain:thumbup1:, but over here they go for the equivalent of $77.00 + post, not much less than the Oxfords.

There's a trader on ebay who sells them for about £35.

Working fine
 

That's exactly what I expected to see in the instructions, but I got the exact opposite, quote "it is preferable to connect the circuit directly to the battery, so that the switch gets sufficient voltage from the charging system".
It goes on with some more blah blah, but the general idea is that the switch is not to be connected via a regulated circuit. In fact, the connecting wires are supplied with ring connectors for linking up with the battery.
As described before, the switch does the clever monitoring of the battery voltage - I guess it is a bit like the automatic battery monitoring/conditioners that trickle charge batteries as required and are left connected semi-permanently.

I forgot to mention before, there is an inline fuse in the live wire which is close to the connector for the battery terminal - this makes it easy to access.

Anyway, I have done a two hour ride with these today in the freezing wind of the UK and they are well up to the job - warmed them up on 100% setting and then turned the switch down to 70% which was fine (I couldn't feel much of the 30% setting though :rolleyes2:).
It's easy to use the switch on the move as well - I have already stopped waving to other riders - it is far too comfortable to lift your hand or fingers off that heat, and the nodding head is becoming the "wave of choice"!

Just me then?
 

Looks like I am the only person unhappy with the Oxfords.

I used them last winter on the DRZ, in actual fact they are still on the DRZ, only they are now just grips, not heated grips. They are also quite uncomfortable for a ham handed freak like myself, because of the aformentioned lip.

I could forgive them that, if only they had lasted more than two months of the Great British Winter.

Demons got into the control box and played with its' brains. I don't know much about technology, but I do know that it isn't meant to turn itself on and off randomly and flatten your battery at night. It's the work of the devil I tell you. Everytime I actually wanted them on, the other shy and bashful personality would rear its' head and refuse to turn itself on. It got to the point where I started thinking of staking the bike out and burning it to save its' eternal soul.

Happy Riding.

Rewound stators haven't been all that reliable.

Just to clarify, I guess these grips have the older model of control switch - the rotary knob, that has a reputation for getting water inside?

As Mollydog says, you could fit any form of simple switch that can handle the electric current, as a replacement. Or even find a waterproof rheostat to provide variable resistance and associated temperature control as well.

Yep, it's the same for Europe as well; I have spoken with individuals who insist to a dealer when they buy a new bike that an on-off switch is fitted for the headlight as part of the deal.
No switch = no purchase.

YEs we are on 2 BMWF650GS /Dakar. On the Dakar the fuse keep going and this may be related to the hundreds of miles of corrugated roads in south america and the fact it is difficult to find adequate fuses (we both have a 2004 models)
On my bike (standard GS) same problem since the bike was stolen in Brazil (it was found by the police 48h later!)
During the 18 months I had my bike before this trip, I never had any probs with the fuses, but I never went off-road!
So I suspect corrugation and vibration may sort of cause the prob.

Another Oxford grip controller failure
 

Actually 2 controllers have failed for me.

Fitted Oxford heated grips to my Vstom in Australia before shipping to UK for UK to Aus trip. Didn't get to try them out in Aus before shipping. The controller failed after about 1 month travelling and using them in UK (read mostly cold & raining - surprised?). I contacted Oxford products when close to Oxford (even more surprising), explained situation and they said come to warehouse and they would swap for new one - for free (most suprising of all).

I was happy... that is until I went to use them a few months later in east Turkey (almost unused since installed on bike), and guess what, controller had failed again.

It is the on/off part that is the problem, the rheostat seems OK, but unless you can turn it on, its no use.

Not surprised to hear they have changed the controller, as I have been telling people not to buy them, maybe now have to just caution people about old model controller.

I still have heated grips that don't heat, not mush use for them here in Queensland anyway. But I would like to try the low/high switch thing before they hit the bin - good idea, thanks Mollydog and others.

Now anyone got any more info about what kind of low/high switch for a non-technician type like me.....

Skillo

Rotary knob failure
 

It's this rotary knob failure problem that put me off fitting the things at all - they were well known to pack up when getting wet and I never bothered to look around for alternative manufacturers.
So, it was using the BMW F650GS with factory provided hot grips (at £200 extra of course, sir) and seeing the publicity for the new Oxford switch that has come to the market this year that made me look at it all anew.

This new switch is completely sealed and the press buttons on the top surface are "indentations" in the plastic surface - so, it looks waterproof, time will tell, but I have not heard of the same failure rate that occured with the rotary version.

Skillo,
I suggest you contact Oxford for another switch - tell them that you want the new model!!


A comment on fuses: yes, they fail, that is what they are designed to do - there are complicated things going on inside those things, most of which I don't profess to understand.
I have just repaired my old TV with a bit of DIY - it was the fuse on the PCB (Warning: dont' muck about with these things unless you have some idea about the safety issues of capacitors and cathode ray tubes!!). Why should a fuse fail in there, tucked away from vibration etc etc? - who knows!

New Oxford switch
 

Just to confirm... My Oxfords have the new style switch which has just done 17903km in 34 days of riding with no problems, just the connector and fuse problems mentioned earlier. I'm really surprised that it stood up to the vibration so well, I don't think they are really designed for offroad work but seemed to cop it ok, no doubt it will eventually stop working though... then I'll fit the on/off switch as mentioned earlier!

Just ordered some symtec pad things (go under the grip) they work out about the same price as oxford ones and will be a PITA to fit but I dont want to use oxfords very hard looking grip - I will use either a rubber enduro or maybe foam grip though of course the foam insulates so i'm not sure how well that would work.

I will probably get some bar muffs as well i've got 2400 miles through europe to do on motorway in Dec! (in 4 days hopefully)

Modern electronics
 

Early days because this switch came along only this year; if it is an electronic circuit, say on a PCB, then it should/may turn out to be very reliable :rolleyes2: Lets hope so.