Oxford Heated Grips.. problem with switch - Anyone else??

Hi All..
I've had a set of the 'Oxford' heated grips on my bike now about 2 years.. worked well until about 6 months ago and then the two switches that either 'increase' or 'decrease' the heat level decided not to operate all the time.. The main power switch is fine and the unit would turn on (starts on the lowest level) but the + or - switch was very reluctant to. Every now and again they would work - but not a couple of days ago... so I decided to pull the controller off and see if I could get inside it for a look.
I expected that there would be some sort of contact under the silicon buttons that would make contact on the circuit board but there is actually what looks like a very small 'momentary' switch under each.. they both seemed to operate ok physically and when I first tested them (with the controller disassembled from the case) the lights actually worked 'up and down' - for a moment... then nothing... then the 'blue' (lowest temp) light started flashing and then nothing again... thought 'bugger it' - put it back together and thought I'd look at it again when I had more time... Just as I finished reassembling it I thought I'd try it again... it worked! About to leave the garage and decided to try one more time... It didn't work!! Bugger!!
Am thinking that the issue must be in these tiny momentary switches (about 8mm square) - just wondering if anyone else has had issues like this and if you were able to repair them - or if you just bit the bullet and replaced the controller. (I've found a site in the USA where a spare controller can be purchased for $35 USD)

Just a few thoughts, if both switches don't respond it's probably not the switches, you could test them individually with a multimeter.

It could be a cracked solder joint or a circuit board track or (very likely IMO) a broken wire in the harness going back to the control box, that's if you mounted them on the handlebars so the harness flexes when you turn the steering. The wire breaks inside the plastic insulation and makes an intermittent connection, I see this a lot on EFTPOS devices (or even ipod headphones).

It's also worth noting, that as I was searching for a circuit diagram on the web,I came across a lot of references to people having problems because the latest models have a low-voltage cut out feature to prevent a flat battery.

If I was adding these to a bike I would wire it back to the battery but use a relay switched by the ignition to disconnect it when the bike is off.

Thanks for that...

I just went out into the freezing cold garage and turned them on again... this time they worked without a problem!

One of the last things I did last night before I re-assembled them was to give both sides of the pcb a light squirt with the trusty can of WD40.. I wiped off the residue and it was after that they operated!

I was going to look at them today and check the solder joints with a small soldering iron I have (for fine work) but maybe I won't need to right now. I did the installation of them myself and didn't do the 'hard' wire thing directly to the battery - I did as you suggested and via a relay and the ignition switch so that they will only turn on when the bike is running - didn't want to risk some D.H. walking past and turning them 'on' for fun when I wasn't around!

The wiring loom to the controller (which is mounted on the clutch mount on the handle bars) is firmly attached with the nylon 'zip' ties so wouldn't have thought that there would have been much movement of the wires inside the unit - however there is always vibration so that's not a given!

Thanks for the advice...see what it does over the next few days...

OK...

Don't really know what I did but they are working - for the moment anyway...

First thing I did was wash the PCB/Switches carefully with a small artist's brush and metholated spirits.. used a hair dryer to make sure they were all dry... tried them.... worked, didn't work, worked again??? didn't work... frustrated again!

Checked and went over all the solder joints with my soldering iron & flux - same issue as above.. intermittent operation...

Cleaned with metho again, blew it out and hot hair dyer again... still intermittent...

Thought 'stuff it' put it completely back together and mounted it back on bars... used some 'contact' rubber glue to re-seal the access panel (there is a rubber gasket inside as well)... tried it and......... it worked! Turned it on and off over and over and it still worked...

So hopefully it will continue working. Still think the problem is one of the three switches.. (on/off or one of the + or - switches) - maybe there was a small piece of dust preventing consistent contact?? Don't know, but for the moment at least they are working as they should with the ability to go up/down in temperature easily..

Checked them again yesterday - back with the intermittent fault.. On way out to Mudgee this morning for the bike to be serviced, it's currently -3 deg out there and only just in the positives here..will be a cold trip if the grips aren't working..

I really don't understand.....

Did the ride out to Mudgee and knew I was going to have fill up with fuel not far into the trip... so left the bike grips turned 'off'' until after I filled... when I turned them on after the refuel the green 'power' light came on as normal and so did the blue light (lowest temp setting) - also as normal.. I tweaked it up to the hottest temp as it was pretty cold, (could see lots of frost on the sides of the road/bitumen) and continued on my way. At Mudgee I thought I'd turn it off and back on again to see if the blue light would 'flash' and go out as it had been doing before.. No... everything worked fine and did as it was meant to... Used the grips on the way home and after refuelling again turned them on and off again several times... still operated correctly... Yet after my 'tinkering' with it in the garage they didn't... Perhaps the heat from having the controller turned 'on' for over an hour has done something to the internals...maybe dried out the WD40 I'd sprayed about and Metho I'd brushed in??

Anyway... happy again.. they are working and the up/down buttons are too (This was the original problem!)

Bhoffo wrote:...then the 'blue' (lowest temp) light started flashing...

The unit does this when it senses less than 11.5 volt coming into the unit as you try to switch the grips on.

I went through three sets of the Sport model grips when they first came on the market. The issue was with the multi pin connector between grips controller and the loom. The pins were known to bend if not inserted carefully.
But mine failed early, not after some time. When I fitted the last unit I used electrical lube and sealed the connector with insulating tape to keep moisture out.

Mine are all good now.... maybe it was just the voltage dropping a little below the value required... All buttons working perfectly again too so I must have done something right!

Bhoffo wrote:Mine are all good now.... maybe it was just the voltage dropping a little below the value required... All buttons working perfectly again too so I must have done something right!

Are you running via a relay or simply tapping into an xisting circuit?
If you are not using a relay, you should do so to ensure reliable operation of the grips, which will cease operating under a threshold of about 11.5V.
I posted the links to a good instruction site on setting up a relay, so a quick search for that word and my user name should find it....
Got my Bandit setup using those instructions and run my twin horns, heated grips, and 2 lighter sockets for GPS and phone off it with no problems.

Rabid_Canine wrote:

Are you running via a relay or simply tapping into an xisting circuit?
If you are not using a relay, you should do so to ensure reliable operation of the grips, which will cease operating under a threshold of about 11.5V.

Looks as if this may have been the problem when I was testing them after having them apart and cleaning them.... I wasn't running the bike so it was just pulling power straight from the battery which may have been dropping below the desired threshold. I just looked at my set up (did it 2 years ago and didn't remember if I went through a relay or not) - and 'yes' I did put it through one! (Whew)

Low -off -high . I new i didnt need any more . VSM heated grips

I spoke too soon. Went for a run recently and the temp control started adjusting itself briefly then stayed as set. If it plays up again there's a set of Daytona grips going on next winter.