Heat Grips Wiring Question

[Misspent Youth]

My '98 came with heated grips that are OK, the wires have been run from the switch, etc., but not hooked up to the battery and a relay trigger point. I want to hook them up. Here's a photo of what I've got:

The photo shows a 3-wire bundle coming from the left side of the bike (bottom of photo) - 2 red wires and 1 black wire.

The red wire that exits to the left over the battery compartment lid is simply cut (ending on the PCIII).

The black wire goes up to the blue round fitting, which fitting also contains a separate smaller gauge black wire that heads to the right (across the PCIII), to the relay, attaching to terminal 85.

The second red wire from the 3-wire bundle goes off to the right and attaches to the relay at terminal 87.

Coming from the relay (from terminal 30) is a red fused hot wire (has the yellowish connector just to the left of the PCIII).

I'm not sure how all of this terminal stuff works, but I probably am correct that the fused red line from the relay goes to the battery positive terminal. Similarly, I probably am correct that the black wire ending in the blue connector goes to the battery negative terminal. I assume the wires at/on the relay are where they need to be. If I'm wrong, let me know.

What I'm unsure about is the first red wire coming from the wire bundle (that handles the grips/switch at the front of the bike) that is clipped, and what wire, if NOT that red wire, is attached a taillight hot wire to trigger the relay. It seems to me such a trigger wire should come from the relay and go to the hot wire??

If it is that clipped red wire, is establishing a relay trigger simply a matter of hooking that wire to a positive hot wire at a taillight or license plate light? If so, is a separate ground needed?

Follow up question: I'd like to run a voltmeter off of the grip wiring under the cowl that would work even when the grips were off. There are several wires up there, going to the switch and grips, and so I wonder what red/black wires I should be looking at to tap for the gauge.

Thanks for any help.

[Tightwad]

The 4 wires need on the relay are:

Fused power from battery

Ground to battery or frame

Input Trigger wire (from tail-light is perfect)

Output power wire (this is where the grips get their power source)

Your grips should have an input and an output wire to them, one would be battery power coming from the relay, the other would be grounded at some point. It is hard to see from the photo exactly which wire goes where. Is it possible the second red wire is for the other grip, and should be connected to terminal 87? 87 is the output of the relay, 30 is the input, 85 and 86 are ground and trigger.

[Misspent Youth]

The 4 wires need on the relay are:

Fused power from battery

Ground to battery or frame

Input Trigger wire (from tail-light is perfect)

Output power wire (this is where the grips get their power source)

Your grips should have an input and an output wire to them, one would be battery power coming from the relay, the other would be grounded at some point. It is hard to see from the photo exactly which wire goes where. Is it possible the second red wire is for the other grip, and should be connected to terminal 87? 87 is the output of the relay, 30 is the input, 85 and 86 are ground and trigger.

Here's a better picture:

There are only 3 wires coming from the grips/switch (shown on left side), 2 red (one tied to the relay, and the other clipped) and one black. The grips worked when I bought the bike, but I asked the seller to disable them due to the then-failing R/R issue. Terminals 86 and 87a are empty. It looks like the black wire with the blue connector is the ground it's additional wire does go to terminal 85 (and per your response is properly grounded). It appears the trigger wire is missing and should go from terminal 86 to a taillight hot wire.

The question you raise re: the clipped red wire is a good one. The other (non-clipped) red wire that comes from the grip/switch bundle of 3 is attached to terminal 87. Because there is a single red wire already attached to terminal 87, I don't believe the clipped red wire is for one of the grips. However, I have no idea what the clipped red wire might be for.

How many wires typically come back to the battery area on a heated grips setup? These grips have a simply toggle switch to control the level.

Thanks again for the help! I'm happy to look at any aspect of the wiring to respond to any questions, if that helps.

[Baileyrock]

How many wires typically come back to the battery area on a heated grips setup? These grips have a simply toggle switch to control the level.

One, a Power wire that usually splits at a Hi/Lo switch, then you just ground the black to chassis.

[trav72]

This should help you!

http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/relay.php

[Misspent Youth]

This should help you!

http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/relay.php

Great "relay" info and I learned a lot - now if I only I could learn what my extra red wire is for on the grips . . . .

[wera803]

Do you have a volt meter? If so, check that extra red wire for voltage. The PO may have pulled the relay "trigger" signal from something like the headlight or front running light instead of the tail light.

[Misspent Youth]

Do you have a volt meter? If so, check that extra red wire for voltage. The PO may have pulled the relay "trigger" signal from something like the headlight or front running light instead of the tail light.

Good idea! Itraced the other end of the "extra" wire and found it was tucked into the loom up by the toggle switch, connected to nothing! Looks like the PO just ran a spare wire up to the front at the same time so as to add some other accessory. I recall the trigger line ran to the rear lights.

Thx for the input.