Symtec grip heater improvement

jbrown

Active Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
373
Location
Novato, CA
Soon after I bought my new 2012 ST, I got a cheap Symtec grip warmer kit. (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Symtec-Motorcycle-Hand-Warmer-Kit-with-Metal-Toggle-Switch-210019MT-17-9528-/330981956749) The heating pads have two elements, a high heat element, and a low heat element. I wired them up with the double throw switch and they worked OK. I usually used the high element, and that would add enough heat for the moderately cold 35 to 40 degree F mornings I sometimes see for my morning commute. When I switched to some new aluminum handlebars with a better (for me) shape, the grip heaters were no longer up to the task. The aluminum just sucked the heat away. I ended up wiring the low and high elements in parallel to increase the heat, and it still is pretty pathetic.

I recently found an inexpensive source for an aerogel "tape" on amazon (https://www.amazon.com/roVa-Flex-Aerogel-Insulation-Tape/dp/B078SQVXSD/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550020711&sr=8-3&keywords=flex-aerogel). I cut to fit around the handlebar under the grip heater element. This morning it was maybe 38 degrees F and the grips were too hot! I had to switch the heater on and off every few minutes to keep things comfortable. Now I need to wire it back to high and low.

So if anyone went the cheap route with symtec or similar heating elements, and you can't get enough heat out of them, this might be worth a try.
 
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