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DIY heated gear


Hoblick

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There's a bunch of DIY heated clothing projects on the web.

A couple of things:

Heating the kidneys at the back will allow warmth throughout the body, using the blood stream. The kidneys are also the body's radiator to remove heat. It might be uncomfortable for some people.

There are warnings about not heating some parts of the body too much.

I think it's the upper chest in front, but I'd have to look that up.

Something about bad side effects on some people.

I thought the wire was supposed to be nichrome resistance wire, which has resistance to produce more heat for length. Maybe that was only for those handlebar grip projects, where it needs more heat from less wire.

Instead of wiring by threading everywhere, I'd make 3 or 4 textile panels, glued or stitched together, with the wires inside. Lay the wire out on one half of a panel, and cover it with the other. I think I'd try spray fabric glue stuff. And attach those to the clothing with velcro or snaps, and wire them up.

edit: 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. I think the only place I've ever found it was Andersons. Used it for a headliner.

I would try it, if I were cold, but I'd just do a vest and skip the arms.

Although the heat has to stay close to the body, most recommend keeping at least a T-shirt in between.

Edited by ReconRat
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This is interesting too;

Gerber DOD contract for troops, uses smaller stainless steel wire instead of copper. It heats up faster. Tuned at great expense for even heat, but state of the art.

http://www.gerbing.com/Technology/howItWorks.php

edit: also picked this up:

Don't route the wiring over the collarbones, the shoulder blades, under the rear or armpit areas, the inside leg area, the spinal cord or the elbows.

Edited by ReconRat
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Looks pretty sweet. Interesting

I think it might require someone a little smarter than me to build though. I would probably end up catching myself on fire

Depending on how much time is involved, Someone here should make them and charge for the labor

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  • 1 month later...
found this thread while searching for info on heated gear

figure id pass it on.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=514532

was looking at trying this, anyone know where you could buy the wire locally

its .30 AWG with a high temp silicon coating. They call it “hook-up wire”

thanks

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my bike's alternator can't provide enough current for the demands of heated elements :(

Neither could my ex500 in stock form. I replaced all the lighting with LED except the headlight and could run a heated jacket liner and gloves. I would just turn them off like 10 minutes before I got to work, when I went down to city riding speeds. I stayed warm enough the last 10 minutes and wasn't draining the battery that way.

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How much you got in it, got some pics, instructions

I followed all instructions from the link in the first post. So far i have around 45ish in it ($10 jacket,$30 wire,$5 pigtail for SAE pigtail). It gets warm within seconds of turning on and seems to be working well so far but I havent got to take it on a "long" trip yet,

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got wire from here

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Belden-Wire-Cable/83000-002100/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtW9UaYX5J1tIlwZQEJWvnCDjLSl5l5MVs%3d

its a 100ft spool, i used (2) 32ish foot sections as it seemed to be the most common from what i saw others doing. Ran it all through a $10 Starter brand windbreaker type jacket. The jacket itself helps keeping warm under my Icon jacket even with the heat off. With heat on I should be good down around 20ish

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