Polaris Thumb Warmer is Too Hot!
Roger B Olsen
What can be done to reduce the heat in Polaris thumb warmers? Both hi
and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
RBO
Peter C. Bye
Roger B Olsen (rbo...@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
: What can be done to reduce the heat in Polaris thumb warmers? Both hi
: and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
You can throw a large resistor in line. If you can't find one FOR hot grips
etc. Go to your friendly auto parts store and ask for a resistor from a
1970's model Chrysler product (ignition that is). You can get a double one
from I think about a 1970 model year that has two resistors of different
OHM ratings. One is used for starting, and one for running. This would give
you four taps to use. Ala, one resistor, the other, or both in series, or both
in paralell.
These are rated continuous, and are most likely the ones that "Hot Grips", etc
use to give you the high-low setting.
Power >---------=========---------> Hot Grip, Thumb warmer, etc
Resistor
I think Radio Shack also stocks the same one called a "Power Resistor", used
in audio to keep the impedance correct in some multi-speaker auto sound
installations. It is a big wire wound ceramic unit rated at 8 Ohms and a
bunch of watts that should be enough.
What ideally is needed is a TriAC setup. This won't load the Mag when you
have it dialed below full power like a resistor does. Basically the resistor
gets hot by restriction the current flow to the Hot-Whatever, but does not
reduce the overall current consumption. A TriAC (AC dimmer, heater control)
basically pulses the power to the device at a high freq.
Again, Radio Shack has the parts. Buy a TriAC, a couple of resitors, I think,
a small POT (potentiomiter), buy really nice knob for POT, wire it up, bed
it in some epoxy, bolt POT through the dash and wire it up to the power and
Hot-Whatever. You now have an infinately adjustable Hot-Whatever.
Total cost would be like $5.00 for parts.
Sorry for the foaming, but I have the same problem. I think I will check out
the stuff tonight. I haven't had a good electronics project for a while and
need to kill time before I pick up the new sled.
Scott Dean
Hmmmm .... I hadn't thought about this before. I guess what you are
saying is that if we installed a pot inline to the "high" setting switch
we could have the world famous Yamaha infinately adjustable warmer? If
anyone tries (tried) this please post the results. Sounds like a nice
"quikie" project to me.
Scot Dean
ashlock
Roger,
You didn't state whether or not your warmers are stock versions, the age,
or if the problem existed when new.
If this was a problem from the start, and assuming the switch and wiring
are Ok, you can reduce the temperature of the warmers by adding a resistor
of approximately 10 ohms in series with the hot lead to the power source.
The wattage of this resistor should be about 10 watts and it should be
mounted away from any location where fuel is present (since it will run
fairly warm).
> Roger B Olsen <rbo...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
<3291DD...@ix.netcom.com>...
> What can be done to reduce the heat in Polaris thumb warmers? Both hi
> and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
>
> RBO
>
dan snider
Roger B Olsen <rbo...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
>What can be done to reduce the heat in Polaris thumb warmers? Both hi
>and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
Turn the variable heater adjustment counter-clockwise
until it's comfortable. On mine, the knob is located
just left of the handlebars, which makes it nice since
you don't have to take your hand off the throttle.
;)
-dan
Bob Tufts
In article <3291DD...@ix.netcom.com> Roger B Olsen <rbo...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
>What can be done to reduce the heat in Polaris thumb warmers? Both hi
>and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
>
Wear thicker gloves! :-)
But seriously, was it REALLY cold when you checked? I suppose one could add
a ballast resistor in series but the only time I found them too hot on "low" is when
it was warm enough not to need 'em.
-Bob T.
--
o-------------------------------------o
| Robert Tufts |
| System Administrator |
| Networked Imaging Technology Center |
Ken and Jenny Vossen
ashlock wrote:
>
> Roger,
>
> You didn't state whether or not your warmers are stock versions, the age,
> or if the problem existed when new.
>
> If this was a problem from the start, and assuming the switch and wiring
> are Ok, you can reduce the temperature of the warmers by adding a resistor
> of approximately 10 ohms in series with the hot lead to the power source.
> The wattage of this resistor should be about 10 watts and it should be
> mounted away from any location where fuel is present (since it will run
> fairly warm).
>
> > Roger B Olsen <rbo...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
> <3291DD...@ix.netcom.com>...
> > and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
> >
> > RBO
> >
It is also possible that a short exists in the hand warmers... My XLT
had that problem from the factory... grips had shorted into the handle
bars... almost burned my hands on high.. and the headlight would
shutoff...
Just a possibility
--
Ken and Jenny Vossen
vos...@kasson.polaristel.net
Roger B Olsen
Bob Tufts wrote:
>
> In article <3291DD...@ix.netcom.com> Roger B Olsen <rbo...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
> >and low settings are too hot. Thank you in advance.
> >
> >RBO
>
>
> But seriously, was it REALLY cold when you checked? I suppose one could add
> a ballast resistor in series but the only time I found them too hot on "low" is when
> it was warm enough not to need 'em.
>
> -Bob T.
> --
> o-------------------------------------o
> | Robert Tufts |
> | System Administrator |
> | Networked Imaging Technology Center |
GLOVES????? I thought only women, children, old men and sissies wore
gloves.
But seriously, I have looked at the wiring and it appears that the thumb
warmer has only one temperature no matter what the switch setting is.
The handle bar warmers have a two stage wiring within them, that is, the
low setting only engergizes half of the wiring. The thumb warmer gets
it's energy from the hand warmers. It was about 25 degrees when I
checked and my thin gloves, personal watercraft gloves, were wet. I then
put on a some thick gortex gloves. In both cases, the thumb warmers were
too hot. I have a 97 XLT RMK and a 97 700 RMK and both machines have
the same problem. I have put in a call to Polaris for a solution before
I go it on my own. We'll see if I get a call back from them. The
solution offered here on this NG that I use a variable pulsating switch
seems to be the best solution. If Polaris does not call back, I will
check voltage and current draw and go looking for that item.
RBO