Author Topic: Staying warm on 6 volts  (Read 1714 times)

Online Black Sheep

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 1290
  • Karma: 10
    • Where black sheep live
Staying warm on 6 volts
« on: 23.01. 2026 07:00 »
A couple of my BSAs are still happily churning out their watts at a modest 6 volts. I was idly regretting the non-availability of heated handlebar grips and did an online search.
Behold, such things are available for quads and fed from a 5.2 volt USB socket.
At £11.90 including postage plus a pound or two for a USB connector it was worth a punt.
And it works! The heating elements wrap round the grips and are secured with velcro. An no, they are secure and don't slip. There is a hi/med/lo push button selector.
The grips are rated at 5.2v 2a so I reckon that the dynamo charging at 7.4 volts isn't going to end up cooking the elements especially when on the med setting. And of course with LED lights there are amps to spare. A winner! 
2 twins, 2 singles, lots of sheep

Online groily

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 2150
  • Karma: 33
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #1 on: 23.01. 2026 08:42 »
Well found B S! I couldn't find anything other than 12 volters when I was searching (for a mate, as I'm a twelver myself, with a very old pair of Oxford Hot Hands pressed back into daily service during this chilly snap).
Messrs Google don't seem to want me to find what you have dug up and I've run out of ideas for search terms.
Any chance of a product name / link?
Bill

Online Rex

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 2041
  • Karma: 10
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #2 on: 23.01. 2026 12:50 »
Do they not make heated gloves powered by the same ubiquitous rechargeable battery pack as used by heated waistcoats and gillets?
No reliance on the bike's system at all, then.

Offline chaterlea25

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 4439
  • Karma: 56
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #3 on: 23.01. 2026 12:58 »
Hi All
On the subject of staying warm ,
Have a look at this and watch the YouTube video links.
They don't make characters/eccentrics like the man in the video anymore *sad2*

https://www.andybuysbikes.com/bikeshtml/5458bsa.html

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Online groily

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 2150
  • Karma: 33
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #4 on: 23.01. 2026 13:46 »
Do they not make heated gloves powered by the same ubiquitous rechargeable battery pack as used by heated waistcoats and gillets?
No reliance on the bike's system at all, then.

They do Rex. Here's a pair. 7.4v lithium-polymer jobbies, rechargeable, they say, up to 200 times. Sadly, my ones (Paragon thermotech, from RST) died young - one shorted out somewhere inside and burnt me. I have been playing with them of late because it's been chilly and bought new batteries, all the way from China via Germany, but they don't seem to want to co-operate despite the light displays seeming to work. Expensive when I bought them a few years back, so although they were great when they worked  . . . 
By contrast, have been mighty impressed with Hot Hands from Oxford (1/4 the price of the gloves, and Black Sheep's are far less than that), which have worked for over 10 years. Yes, they consume about 34W, 3A at 12v, but my A10 supported them fine, with a pre-LED-days 36W halogen up front, and my old AMCs with dynamos (and LEDs now) support them, no big deal. Easily transferable between bikes if not wired in too 'deeply', and comfortable under the hands.
I'd like both warmers to work, obviously, but shan't be spending those £$€ again on heated gloves. Over which over-mitts shouldn't be worn (my instructions said), which is a downer for water-proofing as 100% all-day waterproof gloves are hens' teeth.
Bill

Online muskrat

  • Global Moderator
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • **
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 11457
  • Karma: 137
  • Lithgow NSW Oz
    • Shoalhaven Classic Motorcycle Club Inc
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #5 on: 23.01. 2026 18:26 »
G'day Fellas.
After over 50 years of riding, last year I bought a set of heated gloves. I still only use them when it gets to 10C or lower.
https://tinyurl.com/yc88m4mu
Cheers
'51 A7 plunger, '57 A7SS racer now a A10CR,  '83 CB1100F, 88 HD FXST, 2000 CBR929RR ex Honda Australia Superbike .
Australia
Muskys Plunger A7

Online Black Sheep

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 1290
  • Karma: 10
    • Where black sheep live
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #6 on: 24.01. 2026 07:29 »
A search on eBay for : "5V Heated Grips - USB Powered Heated Handlebar Warmer With 3 Temperature Setting" will find them.
The great advantage over gloves and battery packs is that they are on the bike and always ready for use.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=5V+Heated+Grips+-+USB+Powered+Heated+Handlebar+Warmer+With+3+Temperature+Setting&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313
2 twins, 2 singles, lots of sheep

Online groily

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 2150
  • Karma: 33
Re: Staying warm on 6 volts
« Reply #7 on: 24.01. 2026 07:57 »
A search on eBay for : "5V Heated Grips - USB Powered Heated Handlebar Warmer With 3 Temperature Setting" will find them.
The great advantage over gloves and battery packs is that they are on the bike and always ready for use.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=5V+Heated+Grips+-+USB+Powered+Heated+Handlebar+Warmer+With+3+Temperature+Setting&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313

Thank You muchly! Came straight up.
Bill