| Author | Message | ||
     Etennuly |
At Buelltoberfest III I got chilled camping Friday night and didn't really get warmed up until I was riding Saturday. Saturday evening around the campfire got equally chilly, so I got up from my seat at the "bigger/better" fire, and plugged in my heated jacket for about ten minutes by my bike. Ahhhhhh.....that was better, so just before going in the tent for the night I did it again. Once in the tent, using my rechargeable 15V flash light got me thinking. Having a 15V drill that died, with two batteries and a charger left over I figured to just make some plugs for the battery connectors. Then I found the flash light that came with the drill. I thought why not use this light, leave my newer stuff home, and rig a plug for the jacket in the light itself. I don't know how long it might run the jacket heater, but the drill was good for about twenty minutes of hard work. I'm thinking that ten minutes on a couple of times a night would be plenty of heat to break being chilled, it was the last time out. I have the in line lighted switch that will make controlling it nice. It says on the light that it is 15.6V, but a test after charging has one battery at 15.0V and the other at 13.2V, so I don't believe they would carry too much voltage for the jacket. If it did it would be temporary at best, as these things are like six years an a lot of use, old. I am going to give it a 10 amp in-line fuse and test it for a while. I can plug this thing in and carry it around to use just about anywhere. Next I got to work on a cooling suit for WVBRIV.  | ||
| Eulysses |
Yer amazing! And retired too, I bet. So jealous...  | ||
| Froggy |
Meant to post before but Badweb took another nap. Gerbing's makes a battery pack that works, but its stupidly expensive. Better for the environment to reuse what you got anyway  | ||
| Etennuly |
Retired? Thanks, but not yet!  I was out for a couple of hours so I turned the heat of for my office. Plugged the unit in and it has been warming the jacket for more than twenty minutes. The light is dimming. Well I will have to see how long it goes with a full fresh charge. I have been using this light and its charge was last week.....where is that spare battery? hmmmm. | ||
| Tootal |
So much for having the bigger fire! You couldn't over heat yourself with those large flames? Would have made that cold sleeping bag feel good!  The other option is to drink warm beer like Roadkill and I!  | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
8D batteries = 12 volts. Shouldn't be too hard to rig one up. | ||
| Road_kill |
+6 on the warm beer! Drink 'till you don't care no more. It also repairs a bruised ego should you do something stupid ... say drop your bike for no apparent reason Anyway, neat idea Vern. I like it! More great ideas from Buelltoberfest. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
My heated vest came with a battery pack for 8 D batteries. I chopped it off as I only use the vest on the bike. I actually think I still have it if someone wants it. | ||
| Sekalilgai |
nice nice nice | ||
| Riding_tall |
Great idea .. Saw you go warm up and thought .. I sure hope that bike starts in the morning. I'll have to get some heated gear soon. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Mikef5000, you still have that Rocky vest? Me too. Works great. | ||
| Etennuly |
I could see a problem with the 8 D batteries. If they cost a buck a piece it would cost you about $8.00 for a half hour of warmth on a cold night. That cost runs out to around a little more than nothing if you clean out a box in the shop that includes an old light, two unused batteries and a charger that all fit a junked drill platform. I believe I can charge it on the bike while riding by rigging a cigarette lighter plug with a voltage limiter of some sort so that it doesn't over charge them. | ||
| Tootal |
Take the B.A.W. off and replace it with a wind mill!! | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
d - rechargeables. | ||
| Etennuly |
Just did another experiment with this thing. I fully charged a battery, hooked up my new electric HD gloves. They put out heat for over an hour and make good heat pack like units. I have them between my back and my office chair.....aahhhhh that feels great!  | ||
| Tootal |
Put a back rest on the Uly and get a massage too! |
