HOT GRIPS 123 (3 Wire grip) User Manual
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SWITCH: The switch can be located at any convenient practical location for your left hand that doesn't interfere with
safe vehicle operation. (NOTE that the orientation of the wires in our wiring illustration to the "Hi-Lo" switch metal
plate is correct because of the switch's internal pivot action.) Drill a 13mm or 1/2" hole to install switch.
WIRING: Follow the wiring illustration closely. A
good ground is important so be sure to scrape the
paint off the "ground connection" as paint will
create a problem. Ground should be to the engine
or frame, NOT the handlebars, since some of them
are rubber mounted and may NOT give a good
ground connection. Some machines use a wire or
"common-wire ground" instead of "frame-ground"
such as Ski-Doo. Check with your snowmobile or
ATV dealer if in doubt on your specific machine. Or
search on the internet
for your
wiring diagram. Zoom in on the original “grip
heaters”. “hand warmers”, or “grip warmers” to see
their color cods. Be aware they abbreviate such as
BK or BL=black, BR or BN = Brown, O/P = Orange with purple stripe, Y= Yellow, etc. B/Y = Black with yellow stripe.
FUSE: If your machine uses fuses, use your accessory fuse terminal or you can purchase an in-line fuse holder and
use a 3, 4, or 5 amp fuse . A fuse holder and fuse is NOT included in this kit. If your machine uses no fuses at all,
then you don’t need to use one.
POLARIS: Some Polaris snowmobiles must be wired using the machine's AC common “ground” wire to complete the
circuit, rather than a chassis "ground". Always follow our instructions when doing the wiring, and don't use the Polaris
wires that are built into the machine unless you are certain which ones to use (don't phone us on this, we don’t have
the wiring diagrams for any machine). Improper wiring will result in the Hot Grips® NOT working and/or dim lights. If
in doubt, contact your Polaris dealer's service department for assistance, or use the Internet and search online. Most
libraries have internet access.
SKI-DOO: Most Ski-Doo snowmobiles don't use a "chassis-ground" for the grips. Instead, locate a yellow wire and a yellow with
black-stripe wire at the sled's Regulator or Regulator-Rectifier. Use the yellow wire as your power positive wire, and the yellow
with black-stripe as your 'ground-substitute' wire. Do NOT ground to chassis or engine except on older Ski-Doo's that do NOT
have the yellow and yellow with black-stripe wires. Improper wiring will result in the Hot Grips® NOT working and/or dim lights. If
in doubt contact your Ski-Doo dealer's service department for assistance. Some Ski-Doo machines are using other colors for
hi and lo, often the purple stripe means it is their LOW heat.
12vdc POWER SOURCE: Use the vehicle's accessory terminal if available, one that will NOT have voltage when the
engine is off. (Otherwise your battery will be drained if the grips were left on, just as if you left your headlight on.)
Some sled's do NOT have enough electrical power to run both the headlights and heated grips. Ask your dealer's
service department if in doubt. In such a rare case, (usually machines from the mid- 1980's and older) you would
have to turn off switch to LED type headlight and taillight to run the head-light during daylight hours when the heated
grips are on. (Check with your local laws). For safety you should NOT use the heated grips in the dark if it causes
your headlights to dim. Solder all connections. Do NOT be tempted to use the blue commonly available plastic 3M®
Scotch-lok connectors for splicing into wires, as they are the wrong size for our wire, make poor electrical contact &
eventually oxidize and corrode the copper conductors. Cover all connections with heat shrink tubing or electrical
tape.
HEAT CONTROL: The heated grips do NOT have automatic temperature regulation. They rely on the rider to adjust
the heat to "high", "off", or "low" as needed. The grips should NOT be left energized unattended as they might
become too hot. Heat output on a 12 volt regulated system is 15.3 watts per grip on "high" and 9.5 watts per grip on
"low". Current draw is 2.5 amps for the set on "high" and 1.7 amps on "low". Do NOT wire the grips in such a way that
both low and high are energized at the same time, as this would cause them to get
too hot.
OPEN ENDS: Need to open the grip ends? Some sleds have extra end-loop
handles bolted onto the ends of handlebars. The Hot Grips® outboard end may be
drilled out (do NOT use a hack-saw or you will ruin the grip's internal heating wires).
Use a fine-toothed steel hole-saw with a centering pilot drill. Do NOT use a 2-blade
type hole saw or it will grab the rubber and ruin the grip, and possibly cut you. Do