Only 8:15 in the morning and already starting to get light. It feels like Spring is just around the corner. Like predicted, it did get a little cool today at -18°F according to the WeatherChannel app but our thermometer at home said only -6°F. So I rode in again. I was curious to see what my self-generated wind chill would be and was surprised to see two formulas one for the old wind chill generated by observations in Antarctica before WWII. In 2001, the NWS implemented a new formula based on some different assumptions and give more reasonable numbers. You can find more information and a calculator
here and for convenience, here are the formulae. For my ride in today, -83°F vs -55°F.
Old Wind Chill T(wc)=.081 x (3.71 x sqrt(V) + 5.81 - 0.25 x V) x (T - 91.4) + 91.4
New Wind Chill T(wc) = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V0.16) + 0.4275T(V0.16)
where T(wc) is the Wind Chill in degrees F, V is the Wind Speed in MPH, and T is the temperature in degrees F.
I ended up using the heated grips this morning since it the wiring to provide power to my heated gloves has broken within my Gerbings jacket. Right above the molded in strain relief it looks like the wire failed from bending a few too many times. This is the cable that drops out of the bottom of the jacket liner with connects to the connectors coming out of openings in the sleeve. I did check with an ohm meter and both gloves are good. It is just the ground wire that is broken. I guess they didn't design it for someone who uses it every day at these temperatures. I like the older design where there is a plastic panel kind of like a bulkhead where all of the cables terminate. This setup is probably cheaper to manufacture but seems more fragile.
I'm still trying to decide whether to simply cut off the connector and re-solder a new connector or see if it'll be covered by their 3-year warranty. Since I use the jacket every day, I'm inclined to simply fix the connector. I will also add some heat shrink tubing to reinforce this particular spot on all of the other cable ends.
Afternoon Update - I went ahead and
ran rode down to the Harley/BMW/Honda dealer and picked up a "Y" cable that is designed so you can use the heated gloves with a jacket that isn't wired. I ran the cable through the Roadcrafter running it behind the armor to keep it in place. Nice to have warm hands again!
After that little bit of running around, this is the left carb bowl. I had originally just emptied out the bowl but the the bike was still running poorly. Another check showed ice frozen to the bottom of the bowls. I think I need those carb heaters that Conchscooter mentions. There was also ice on the bottom outside of the bowl. No snow today so I'm still baffled as to where the water is coming from.
Richard:
ReplyDeleteI would be inclined to "add" a bit more Flexible type wire with the connector at the end. I don't know what this flexible wire is called but I had some which I used for my VOM. Cold weather may make regular wire go brittle faster, causing it to break. I think it has more fine strands of wire than normal wire.
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
For now, I just stopped by the Harley dealer and picked up a long "Y" cable designed for use on jackets without wiring to the gloves. I may just thread it through the liner or maybe just leave it attached to the RC.
DeleteGerbing should be rewarding you for extreme field testing of their stuff! Lovely colors in the first picture.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they abandoned their original design. It seemed like the connectors on the jacket side were much better protected. Maybe people complained about the hard plastic bulkhead...
DeleteRichard, doesn't matter which wind chill factor formula you use ... it's still too cold! Glad you were able to fix the heated glove problem. Ice has become the bane of my existence, it's stuck in the wheel wells to the point I'm surprised the tires actually turn anymore and now with the temperatures rising it has lifted my kitchen roof to the point where water is coming in. I think I am tired of ice. We are gearing up (or hiding inside) waiting for yet another unusual storm thanks, they say, to the shift in the gulf stream. Son had fun today though - clearing ice from roof and digging what resembles a moat around the house, looks like we're preparing for the Apocalypse.
ReplyDeleteI had never thought much about wind chill since we have so little wind here in the interior. Well, actually we are getting a lot more wind lately due to the same shift in the jet stream. Though it usually means warmer weather not colder.
DeleteHas your son installed the drawbridge yet and the real question, what kind of moat beasts will you have?
Quite the difference in wind chill calculations. I prefer to think or it as only -55 as mentally it seems warmer somehow.
ReplyDeleteGlad the glove issue is fixed. Brad had trouble with the cord pulling out of his Tourmaster heated liner. They replaced it then his controller wires went and they replaced that even though it was out of warranty. Not sure why they have to keep changing designs especially when older styles work better. Built in obsolescence?
After -40°F, it all starts to feel the same. I think the good part is knowing that the heated grips not only work but when used with the foam covers for the grips will keep your fingers from freezing. Not as toasty warm as the gloves but not in frostbite territory either. I haven't called them yet as I have no idea where the receipt is and I don't want to send it back yet.
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