I have found my old Gerbing heated gloves and inner jacket and thought Id give them a whirl.

Possible daft question alert.   

Instead of wiring into the battery can I plug them direct into the socket in front of the coils (16v model) as I have the BMW plug connection? I've previously only used this plug as a means of keeping the battery charged.

The Gerbing manual says I need an inline fuse though. Example: gloves @ 2.2 amps, Jacket @ 7.4 amps. If using both - (9.6 amps) a 10 amp fuse is required - so I'm guessing direct into the socket isn't an option?.

Yes it is - on the assumption that you have a standard BMW socket, then it will have its own dedicated fuse (even an aftermarket/DIY socket should have its own fuse somewhere).
Just replace the socket fuse with one that is suitable for your gloves. Then you'll be protected. The idea of fusing is to prevent more current than a circuit/device (i.e. your gloves in this case, plus the wiring to them) can handle without catching fire - you don't want to be that warm.
Of course, if you also use the same socket for a tyre pump, you might need to pack some larger fuses on your bike just in case.
No daft questions here 

Thanks very much Chris.

The fuses are all 15a in my fusebox and i think #4 is for the power socket, so I'll swap the fuses accordingly

Thanks again mate 

Curiously, my Oilheads all use a blue, 4 amp fuse for the accessory socket, the very point heated gear was meant to be plugged into...

Gerbings originally were made a few miles from here, in Union Washington, on Puget Sound by Gordon Gerbing himself. I still use a jacket liner I bought in December of 2004. It never fails to feel like I'm standing next to a nicely burning fireplace on a frosty day.

Just checked to be safe - the OE accessory socket is fused at 15A. You'd hope that it would've been, 'cos heated clothing was around in 1984 and very much a BMW 'thing'. 
The 15A fuse is fine to use with the heated clothing btw, but it makes sense to replace it with the lowest possible rating. I'd guess that heated clothing is, in theory at least, susceptible to short circuits, what with the flexing and everything, and the resistance wire would overheat if it got crossed. Thing is, Gerbing would have you use a 5A fuse if you've just got gloves, but a 10A fuse if you add that jacket...which then lowers the protection for the gloves. So, it's not a perfect system, but then what is?
Gerbing stuff is great btw. I have Raynaud's so riding past September would be impossible for me otherwise.

Lifelong Raynauds sufferer here too.

hi all,
just a thought... install 15 a fuse then when the gloves and vest etc are all warmed up take an Amprobe and set it to “DC” scale clip it around the wire as close as possible to the fuse and you’ll have a really good idea. 
BTW I always up it by 10% 
just in case both call for full power at the same time.
when you use a climate controller it actually turns them on and off as needed therefore changing the current draw from the system socket/wiring/ fuse.
remember if voltage goes down the current goes up!
biggest enemy is poor loose or corroded connections and undersized wiring.
Note I love my 35+ year old Gerbing gloves and heated vest. 

clip the Amprobe on and watch as each item draws current. then after they warm up for reference.
they use more power to get up to temp.

+1 Chris846 good advice as always.

I need a Y piece so that I can use both the jacket liner and the gloves. Was gonna ask if a controller is absolutely necessary?

may not be necessary but much more comfortable when touring.
start the day cold but the heated clothing heats up quickly and you’ll want to be able to control them. 
They are a bit expensive but I believe they are worth it.

Bonzo wrote:I need a Y piece so that I can use both the jacket liner and the globes. Was gonna ask if a controller is absolutely necessary?

A controller makes your riding life heaps easier. You don't have to use a specific Gerbings controller as there are several other brands available, as well, whether newer type single pin connector or the earlier SAE two pin, there are splitter/adaptors for those, too. Warm n Safe,  Powerlet, HeatUp, etc., are the brands of controllers, tho' I'm not sure of UK availability. Let me know if you can't locate one and I'll see what I've got in the shop.

Thanks for the info guys. 

And there are even wireless control units now. Blimey.

Bonzo wrote:Thanks for the info guys. 

And there are even wireless control units now. Blimey.

Yep. I've been using a wireless controller for over five years now - made by Powerlet - on the same batteries. It switches off after sending its thermostatic signal.

I wired a weatherproof marine outlet at a convenient spot on the left knee pad on my K75RT. It is connected to a generic PWM(pulse width modulated) power controller I got on eBay that is installed in a small plastic case I got there as well.

Works great and cost me about $10 if I recall. Took a little soldering and drilling to make it all hang together, but it wasn't rocket surgery. I put the controller in the left side glove box. As far as fuses, I left whatever was there, probably a 15 amp.

Fuses are sized in most cases to handle as much current as the wiring connected to them. I figure that 12v isn't going to kill me, and my experience is that when heated stuff fails it is due to a wire breaking and opening the circuit, not a short circuit from two bare wires touching each other. Most heated gear is designed to isolate conductors that are at large voltage differences, but if your stuff is made by the commies, all bets are off.

#3 for the wireless controller:


Left for gloves, right for jacket. Much better than fiddling for the Gerbing dongle hanging - somewhere - out of your clothing 
I just wish I'd had Point Seven Five's abilities and built my own. That way the wireless thing wouldn't really be necessary because the controller would be on the bike side of the plug socket.

-Guys - unless you're going to be really careful about powering up items one after another, hitting the whole lot in one go (9.6 amps) is eventually going to kill a 10 amp fuse with the cold inrush current. Also, 9.6 amps is close enough to the limit to cause the fuselink to heat up and not blow; road vibration will then cause the softened fuselink to fall apart. In both cases you'll go scrambling looking for a short-circuit that doesn't exist. Stick with the 15 amp fuse.

As an illustration; in the UK you used to be able to get 3Kw fan heaters. On a (nominal) 240volt circuit they draw 12 amps flat out from a 13 amp circuit. I am sure that the majority of the elderly members here ( ) have had the experience of pulling the plug on one of those heaters and finding it was very hot.The fuse itself has also been acting like a heater but running close enough to the limit not to blow. It caused quite a few house fires. I think 2Kw is the maximum you can get now; at least, I haven't seen any 3Kw ones on sale for a while now.