Work out circuit polarity?

aslco · 1 Jan 2017 at 15:57

Hi

I have some heated grip wraps for a motorbike.

The cable terminals have been chopped off, so i no longer have the black / red ends for reference for which cable goes where on the battery.

Here is a picture

pic upload

Going out the right of the black switch box are the grips, to the left is the cable with no connector ends that go to the battery. How can i figure out which end is the positive one?

Jokester · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:11

I suspect if it's purely just a heater it won't make any difference.

paradigm · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:41

As above, I can't see a heater element caring which way it's been connected up.

My R/C car tyre heaters certainly work regardless of polarity.

dalin80 · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:45

Connect it up, if it gets colder you have it on the wrong way.

Zefan · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:48

If you have a multimeter you could test each conductor against earth, but ultimately it's likely to make no difference, as people say.

Rroff · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:51

dalin80 said:
Connect it up, if it gets colder you have it on the wrong way.

A peltier isn't exactly an efficient way to warm grips

aslco · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:54

OK thanks all. Yes just heats elements within a grip so hopefully OK. Im wiring in fuse for the positive end too. Like stock.

snapdragon69 · 1 Jan 2017 at 16:54

If there is an LED that lights up to show it's on it would require the correct polarity, otherwise I suspect just a wire element that won't care.

aslco · 1 Jan 2017 at 18:33

snapdragon69 said:
If there is an LED that lights up to show it's on it would require the correct polarity, otherwise I suspect just a wire element that won't care.

Good point, it does, but if it's wrong I can flip it round with no damage done elsewhere. Thanks all