Heated clothing battery run time by heat setting

Our ZR5 (5200 mAh) and ZR8 (8000 mAh) portable batteries have three heat levels: 3 is high, 2 medium, 1 low. The table shows one Gen-X4 piece on one fully charged battery. All figures are approximate hours of continuous use, taken from the GEARS ZR5 and ZR8 manuals.

Low gives about three times the run time of high, so lowering the heat setting substantially extends run time. And the less a piece draws, the longer it runs: gloves, liners, socks and insoles run for many hours on low, while a jacket liner is a short-session piece on battery power.

The ZR9 Cordless Heated Vest

The ZR9 Cordless Heated Vest has its own 5200mAh battery and six heat levels, and its product page lists the run time for each: about 5.7 hours on level 1, about 3.45 on level 2, about 2.47 on level 3, about 2 on level 4, about 1.6 on level 5 and about 1.36 hours on level 6, the highest.

Why your run time may differ

The manuals say battery hours vary with:

• The garment and its size. Resistance can differ by size, so two riders with the same piece can see different hours.
• The outside temperature. A cold battery can give fewer hours, so a deep-cold day in January may not match a mild November morning.
• How well the battery has been kept charged. A battery left flat between uses loses performance.
• How many pieces share it. The table is for one piece alone. Two pieces share one charge, so each runs for less than its own figure.

Age can count too. Our batteries are rechargeable for hundreds of charge cycles, but an older battery generally holds less than it did when new, especially one that was not kept charged between uses.

ZR5 or ZR8: run longer, or run more?

Both. The ZR8 runs any single piece longer, and it carries more pieces. According to our portable battery kit page:

• The ZR5 runs one or two of these: heated socks, heated insoles, heated gloves, heated glove liners or a heated vest. It also has a 5V USB port to charge your phone.
• The ZR8 runs everything the ZR5 does, plus three pieces at once, plus the heated jacket liner, within its 8 amp maximum (below).

To run more than one piece from either battery, you need the Male Coax to Dual Female Coax Adapter. Glove liners on their own connect with the Y-Glove-Cord for ZR5 & ZR8 Batteries, and socks or insoles use the Y-switch-cord for Heated Socks/Insoles. Each battery has its own three-level control and a wireless remote, so our single and dual temperature controllers are not used with them.

One firm rule from the manuals: never connect more than the battery is rated for. The ZR8 is rated for 8 amps and the ZR5 for 5.2 amps. Add up the draws in the table first. By the manual's own figures, the jacket liner with heated gloves is about 8.5 A (6.4 + 2.1), and with glove liners about 8.2 A (6.4 + 1.8), both over the ZR8's 8 A maximum, so do not run either pair from one ZR8. Power the gloves or liners from their own battery (for example a ZR5 with the Y-Glove-Cord), or run the whole setup from the vehicle's 12V system. The jacket liner alone (6.4 A) is fine on a ZR8, as is the jacket liner with heated socks or insoles (6.4 + 1.4 = 7.8 A). On the ZR5, the heated vest liner (3.9 A) with any second piece goes over its 5.2 A maximum (about 5.3 A with heated socks or insoles, 5.7 A with glove liners, 6.0 A with heated gloves), so run the vest liner alone on a ZR5, or use a ZR8. Each product page has a wiring table, and our heated clothing FAQ answers common questions.

How to stretch a heated clothing battery charge

• Charge it fully before the first use, and before every outing. The manuals say a battery used without a full first charge loses battery life.
• Warm up on high, then step down. Use high to take the chill off, then drop to medium or low once you are warm.
• Layer well so the heat stays in. Our product pages recommend a motorcycle or winter jacket over a heated vest or jacket liner, a waterproof glove over glove liners, and windproof, waterproof boots over heated socks or insoles.
• Carry a second battery for long days. Swap when the display runs low. For the ZR9 vest, the Replacement/Backup Battery for ZR9 Heated Vest Liner is made for exactly that.
• Use vehicle power when you can. On the bike, sled or ATV, our corded Gen-X4 gear can run from the vehicle's 12V battery with the cords its product page lists, and the portable battery stays full for the time off the machine. Confirm in the owner's manual that the outlet is 12V, fused and can carry the combined load; a running engine does not guarantee the battery is charging.

Charging and storing your battery

Our Heated Clothing Battery Charger charges a ZR5 or ZR8 in under 2 hours and the ZR9 vest battery in under 3 hours, and its light turns green when the battery is full. To check the charge on a ZR5 or ZR8, hold the up or down button while it is not connected to anything: the display shows 1 to 9, where 9 is full and 1 means it needs charging now.

• Keep it at 25% charge or more when you put it away. A battery left flat can fall into deep discharge and will not turn on again.
• Store it indoors, dry, at room temperature. The manuals' minus 20°C and 60°C are outer limits, not a target, and an unheated garage or sled trailer can pass them.
• Charge it at room temperature. After a cold day, let the battery warm up indoors before you plug in the charger.
• Keep it dry. If water gets inside, unplug it from your clothing right away and stop using it.

Which battery should you buy?

• Hands or feet only, for walks, shovelling or ice fishing: the ZR5 is enough, and socks, insoles or liners run for hours on low.
• A vest for long days off the machine, or two pieces at once: the ZR8, for the extra hours.
• The jacket liner: the ZR8 only, and plan on short sessions.
• No cords at all: the ZR9 Cordless Heated Vest, with a backup battery if you are out all day.

Our guides to the heated vest vs heated jacket liner, heated gloves vs glove liners and heated insoles vs heated socks compare each pair, and the whole range is in our heated clothing collection.

Questions riders ask us

Can I buy a spare battery on its own?

For the ZR9 vest, yes: the backup battery is sold separately. Online, the ZR5 and ZR8 are sold as kits, with the battery, charger, harness, wireless remote and pouch. If you need a spare ZR5 or ZR8 battery, ask us. The remote is paired to its own battery, so a remote from an older battery will not control a new one.

Will one battery run my jacket liner and gloves together?

Not from one ZR8. With gloves the pair draws about 8.5 A, with glove liners about 8.2 A, both over its 8 A maximum. Give the gloves their own battery, or use the vehicle's 12V system.

My battery used to last longer. Is it faulty?

Check that it was fully charged, and consider the temperature that day: the manuals say run time depends on the outside temperature and on how well the battery has been kept charged. A battery several years old can also hold less than a new one. If it still falls well short, tell us its age and what it powers.

Do I need a temperature controller with the battery?

No. The ZR5 and ZR8 have three heat levels on the battery itself and a wireless remote, and our temperature controllers are not compatible with them.

Can I leave it in the truck or the garage over winter?

Better not. A parked truck or unheated garage can pass the manuals' outer limits. Store it indoors at room temperature, at 25% charge or more.