connecting a maintainer

[Silky]

I'm looking for an easy way to connect a battery maintainer to my 04 FZ6 without removing half the shrouding and or the gas tank

 

[Smersh]

Endoscopic equipment + Da Vinci Surgical System?

J/k... what maintainer do you have? I just bought a yuasa charger and it came with two cable sets - one with the usual jumper cable clamps, and another one with terminals that can be connected to the battery both of them end in a connector and the charger itself has the reciprocal connector. I fixed the terminals onto the battery permanently, and just have the wire tucked into a cowling. I bring the bike to the garage, and i plug it in. I almost feel green and environmentally friendly.
If your maintainer does not have a connector like that, you can make one yourself. If you are not comfortable with electric work, as a friend who is. it's a fairly simple operation.

 

[FloppyRunner]

How you're making it sound, I think you're out of luck... It's not as bad as it sounds though. I have a battery tender. I don't know about other battery maintainers but it has detachable leads. You hook the leads to the battery and I leave the other end of mine just poking out from beneath the fuel tank in between the two fuel tank allen bolts. When I want to hook it up, I just pull it out and then shove it back in when I'm done (please no "that's what she said").

 

[Motogiro]

The battery is beneath the tank.
Remove the seat.
Remove the 2 hex head bolts at the front of the tank.
Remove the long rear bolt at the rear of the tank.
Lift the rear of the tank and pull it back far enough to lift the front of the tank past the plastics.
Re insert the long bolt at the rear of tank and prop the tank up at the front.

Install a fused maintainer wire at the battery terminals. The battery terminal nuts may try to escape. Stuff some electrical tape to hold the nuts from escaping.

I routed my wire toward the back of the bike....
Hope this helps..

 

[FloppyRunner]

...unless of course you're looking for a way to splice into the battery cables from a different location...?

 

[Silky]

Mine is a Black & Decker and it has roughly the same set up as yours. I think I just have to bite the bullet and pull the tank and whatever else is neccessary and connect it directly to the battery. I was hoping there was a more convenient place to tap in, Thanks

 

[Silky]

Thanks all. Much appreciated. I'll go ahead and do it the right way. Too bad bikes don't have a cigar lighter.

 

[Motogiro]

Thanks all. Much appreciated. I'll go ahead and do it the right way. Too bad bikes don't have a cigar lighter.

You could wire up a cigar lighter type adapter and then you have an accessory outlet as well! Just put a male cigar lighter plug on your maintainer...:rockon:

 

[CHEMIKER]

Thanks all. Much appreciated. I'll go ahead and do it the right way. Too bad bikes don't have a cigar lighter.

I did both at the same time, as Motogiro suggested. I don't need a 12V outlet installed on the bike at all times, so I used an extra lead that came with my maintainer and wired it to a portable 12V supply. http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/34455-12v-powah.html

Getting under the tank isn't as bad as it sounds. Just do it when you are low on fuel (I've done it with a couple of gallons or less - just makes it easier to handle), and remember to make sure the breather hose isn't kinked when you lower the tank. Finally, when you undo the battery bolts, the nuts tend to fall down, so make sure you don't lose them.

 

[aziebell]

Finally, when you undo the battery bolts, the nuts tend to fall down, so make sure you don't lose them.

This happened to me the first time I got involved with the battery. I never did end up finding it. So, I ended up just getting a hex nut of similar size, and the one I got fits snug into the terminal and doesn't even move when I take out the screw. Guess I won't be loosing them anymore

 

[texcollect]

You could wire up a cigar lighter type adapter and then you have an accessory outlet as well! Just put a male cigar lighter plug on your maintainer...:rockon:

I wired a Powerlet plug on the inside of my fairing so when I'm riding it powers my GPS and when it's in the garage I use it for my battery tender.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I wired in a BMW style outlet (smaller and less likly to dissconnect) direct (fuzed) to the battery for the charger, air compressor, heated clothing etc...

As stated above, raising the tank isn't that difficult. It is easier with it partially empty.

I put a small piece of HEAT SHRINK under the battery terminal nuts. It holds them in place and collapses when the bolt is screwed in, works great!

 

[CHEMIKER]

I put a small piece of HEAT SHRINK under the battery terminal nuts. It holds them in place and collapses when the bolt is screwed in, works great!

Good idea, I used a tiny piece of scrap paper and that worked too.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Actually, it wasn't my idea, picked it up somewhere on the net... Does work good thou...