Dzus fastener blues. For those of us with arthritic fingers these suck ! my poor gel batt !!

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For those of us with arthritic fingers these things can be torture! I am fearful that my gel battery is toast as I tried to get it out before the cold hit over 2 weeks ago. Today was our 2nd day above zero since. The lowest was minus 23, w/o wind chill. I did get a ride in on Feb 2 as it was the warm before the storm of 52 with NO WIND !!! Here that is saying something This time of year we call them 50/50 days.
 
I am talking about the Dzus fasteners. I am hoping the batt reached full charged as I have heard the gels are very resilient to cold such as we have had.
 
BTW, still seeking, with wifeys permission, to locate and buy 1970 model serial number 137706.
 
Gel batteries can be stored in sub-freezing temperatures as low as -25°F without freezing as long as they are fully charged prior to storage.
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Because of the physical properties of the Thixotropic gelled electrolyte in Gel batteries, Gel batteries tend to lose power faster than AGM batteries in temperatures below 32f
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because my hands are also arthritic I use a channel lock pliers to turn the dzus
 
I put one of these on every bike I own. No sidecover removal required to charge the battery.

Dzus fastener blues. For those of us with arthritic  fingers these suck ! my poor gel batt !!
 
I've wondered more than once about adapting something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Quick-...+lock+pin&qid=1549950504&s=industrial&sr=1-15
Yes, we call those Pip Pins in the sailing world. The sort shown in your link are the fancy type with nice finishing and an actuator plunger. The low-rent type are just a bit of stainless rod with 2 spring loaded BB's at one end. Usually also has a split ring through a hole at opposite end for a lanyard. These are typically very reliable for holding many different things...even high load shackles etc.
I already have a boat spares kit with lots of Pip pins to experiment with.
We just need to figure out how best to place in the side cover and support bracket.
 
I'm not sure how those pins work, but you can charge direct through the accessory socket as well. I don't have a plug for mine, so I just strip back 1/2" of wire, fold it over then push it into the holes.

Cheers,

cliffa.
 
For me, it's more about easy removal / replacing of the side panel since I like to keep stuff (insurance, tools etc) in the panel stowage bin. Trying the replace that dzsus fitting in poor lighting is challenging for me.
 
I put one of these on every bike I own. No sidecover removal required to charge the battery.

Dzus fastener blues. For those of us with arthritic  fingers these suck ! my poor gel batt !!
Be careful when using these if you are still on a Positive Ground motorcycle. Make sure you fuse the black wire to this cable system. If that exposed contact end touches the bike "ground or earth" then you get a dead short.
Cheers.
Thomas
 
Be careful when using these if you are still on a Positive Ground motorcycle. Make sure you fuse the black wire to this cable system. If that exposed contact end touches the bike "ground or earth" then you get a dead short.
Cheers.
Thomas
Only problem connecting the SAE cable as it comes (mine has in-line fuse on red), is the chargers are polarity aware and prevent charging if it doesn't see +ve on the red (covered terminal) and -ve on the black (exposed terminal)wires.
 
Only problem connecting the SAE cable as it comes (mine has in-line fuse on red), is the chargers are polarity aware and prevent charging if it doesn't see +ve on the red (covered terminal) and -ve on the black (exposed terminal)wires.

I think what Thomas is saying is that the pig tail that is attached to the battery has a exposed terminal. On a positive earth system if this exposed terminal comes in contact with any metal (ie frame, engine case, etc) it becomes a dead short. So the black lead needs a fuse. I found this out myself the hard way. Smoked the pig tail right up to the battery.

Pete
 
Only problem connecting the SAE cable as it comes (mine has in-line fuse on red), is the chargers are polarity aware and prevent charging if it doesn't see +ve on the red (covered terminal) and -ve on the black (exposed terminal)wires.
I think what Thomas is saying is that the pig tail that is attached to the battery has a exposed terminal. On a positive earth system if this exposed terminal comes in contact with any metal (ie frame, engine case, etc) it becomes a dead short. So the black lead needs a fuse. I found this out myself the hard way. Smoked the pig tail right up to the battery.

Pete
Right! Pete nailed it. The image on post #6 is designed and engineered for a negative ground or earth system. The pigtail that is exposed make no difference if it contacts ground accidentally on a negative earth/ground M/C. It is when we try and use this type system for our old antiquated positive ground bike, is when troubles rear its ugly head.
Cheers
Thomas
 
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I think what Thomas is saying is that the pig tail that is attached to the battery has a exposed terminal. On a positive earth system if this exposed terminal comes in contact with any metal (ie frame, engine case, etc) it becomes a dead short. So the black lead needs a fuse. I found this out myself the hard way. Smoked the pig tail right up to the battery.

Pete
Yup...I know what he means. My point was the pigtail lead I have already has a fuse in line....as it came from the store...but it's on the black line and the charger (Battery Tender) expects that line to be negative. So to protect the exposed terminal line, I'd need to add another inline fuse to the red line. I can't just flip the red line to the battery negative and black line to the positive...charger won't have it.
 
Yup...I know what he means. My point was the pigtail lead I have already has a fuse in line....as it came from the store...but it's on the black line and the charger (Battery Tender) expects that line to be negative. So to protect the exposed terminal line, I'd need to add another inline fuse to the red line. I can't just flip the red line to the battery negative and black line to the positive...charger won't have it.

Just need to splice the lines on either side of the connector and flip them, so that the charger and pigtail ends are the same but the conntector's exposed pin is earth again. Use some shrink wrap and all is tidy, and do it near the charger/pigtail ends.
 
Yup...I know what he means. My point was the pigtail lead I have already has a fuse in line....as it came from the store...but it's on the black line and the charger (Battery Tender) expects that line to be negative. So to protect the exposed terminal line, I'd need to add another inline fuse to the red line. I can't just flip the red line to the battery negative and black line to the positive...charger won't have it.

Mine had a fused red, I just fused the black also, and kept both. Guess that’s what you were saying.
Pete
 
Damn, you guys lost me. Better pop another beverage and try not to think too hard-gonna wear the shell off my peanut at this rate.
 
This has become an anti-sump valve thread.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/Mzc1WDUwMA==/z/LlsAAMXQ74JTVhAy/$_3.JPG?set_id=2
My point Lazyeye6 is the charging terminal is designed for negative ground. (see post #6) The fuse is on the red lead or correct lead on this system for negative earth. Post #6 above it doesn't even have a fuse. It is when we introduce this type of bayonet plug to a positive ground bike... we attach the red /black leads to the battery the same way...red to +(pos) and black to -(neg) on the terminal. The fuse needs to be on the black lead for a Positive earth system. but who does this? I would hate to be a guy who promotes this to a 1960-75 era Norton bike and someone thinks all commandos are the same puts it on his/her bike then finds out the consequences. At the least, a smoked wire harness... or can we progress further, a burned out bike... or garage goes up in flames with the bike....or garage attached to house goes up in flames . I wouldn't want that conscience on my peanut shell. I apologize to the OP because this was about a Dzus fastener.
T
 
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Getting back to the Dzus issue. Remember when you first encountered these? I'd just turned 19 and had just purchased a brand new 72 Combat and was amazed at the simple ingenuity that Mr. Dzus had blessed us with. Easy on, easy off with an aircraft fastner look. 47 years later and I see your point.
I put a pigtail on my battery just like Danno 6 years ago. Works great. My Battery Tender has no issues with the positive ground. Red wire to the battery + Black to battery -
 
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