BMWMCCWA

The jump lead used on most of those new mini jump starter batteries use a connector called an EC5. Errr, the blue one


The battery clamps pictured above are often really difficult to clip onto your mc battery. And to access you're battery in the adv-field you've got to remove part of your luggage, remove your seat, remove the battery cover... you get the picture. To speed things up, I (and a few others I'm aware of) have purchased these EC5 battery harness leads pictured below for permanent installation on your bike/s.


Unfortunately those harnesses do not come with a cap of any kind. In time, I figure the metal contacts will eventually suffer some corrosion. My ADD nature with bike setup forces me to wrap and tape a piece of plastic to cover the connector to hopefully prevent corrosion. However I figure 'someone' out there must make a cap. Plenty of googling later... no luck finding a cap. But I have found someone who has uploaded a 3D printer file for a cap that he designed - pictured below. I've downloaded it - it's an "stl" file.


I know nothing about 3D printing. Is an 'stl' file generic for all 3D printing? Would making up a small batch of caps (say, 10 or 20?) be relatively straight forward without being too expensivet? And if the answers are positive - does someone in this club know anyone who has access to a 3D printer?

Are there any others here interested in buying a cap or two?

(PS - post up "PM sent" here if sending me a PM. For some reason email notifications of incoming PM's seems to be hit and miss for me.)

Many of the high schools have 3D printers in their materials and design class, send me the file and I will ask my son if he can print a few. They are encouraged to design stuff in Cad and try out the equipment.

Great! CAD file emailed a couple of minutes ago. Thanks Jon.

I'd be up for 2 or 3 of them. Out of interest where did you buy the harness I looked but ended up making one.
Robbo.

Robbo - this mob mate. http://www.rockycreekdesigns.com.au/electrical

Dren has ordered a dozen or so of those battery harnesses yesterday. Should be here early next week. Do you want to buy one off him?

BTW - I was talking to the lady boss at Rocky Creek this morning. She said they were eagerly waiting to receive stock of an exciting new product - it's a combo air compressor and mini jump battery. Apparently blokes like us are the target market. Five minutes on the phone and she had me completely sussed.

_Wilks wrote: Dren has ordered a dozen or so of those battery harnesses yesterday. Should be here early next week. Do you want to buy one off him?

Great idea...can you put me down for one?

Thanks Shane, yes I'll take one off Dren. I guess they could also be used as a charging point too with the right connector on the charger.
Robbo.

Roger that... I'll tell Dren that two harnesses are sold.

I better cap it at two for now just in case he has the rest already spoken for.

_Wilks wrote:The jump lead used on most of those new mini jump starter batteries use a connector called an EC5. Errr, the blue one


The battery clamps pictured above are often really difficult to clip onto your mc battery. And to access you're battery in the adv-field you've got to remove part of your luggage, remove your seat, remove the battery cover... you get the picture. To speed things up, I (and a few others I'm aware of) have purchased these EC5 battery harness leads pictured below for permanent installation on your bike/s.


Unfortunately those harnesses do not come with a cap of any kind. In time, I figure the metal contacts will eventually suffer some corrosion. My ADD nature with bike setup forces me to wrap and tape a piece of plastic to cover the connector to hopefully prevent corrosion. However I figure 'someone' out there must make a cap. Plenty of googling later... no luck finding a cap. But I have found someone who has uploaded a 3D printer file for a cap that he designed - pictured below. I've downloaded it - it's an "stl" file.


I know nothing about 3D printing. Is an 'stl' file generic for all 3D printing? Would making up a small batch of caps (say, 10 or 20?) be relatively straight forward without being too expensivet? And if the answers are positive - does someone in this club know anyone who has access to a 3D printer?

Are there any others here interested in buying a cap or two?

(PS - post up "PM sent" here if sending me a PM. For some reason email notifications of incoming PM's seems to be hit and miss for me.)

I've already made and fitted an extension for my bike.

.stl affix refers to sterolithography.

A number of metro libraries have 3D printers. I've used Vic Park library previously, you need to send them the file and they print and charge a standard $20 for simple files. The output requires some dressing.

e-Mail me if you need an .stl file

Gents, and any ladies interested, you should add an in-line fuse on the positive lead at the battery end to prevent inconvient conflagrations (could that ever happen on a BMW?)

profoundly_disturbed wrote:Gents, and any ladies interested, you should add an in-line fuse on the positive lead at the battery end to prevent inconvient conflagrations (could that ever happen on a BMW?)

Can you recommend a fuse size (amps)?

Digger wrote:

profoundly_disturbed wrote:Gents, and any ladies interested, you should add an in-line fuse on the positive lead at the battery end to prevent inconvient conflagrations (could that ever happen on a BMW?)

Can you recommend a fuse size (amps)?

Also which battery end for the fuse? The jump battery or the bike battery?

Digger wrote:

profoundly_disturbed wrote:Gents, and any ladies interested, you should add an in-line fuse on the positive lead at the battery end to prevent inconvient conflagrations (could that ever happen on a BMW?)

Can you recommend a fuse size (amps)?

Gee, I wish I hadn't said anything.

Okay, in reality for this application you "shouldn't" need a fuse. Its just that I've heard of GS and GSA's catching fire, probably just a rumour though. I work on a belt and braces principle and put a fuse in, and I solder everything, not crimp.

More importantly is cable size, length and routing the cable, so the first answer is, it depends - sorry!

I'm not convinced the 4mm cable that comes with the charger is suitable for our application, but like I said, belt and braces. I used Australian standard 6mm twin core cable (don't know what the hell that relates to but, when in Rome...), the final length of my harness was around 400mm.

Cable routing is the big ticket item. I shielded the basic twin core cable with heat shrink and then ran that in flexi-conduit, belt and braces again!

I located the EC5 (blue connector) behind a small panel out of sight (apparently there are some nasty people around) and cable tied the new harness to an existing harness leading to the battery, ensuring it would stay where it was, and away from anything that moved or, could cause chafing or pinching of the lead.

Including making the cable, I reckon I spent two or three hours making the harness, removing panels, deciding a suitable route, strapping it in, putting it all back together. Small price to pay if your install fails when you least need it to.

I got most, if not all of the bits from The 12 Volt Shop in Welshpool, I could spend hours in there. Dave who works in the shop is a bit taciturn but he rides a DR650 so I cut him some slack.

SO, to answer the question, I used a 50 amp maxi fuse in an inline holder.

_Wilks wrote:

Digger wrote:

profoundly_disturbed wrote:Gents, and any ladies interested, you should add an in-line fuse on the positive lead at the battery end to prevent inconvient conflagrations (could that ever happen on a BMW?)

Can you recommend a fuse size (amps)?

Also which battery end for the fuse? The jump battery or the bike battery?

My fuse is to protect the harness I made (and thus the bike) and is located as close as I could get it, in the harness next to the bike battery.

The charge unit I bought has its own protection (breaker).

Thanks for the reply Mr Disturbed.