DeoxIT - Which One ?

"That is, assuming it is the '77 650, Or was that FSM page for the 78 650 system with the solid state regulator?"

Excellent question! Yes, the previous post shows images from the 1977 KZ650 manual. Th 1977 KZ650 has a separate regulator and rectifier. The later manual for the models with the combination regulator/rectifier are somewhat different. They show a target voltage of 14.5 as you stated for a modern system. Oddly enough, they show an acceptable range of 14 - 16 volts. That 16 volt max seems very strange as it is quite high and would definitely be hard on a battery. Ed

I think it's a case of technology moving on. Back in the 70's you would be pretty far ahead of the curve if you had a digital voltmeter in your garage. So they had to round to full numbers or half numbers, not realizing someday we would have digital meters that are practically free.

Imagine a guy's confusion, in 1977, if the manual said the battery voltage needed to be 14.35 volts. How the hell is he going to verify that? :laugh:

It is surprising, though, to see 16v as the threshold for malfunctioning.

loudhvx and 650ed - thanks for all your advice but there is 1 important factor i havnt told you.
I have a Motobatt Quadflex Gell Battery / Model - MBTX12U. Had it in for @3 years now and it it is brilliant.
I avoid riding in Summer if i can in this hot ass end of the world .Have you had anything to do with these batteries loudhvx ?
650ed my FSM specs - Alternator Output voltage - 31 V or more at @4000 rpm
Charging Voltage - 14 - 15 V
Maintainance on weekend so will check that brown wire then,
Cheers fellas !

Sorry, I have no experience with the gel batteries. I'm still using a lead/acid battery. Ed

Ed have heard a couple of bad stories about Gel batteries but no problem in Zephyr,
ZR.

Likewise, I have no experience with gel.

However, I will never use a liquid acid again. I just got fed up with all the maintenance and acid burps. Since converting my bikes the maintenance free AGM batteries, I have not had one single battery headache since. No more cleaning acid and repainting battery boxes etc. Plus, so far, they have lasted 2 to 3 times longer than the liquid acid batteries I had been using, and they are still going strong, even after being neglected all winter.

loudhvx that is the type of battery mine came with new - YTX12 something. Yuasa - Japan - about 7 years.
Tried the Taiwanese copy after that one died - lasted about 6.
Tried a Dynavolt after that - 4 years and still good.
The Motobatt i have had in for about 3 years.
Didnt get the original Yuasa again as they are @$250 here.
Yuasa Taiwan - half that price.
Dynavolt ?
Motobatt - $90
Never done a thing with them,