| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
Getting to the point where I'm blaming the M2L's no-start on a weak battery. Of course, there's no dots pulled out of the sticker so I have no idea how old it is... I have a 300cca jump box. I did use it to jump our 6300W generator last night (14 degrees with no power...needed heat!) with no issues and it has what looks to be a mc battery in it...but I didn't dig into it to verify. I know we're supposed to jump bikes off non-running cars; will the box be too "hot" to use on a bike? I don't want to fry anything, but I want to get the damned thing running! | ||
| Xl1200r |
Why do we have to use non-running cars? Is not 12 volts 12 volts? For what it's worth, 300cca is not very much, but I have no idea how that compares to a MC battery. | ||
| Psyclown |
It should be fine. Just disconnect the battery and jump it straight to the bike. I've been told that there is some kind of difference in the large and small batteries that can exploded the smaller battery if jumped. and...A car charges at 14+ volts so it should not be running. | ||
| Oldog |
Clown, stick a volt meter on your bike next time its running, after its run a minute if the charging system is ok expect 13.7 to 14 v depending on RPM Rat you can jump from a running car, BTW "jumping, to a disconnected battery system" is not going to work too well, just follow the jump pac manufactuers instructions you should be fine... be careful sparks around a discharged battery are hazardous. | ||
| Oldog |
fyi leave the ground for last and make the bike giving the jump the last connection point, no problems that way.. | ||
| Hootowl |
If the MC battery is very low, the higher voltage from the running car (14+ volts) could provide enough difference in potential to drive enough current into the MC battery to damage it. I'm not sure how much current is too much, but I think anything more than 2 amps might be pushing it. Seems like I read that 2 amp figure somewhere (owner's manual?) when I was deciding what capacity charger to buy. | ||
| Fasted |
i believe amperage is the variable that causes trouble...... 12v is 12v, but the pressure(amperage)at which it is pumped into the battery can be a problem. a good 12v car battery should have enough juice without the alternator running to help, avoiding any bad results | ||
| Hootowl |
You've got that backwards...the voltage is the "pressure" the current is the "flow". | ||
| Buellistic |
BUELLers: Lets cut the chase and BUELLschitte about batteries ... My experience with batteries in FLORIDA is 2 years without keeping battery on a trickle charger and 4 years with the use of a BATTERY TENDER PLUS(other ones are not big enough as in trickle charging rate) when not riding ... "YES", "i" know a lot of you'll get more than 4 years out of your batteries because all batteries are not created equal ... If you want that LAST ELECTRON out of a battery, it is liable to take the STATOR and/or VOLTAGE REGULATOR with it and when you add the the DOLLARS up(battery, stator, regulator) it is easier to replace the battery on a maintenance plan and add checking the charging voltage once a year ... Having loose battery terminals does not help either, maintenance check every 5K miles ... It is not necessary to have the car engine running to jump start a motorcycle as a car battery is plenty strong enough ... "MAY THE LONG LASTING BUELL BE WITH YOU !!!" | ||
| Fasted |
well, there you go.....that is why i usually say "i believe" or "i think".....your mileage may vary.......... | ||
| Buell_bert |
Voltage would look like pressure (psi) and amperage would be quantity (gallons) and watts would be flow (gallons/hr.) Then you introduce resistance which would be dirty connections or terminals. This slows down your flow or (gal./hr.) Kind of simplistic but clean equals low resistance and increased flow. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My concern was the amperage. I know 12v is 12v is 12v...but didn't want a battery hooked up that was too "hot" in amps. I've jumped plenty of stuff, and bikes plenty of times off non-running cars...but since I got this new jump box, it's just easier than a) pushing the bike to a car or b) trying to get a car into the garage with 5 bikes and a disassembled car. I'll give 'er a shot. Worst case, I kill a battery that's already on its way out. God only knows what the PO did/didn't do as far as battery maintenance. I know I put on the tender lead when we bought the bike from the guy last spring...so I'm guessing little/no maintenance. <shrug> | ||
| Devil_car |
Can't refrain from getting involved... Voltage is similar to pressure. Amperage is similar to flow (1 Amp = 1 Coulomb/sec) similar to lbs/min, etc An increase in resistance will result in a decrease in current (amps) since voltage is fixed in automotive systems (somewhat fixed). See Ohm's law, which states that V=IR. | ||
| Buell_bert |
Current flow is determined by wire size and material.(copper/etc./internal resistance(wire and load)/voltage available and drops. | ||
| Buellistic |
"i" am going to BED(Basic Electronics Department) ... |
