View Full Version : Will jump starting damage my bike?
adamw2k2
23-03-09, 05:23 PM
Hi all, came to start my bike today and the battery is completely drained, this is the first time I have tried to start it for a couple of weeks.
I have a couple of culprits as to what could have drained the bike (I have an alarm and heated grips).
My question is, I went to bump start it from a car battery today, connected the jump leads, turned on the ignition all the usual noises of the fuel pump running etc. pressed the ignition then heard a click and all went dead. Now nothing will work on the bike, have checked all the fuses but they are all ok - any ideas what is wrong?
Thanks for any advice
did you put the leads the right way and did you have the car running first? maybe the fuel is low as well sit the bike up when you do it
charlie
gettin2dizzy
23-03-09, 05:39 PM
There's a main fuse that is just in the middle of a wire under the pillion seat. Check this.
fatneck
23-03-09, 07:05 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but when jumping a bike from a car you shouldnt have the car running should you?
BigFootIsBlurry
23-03-09, 08:05 PM
I would not have had the car running.
Dave20046
23-03-09, 08:08 PM
As gettin2dizzy has said probably the main fuse. On a curvy it's on the brakes side of the bike under the black infill panel under the riders seat.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but when jumping a bike from a car you shouldnt have the car running should you?
I always have and will do.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but when jumping a bike from a car you shouldnt have the car running should you?
I've heard tell that you can damage the Reg/Rec but other say it's not a problem. I've done it both ways with no probs so far.
Car doesn't need to be running cos the bike isn't going to drain that much juice....
matt_rehm_hext
23-03-09, 09:35 PM
I've jump started my pointy SV from my CG125 a few times when the battery was completely dead, that worked fine, I had to keep the CG's revs up for a minute or two to charge the battery a bit before trying to start.
Now I gots an optimate :o)
fatneck
23-03-09, 09:36 PM
Optimate is where its at, oh yes. Just wish I had power in the garage :-)
matt_rehm_hext
23-03-09, 09:37 PM
I keep my bikes in the garden, and I run the cable out the back door. Its not ideal but the cable isn't getting squashed too much. When i got time i'm going to install the optimate inside the kitchen and the cable will come out through a vent in the wall.
fatneck
23-03-09, 11:25 PM
I run an extension cable out to the garage when I need to do it. Annoying, but only takes a few minutes to setup and the optimate is the business - everybody should have one.
_Stretchie_
23-03-09, 11:29 PM
I've jumped the Thundercat from my Civic loads of times without a problem and the blackbird once
All connected up, Civic on and left for a minute or so then turned the bike over
Have I just been lucky? OR are twins different???
ThEGr33k
23-03-09, 11:59 PM
How can jump starting do damage!? The starter pulls only the power it wants... The systems pull only the power they need and should be tolerant upto 15V! So unless you do something wrong or a part of the start relay isnt upto the power the starter can pull then its all gravy.
Sid Squid
24-03-09, 12:07 AM
Will jump starting damage my bike?
Not if it's done properly, no.
Connect the negative lead to the dead bike at a suitable clean, unpainted metal point, (the centre engine mounting bolt is a good place), and to the donor battery negative terminal. Then connect the positive lead to the dead bike at either the positive battery terminal or the feed terminal of the starter solenoid, and the positive terminal of the donor battery.
Make very sure that the clips on the positive lead are secure and don't touch anything else.
If you're jumping from a car battery you won't need the engine running - it should be powerful enough, and if the engine is running there will momentarily be a dead short across the charging system - a very slight possibility of damaging the donor alternator.
JamesMio
24-03-09, 04:17 PM
Daft question, why not put the black jump lead onto the negative batter terminal?
Daft question, why not put the black jump lead onto the negative batter terminal?
This will work, but it gets a bit crowded for space under the seat, and the negative battery terminal runs straight to the engine cases anyway. Connecting the earth lead to the engine mounting bolts gives the most direct electrical path to the bit that's about to draw the current (starter motor)
Jambo
Gene genie
24-03-09, 05:37 PM
nothing worries me more than jump starting vehicles. you can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage doing so.
i always try to recharge batteries than jumping them but if push comes to shove i would strongly suggest that you turn all electrical items on, then jump it.
adamw2k2
25-03-09, 12:40 AM
Thanks for you advise, in the end I bottled out of re-trying jump starting and managed to borrow a battery charger in the end so now the sv is up and running (turned out to be a blown fuse in the end).
My worry was not about the voltage, I know that both car and bike are universal at 12v, but the difference is the amperage. I didn't have the car running but somehow still managed to blow a fuse.
Daft question, why not put the black jump lead onto the negative batter terminal?
The correct way to jump a vehicle is to first connect the positive battery terminal to the other battery terminal, but then the negative terminal on the donor battery to a ground anywhere on the other vehicle (footpeg, bolt etc).
The reason behind this is that a battery can give of hydrogen gas (explosive with oxygen) and when the terminals are connected you usually get a little spark, so it is better that this is somewhere away from the battery which may have been giving off hydrogen gas. I know someone who did this wrong and the battery exploded, throwing pieces of plastic and battery acid everywhere!
fatneck
25-03-09, 07:27 AM
Have you tried bump starting? Much easier with 2 people however...!
On a similar note I jumped a Corsa off my bike the other day.
Nicky S
25-03-09, 11:35 AM
Optimate is where its at, oh yes. Just wish I had power in the garage :-)
optimate the way foward
Sid Squid
25-03-09, 12:18 PM
nothing worries me more than jump starting vehicles.Why? It's no different than removing or replacing the battery in your bike.
but if push comes to shove i would strongly suggest that you turn all electrical items on, then jump it.How will this help?
My worry was not about the voltage, I know that both car and bike are universal at 12v, but the difference is the amperage.
:confused: Your bike battery is capable of turning the starter motor, that means it's supplying perhaps a 100 or more amps - considering that, will it be unsafe to turn the indicators on if they're connected to your bike battery? They only use a half an amp or so.
There's an awful lot of poor understanding of what's happening in this thread.
Biker Biggles
25-03-09, 01:01 PM
Just to add to the lack of understanding--------
I was advised to avoid jump starting certain types of bike fitted with electronic "brains",especially tempermental Italian versions as it could cause a "spike" which upset the electronics.This was about eight or nine years ago with a Laverda,and was when I first got my Optimate to avoid expensive battery issues.Getting the Optimate was very good advice,but Ive no idea if the reasoning about electronic "spikes" has any truth in it.
punyXpress
25-03-09, 01:57 PM
If you can run at, say, 8mph in all your gear, & you find the bike is doing 10mph & you're still not on it THERE WILL BE DAMAGE!
ThEGr33k
25-03-09, 04:15 PM
:confused: Your bike battery is capable of turning the starter motor, that means it's supplying perhaps a 100 or more amps - considering that, will it be unsafe to turn the indicators on if they're connected to your bike battery? They only use a half an amp or so.
There's an awful lot of poor understanding of what's happening in this thread.
Its not the Amps that gets hurt your right... its the voltage, if the battery is already struggling to supply the Voltage required to produce a spark (an issue ive had) then any extra electrics on = lower voltage, which can be the difference between crank crank fire and crank, crank, crank, click, click, click. :(
Gene genie
25-03-09, 04:36 PM
How will this help?
it takes care of any surge that will spark ecu units on any vehicle.
ThEGr33k
25-03-09, 04:40 PM
it takes care of any surge that will spark ecu units on any vehicle.
I cant see why there would be a surge... Its only like putting a battery in parallel. The bike will only pull what it needs. Its not like an extra battery can force power in.
God there is some carp advice given in this thread. :roll:
plowsie
25-03-09, 05:01 PM
God there is some carp advice given in this thread. :roll:
:lol:
I thought about posting that but just lol'd
Sid Squid
26-03-09, 10:10 AM
I cant see why there would be a surge... Its only like putting a battery in parallel. The bike will only pull what it needs. Its not like an extra battery can force power in.
Precisely.
it takes care of any surge that will spark ecu units on any vehicle.
If you are concerned about a 'surge', (and I'm not sure what's being referred to there, as long as it's a 12V donor it'll be fine), don't have the bike's ignition turned on when you connect the jump leads from the donor battery - just like you would when you disconnect or reconnect the bike's own battery.
dizzyblonde
26-03-09, 10:46 AM
IF somebody is so worried about jumping from a car battery, then get a jumper pack.
As long as its 12v then theres nowt to worry about,
I've jumped both my SVs in the way Sid has described in one of his posts about a gazzzziiiillllllion times. Red jumper on the starter, and black on one of the bolts on the frame.
I am neither fried, and neither are either of my bikes:-)
Dave20046
26-03-09, 10:48 AM
IF somebody is so worried about jumping from a car battery, then get a jumper pack.
As long as its 12v then theres nowt to worry about,
I've jumped both my SVs in the way Sid has described in one of his posts about a gazzzziiiillllllion times. Red jumper on the starter, and black on one of the bolts on the frame.
I am neither fried, and neither are either of my bikes:-)
sure about that :p How is the yellow'n at present?
dizzyblonde
26-03-09, 10:48 AM
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4470062/static1-main_Full.jpg
yes very sure:-D
abdul.aziz
29-04-09, 06:37 PM
Optimate is where its at, oh yes. :-)
optimate seems to be the choice of the forum.
I went to Halfords today to buy one, only to find they dont have it (the sales assistant had no clue what i was talking about so i thought i'd stop asking further questions.
Anyway, where can i get one from?? (preferably not from ebay or any other online retailer).
Biker Biggles
29-04-09, 06:42 PM
PM Batteryman.He does a good line in batterys,and I think he sells Optimates too.
SVGrandad
29-04-09, 09:49 PM
Adding to the carp, you could get a surge on disconnecting the jump leads, particularly if there is a high current flow down the leads at the time. Apart from induced surges, the bikes charging system will suddenly see a different load, and it may object if that change is a large one. This is apparently why my car handbook recommends switching on some auxilliaries before disconnecting the leads - which seemed daft to me.
lukemillar
30-04-09, 07:58 AM
God there is some carp advice given in this thread. :roll:
If you bash the two leads together they make cool sparks :cool: ;)
SoulKiss
30-04-09, 08:30 AM
God there is some carp advice given in this thread. :roll:
Too true - nice new Name tho :)
abdul.aziz
13-05-09, 06:24 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but when jumping a bike from a car you shouldnt have the car running should you?
Just to add some practical experience to all the theoretical advice here....
I tried to jump start my bike from my brothers Renault Clio 1.2 without his car turned on....some of the posts here suggested that could be done.
Result? the bike drained out the clio battery...and the bike battery wasnt even charged. So two vehicles were now flat.
Anyway i managed to get it started while the engine was running at a later stage.
Just to add some practical experience to all the theoretical advice here....
I tried to jump start my bike from my brothers Renault Clio 1.2 without his car turned on....some of the posts here suggested that could be done.
Result? the bike drained out the clio battery...and the bike battery wasnt even charged. So two vehicles were now flat.
Anyway i managed to get it started while the engine was running at a later stage.
Don't use the car battery to charge the bike battery, just to provide the initial juice to crank and start the bike.
I've used a car batery to start my old thunderace and my Sv650 K1, no problem here.
thefallenangel
21-05-09, 08:55 PM
hold on correct me on a few things.
Spiking shouldn't make a difference if you've got fuses unless the ECU is that damn sensitive.
And on the jumping issue a battery charger is the best but most batteries will be big enough to start up another big. It's not like a ped is trying to turn over monster generators now is it?
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