The Quick and Easy dead battery fix

[knewsom]

So, the baboon's battery run dead on Saturday since it had been sitting for a few months since its last charge, though it had been started numerous times - just not RUN.

So I went to start it and it wouldn't crank. Realized that I couldn't push-start it by myself, and I couldn't find my trickle-charger! Pissed off, I got into my truck and drove down to Kragen, only to realize that when I went to the ATM earlier that day, I had left my card in the machine!!! D'oh! And to top it off, the cash I got was at home on the counter! Double D'oh!

Went home, called and canceled the card, got my cash, and was about to storm back out the door when I realized something. That big Ford Bronco is one GIGANTIC generator. With the lights and radio off, that thing produces an UNGODLY ammount of extra electricity! So I disconnected the ground from the Baboon, hooked up my jumper cables, and let my truck idle for about 30 minutes (barely used any gas too - idling is nice that way), then put everything back the way it should be, and the bike runs great!

Just thought I'd remind everyone that cages are in fact good for something... and there's no need to shell out for a charger if you've got a truck!

[Snow]

EEeeek! I wouldn't get in the habit of doing that - you would probably be better off charging with the Bronco's engine off methinks.

[DiverRay]

That will work OK, as the Bronco battery is the "charge cell", and the bike battery is just an add on. I've used cars to "quick charge" motorcycle batteries with NO ill effects. I don't do it all the time, but if you need to a few time per year, you shouldn't do any damage to the bike battery.
Ray

[knewsom]

well right, certainly not a "what the heck, I think I'll top off the battery this weekend" sortof a fix, more along the lines of a "its sunny and nice out and my battery's dead and I wanna ride, dangit!" fix.

[HobbyMan]

As another idea, and sometimes a little cheaper, get a portable battery starter unit. Like the ones with lights and other usless gismos. MY allstart+($60 when I got one) puts out 1100 cranking amps and wiil charge a dead motorcycle battery enough to start, or just clamp it on and start without charging. My unit will start my 1986 chevy 350 and 454 no problem. They do more than a fancy plug in starter at the same price. Also they charge in a few hours with an extension cord. I always keep one in the garage and whenever I take the cage on a road trip I grab it and go. It will start just about anything months afer a good charge, and it has saved my butt many times. In fact, in stead of buying a new motorcycle battery at first, while rebuilding my 80G, I left it clamped on the solenoid and used it as the main batt.

[yamarider]

I'm going to agree with Snow. Fact is, a vehicle's system produces WAY MORE amps then a motorcycle system. I would jump a bike from a vehicle (turned off) and let the motorcycle's system charge the battery. I wouldn't take a chance of frying electrical components with a running vehicle.

[knewsom]

That's why I said "disconnect the ground on your bike".

If the bike's battery isn't connected to the bike's electronics, then nothing can get fried.

[HobbyMan]

I don't know how many amps the starter draws, but at least jumping other cars can be bad for your alternator. I have replaced a few diode sets and it isnt that hard, but it isn't fun. A car alternator isnt designed to start an engine. Just charge a battery. I has the capability to, but doing it repeatedly can damage your alternator. If you must jump it, try letting it charge for a while from the car first.

[knewsom]

huh - so in the end, probably better to charge it anyways.

*shrug* who knew?

[JWSanders]

Weather on not the car is putting out more amps is really kinda irrelevant. The motorcycle will only draw as much as it normally does, with the addition of the extra the battery is pulling to charge itself. Since the battery will be before anything else in the bike's wiring (provided you put the jumper cables straight to the battery) it will not be pulling it's load through the bike's electronics. Won't hurt a thing. You cannot feed more amperage (current) into any circuit that it's resistive load will draw naturally without increasing the VOLTAGE. If the voltage input is the same, the current draw will be as well. Some guy named Ohm made a law about it.

It's really no different than hooking up a battery charger to the bike. I've had to use my van (a big E350 with an 100-amp alternator) to charge my bike on a couple of occations. It only puts out around half a volt more under load than my charger does, which is right around 14 volts. I believe the 11's alt/regulator puts out 14.5 or so as well.

There's nothing like getting to my storage room only to find I've left my battery charger at home...&^%&*&(*^%%!

[cajun31]

Go by your nearest Harley dealer and pick up a battery tender. Just leave the bike on the charger when you have periods of inactivity and you don't have to worry about your battery dying. I have one on both my bikes and I never have to worry about the batteries. They don't overcharge or overheat the battery and they are not that expensive. I paid around $34.00 for mine.

[HobbyMan]

V=IR