Voltage regulator

[LoHo]

Anyone know if jumping an XS from a running car will cook the voltage regulator? Could a fried VR result in a lack of spark, perhaps by letting the voltage drop too far to work the TCI?

[crazy steve]

There's no issue with jumping an XS with a car as long as you follow the same safety considerations as you would jumping another car.

The regulator on it's own won't cause a no-start condition, but if the battery isn't charged or is failing due to undercharging that can cause the problem...

[natemoen]

Agreed. There is nothing wrong with jumping a bike from a car. You will not hurt anything as long as you hook things up correctly.

[cywelchjr]

The only issue you might have, and this is true of ANY situation with a large battery jumping a small one, is if the battery is good but almost flat, you may cook the battery as the large battery tries to instantly bring it up to voltage. However, if it's just a little low, or only hooked up for a short time, you should be good.

[DGXSER]

Seems like I have read here many times not to have the car running while your jumping the bike. Otherwise, no issues.

[natemoen]

Seems like I have read here many times not to have the car running while your jumping the bike. Otherwise, no issues.

Shouldnt hurt as long as everything it hooked up correctly.

[cywelchjr]

Shouldnt hurt as long as everything it hooked up correctly.

Correct, the system on these bikes works just like an automotive system by controlling the amount of voltage the alternator puts out, therefore the worst thing that can happen is that the alternator goes into shutdown until you disconnect the jumper cables, unlike some honda models that actually PULL the voltage down, those can be damaged by trying to pull the voltage coming from the car down (those are pretty rare and not on anything in the last 25 years or so IIRC).

I've jumped bikes from running cars many times, and never damaged a charging system doing so. It's a rule of electrical theory that current flow is determined by voltage and resistance, and having far more potential current available for the same voltage and resistance will NOT change the amount of current that flows even a little. For those who contend that the starter will draw more, this is incorrect, as the faster the motor turns over, the less the starter draws.

[skids]

Leave the engine off for the car while jumping. LOHO, I think the best place to hook up the cables is the positive lug by the solonoid. You slide the rubber cover up the connector enough to get it out of the way. The negetive cable can be darned near anywhere where there is bare metal and no rubber isolators.

[cywelchjr]

And ideal if for neither connection to be too close to the battery, and alway hook up the negative side last, to the frame, generally directly to the engine is best, and if it starts, it's always best (true ANY time you jump ANY vehicle) to remove the negative cable as soon as the jumped vehicle starts. Oh, and the last connection SHOULD be the negative on the vehicle DOING the jumping, just to avoid sparks near a possible source of hydrogen gas (given off by lead acid batteries that are charging).