 Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 61
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OP
Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 61 |
OK, for the second time in 12 months I've managed to kill the battery by stopping the bike and turning it off using the kill switch. I then forget to turn the key to the off position and remove it.
So twice I've had to jump start the bike.
I'd rather not stick a sign on my wind screen that says "Don't forget to remove the key, dummy" so I've come with an alternate idea, and wanted to check here to see if it would work.
I've got the connector from the Battery Tender Junior permanently attached to the battery so I can keep the battery charged in the winter time. Is there any reason I can't run a lightweight set of clips from a jumper cable to a connector that mates to the Battery Tender connector?
Thanks for all replies!
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825
"Lighten up, Francis."
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"Lighten up, Francis."
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825 |
How about ya stop using the kill switch?
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 312
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 312 |
I think I've used the kill switch one time and was sitting on the bike while I was talking to someone took me 10 minutes to figure out why it wouldn't start when I hit the button. Don't think I've used it since. 
Beautiful Black, T Bike pipes cross pipe blocked 18 tooth.
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,459 Likes: 1
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,459 Likes: 1 |
I dont think the battery tender connector or wires are up to the Amps the starter motor would take, probably overload them. 
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,018
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,018 |
I thought this was gonna be a thread about jumping over batteries. Like evil K, I was wondering whether they were stacked end to end, or piled up on top of each other.
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821
Bar Shake
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Bar Shake
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821 |
You could do that Martin.
But as has been said, the wires are too small to handle starting amperage.
If you attach to the jumpor and allow the jumpee to charge for fifteen minutes or so, then disconnect the jumpers you may have enough juice to start your bike.
But, as has also been said. Forget the kill switch except for emergencies.
Contra todo mal, mezcal; contra todo bien, también
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362 |
There's a reason jumper cables are as thick as they are - coincidentally about as thick as the power cable to the starter motor. Try powering your starter through anything less and you'll be left with an ugly puddle of melted plastic - at best.
And yes, the kill switch (like the kick stand switch) is intended as an emergency feature only (eg: if the bike's laying both on the key and your leg). That's why they're always red. I keep telling a friend of mine that and he insists on ignoring the advice, and flattens his battery roughly once a month. Use the key to kill the bike and you'll never have that problem.
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,836 Likes: 5
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,836 Likes: 5 |
All sound advice, but this one is the best  Quote:
And yes, the kill switch (like the kick stand switch) is intended as an emergency feature only (eg: if the bike's laying both on the key and your leg). That's why they're always red. I keep telling a friend of mine that and he insists on ignoring the advice, and flattens his battery roughly once a month. Use the key to kill the bike and you'll never have that problem.
2004 Triumph Speedmaster (J Lo) 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner (Adele)
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,693 Likes: 22
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,693 Likes: 22 |
I suggest a piece of tape over your kill switch until you break that bad habit. I had no idea anybody used that switch for anything, ever.
Go down to the auto zone or napa or whatever. Grab a bit of heavy wire. Maybe one red and one black. Connect them to the battery, wire nut them, tuck them under and there you go.
I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362 |
Quote:
I suggest a piece of tape over your kill switch until you break that bad habit. I had no idea anybody used that switch for anything, ever.
hear hear
Quote:
Go down to the auto zone or napa or whatever. Grab a bit of heavy wire. Maybe one red and one black. Connect them to the battery, wire nut them, tuck them under and there you go.
That produces problems of its own. First up you've got to get wire as heavy as starter cable or jumper lead, which won't "tuck" so well. Secondly it leaves a very heavy, un-fused and un-insulated connection to your battery's positive floating round, waiting for an accidental contact with the bike's frame (which is a direct, un-fused, un-insulated connection to the battery's negative). In layman's terms... *BOOM*. If you MUST find a solution to get round using the kill switch and not flattening the battery get one of those $10 headlight reminders from any autoshop and wire it to the ignition & the headlight. Using the kill switch will set off the beeper until you turn the bike off properly. I still strongly recommend the "KISS" principle though, and use one switch (the right one) to turn the bike off instead of two.
FYI there's a reason the kill switch doesn't turn off anything except the ignition, and it hearkens back to it's intended use as an emergency device. Going back to the "bike on your leg" scenario, you may want to kill the ignition so the back wheel doesn't chew through your pillion's leg etc, but assuming it's night time you don't want to turn off the lights while you lie on that darkened road waiting for some kind soul to lift your bike off you and take you to a doctor for reassembly.
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,126 Likes: 13
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,126 Likes: 13 |
Ah go ahead and use the kill switch. What you need to do is get your mind right. Like say a hardley friend of yours hams the clutch lever. Now you are out a Clutch. The point being... TAKE THE KEY OUT! Always. Before you get off of the sickle. The Kill switch is nice when you want to leave the sickle in gear and turn it off. How ya going to do that with your hand on the clutch lever? I have problems with parking on inclines in Floriduh.  Also I leanrt this past NH Rally that the reason the rear taillight is in series with the speedo lamp is not an engineering fow paw, but an intentional way of wiring since the way old days. When your speedo light is out you don't have any rear tail light! Thanks Matt for bringing me up to speed on why the headlight stays on with the kill switch killing.
Blowing gravel off rural roads
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,362 |
Quote:
The Kill switch is nice when you want to leave the sickle in gear and turn it off. How ya going to do that with your hand on the clutch lever?
Kickstand switch? You're gonna put that stand down anyhow aren't you?
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,126 Likes: 13
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,126 Likes: 13 |
duh!  A dollar short.
Blowing gravel off rural roads
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,643
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,643 |
I never use the kill switch always switch off by the key, mind I always forget and leave the key in. It's only about half hour later I start looking for the key and go !!DOH!!! One of these days the bike will not be there for me to take the key out of
Ray(UK)
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825
"Lighten up, Francis."
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"Lighten up, Francis."
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825 |
I blame the thrice-dammed killswitch for killing my battery while waiting in line at the Canadian border in July. Normally I never use the thing.
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Re: Battery Jumping Idea
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,877 |
To answer your original question, the wires are too thin.
Benny
Black & Silver '02
Too many mods to list
Not enough miles ridden
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