Jumper cables

[Steve-O]

Left my lights on. Thought I could jump the bike from my battery tenda dongle. I had some alligator clamps solderied onto another dongle that I had laying around. This was the opportunity to use it. Didn't work. It charged the battery from the car that it was hooked too, but it was obviously a trickle charge.

This was on my stratoliner by the way. I ended up using "real" jumper cables from the car. Used two phillips screw drivers to get to the battery. Hooked the cables on them and jumped the bike just fine.

Wondering if you guys have any thoughts on motorcycle jumper cables?

[O'Larry]

I made a set of jumper cables from two lines of (If I remember right!) number 8 stranded wire and a set of medium size alligator clips and that works just fine from car to bike or bike to bike!

[93gc40]

The tender wires are not sufficiet for jump strating. You just cook the wires, too light a gauge. Fact is you shouldn't have even jumped it. Until after you recharged the battery. The bike charging system is not designed to RECHARGE a battery, anyway. Thats what the trickle charger is for.

[vonh]

I half agree with 93gc40 (The tender wires are not sufficiet for jump starting. You just cook the wires, too light a gauge). Bike jumper cables are a great idea!! Something light you could pack around like you would in a car. I don't know if someone already makes them, never thought of it, I would persue it

[Steve-O]

Yes, the big clips on car jumper cables are hard to use on our motorcycles. Smaller alligator clips would work best. Wire needs to be large enough to handle the juice, yet small enough to stow in our bags.

Still wondering why the juice did not go through the Battery Tender dongle. I had it hooked to a car battery for 10 minutes and it didn't cook the wires. There must be a resistor that prevents this....may have to remove that so I can jump the bike if need be! May have to test that theory out.

[jpr1968]

I have set of jumper cables made by Yuasa batteries. Fit's in a small plastic pouch and stores easily in saddlebag without taking much room. You can buy them online or at some motorcycle shops. ON some of the Battery tender cables there are fuses. You may have blown the fuse by too high of amperage from the car battery.

[Steve-O]

Originally Posted by jpr1968

I have set of jumper cables made by Yuasa batteries. Fit's in a small plastic pouch and stores easily in saddlebag without taking much room. You can buy them online or at some motorcycle shops. ON some of the Battery tender cables there are fuses. You may have blown the fuse by too high of amperage from the car battery.

Thanks, I need to check the fuse. The red light was flashing on the tender when I left town. Might not be charging.....

[jpr1968]

The blinking red light indicates a problem.

[Kitulu]

Originally Posted by Steve-O

Thanks, I need to check the fuse. The red light was flashing on the tender when I left town. Might not be charging.....

From my experience with a similar issue...i hooked the jumper cable ends that came with the battery tender into the dongle and tried to jump it. It did not work, and the tender had a flashing redlight when I tried to use it. After looking at the cables, I noticed that, when the cables ends were hooked in, black was positive and red was negative. This was because the jumper ends are supposed to hook into the tender itself. As a result, the inline fuse was blown in the tender.


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[marcham]

Originally Posted by jpr1968

I have set of jumper cables made by Yuasa batteries. Fit's in a small plastic pouch and stores easily in saddlebag without taking much room.

I have the same ... bought them after I got stranded twice ... haven't had any problems since! Buy'em, so that you don't need to use 'em.