Jump Starting (and an Unknown Lesson Learnt)...

[blerko]

I had a quick search and couldn't find anything quite similar, so still being a bit of a n00b with the ST1300 I thought I'd share my tale of trying a jump start...

I was doing a bit of work (making a trailer wiring relay - post to come) and ended up flattening the battery while testing. It did cross my mind to start the bike occasionally, but I was in the groove and put it off. I had jumped it once before with the wife's Hilux, so didn't have a second thought of using the 380 for the job. Well... hooked up the cables (380 positive to battery, negative to body - ST1300 both cables to battery), hit the starter. It turned over once and then a loud "pop", the dash suddenly blanked out and there was not even a relay noise when turning the power off or on. Poop. Turned to Acc and the clock appeared; something. Checked the voltage from the jumper leads - 12.something volts. Became acquainted with the fuse locations - including the 65amp metal tongue depressor on the battery, the type of which I've never seen before - all looking good. Starting to fear that I've blown the ECU. Put a multimeter over the battery, 9v between terminals with all switched off. Perhaps I've killed the battery? Cheaper than an ECU, so I've got that going for me!

Now here's where I think luck overcame logic. Pull the battery out and still 9v, so I've put the battery on a charger and prepared to search online for a new battery. One more check with the multimeter - and now it's reading around 12v again. Left it for 30 minutes, tried typing Google into Google, put the battery back in and... success!!

So I don't think I've really learned anything, but I'm posting this in case anyone has similar problems and wants to try and skip to the recharging phase. Meanwhile, is there something I could have done differently to avoid this situation. Should I earth the jumper leads to the body instead of the battery? Or connect the leads in a certain order? Go gluten free?

[alans1100]

Years ago the Charger I owned at the time failed to start at the shops which were a five minute walk from home. Only thing I had available at the time was the CX500 Turbo so a walk back home, rode the bike back to the car and jump started the car. Not an easy task jumping a 265 hemi so I let the bike add a little charge into the car battery before attempting. It did work but not something I'd do usually.

I've also had the Territory (current car) jump the 1100 maybe twice before getting a new battery a couple years ago. I tend to put both leads on the car battery, positive on the bike battery and negative on a bolt head on the frame somewhere under the seat. I wouldn't start the car unless the bike never started after one or two goes.

[Brock]

Leads to the flat battery first, Positive to the donor battery, neg to chassis of car if possible, but battery if not. Have the donor running, as that will allow some charge into the low battery. Let it charge for 10 min or so if very flat and then crank.

[Gadget]

Leads to the flat battery first, Positive to the donor battery, neg to chassis of car if possible, but battery if not. Have the donor running, as that will allow some charge into the low battery. Let it charge for 10 min or so if very flat and then crank.

Text book method. If it is dead flat sometimes 20 minutes may be needed to charge it up enough.

It also helps to Rev the donor engine up to around 2,000 RPM to increase charge current.

[West Aussie Glen]

Leads to the flat battery first, Positive to the donor battery, neg to chassis of car if possible, but battery if not. Have the donor running, as that will allow some charge into the low battery. Let it charge for 10 min or so if very flat and then crank.

For anybody wondering why "neg to chassis of car if possible" this is to avoid a spark at the battery igniting any hydrogen gas that may be present.

[Gadget]

Leads to the flat battery first, Positive to the donor battery, neg to chassis of car if possible, but battery if not. Have the donor running, as that will allow some charge into the low battery. Let it charge for 10 min or so if very flat and then crank.

For anybody wondering why "neg to chassis of car if possible" this is to avoid a spark at the battery igniting any hydrogen gas that may be present.

Bugger,  I thought of that before and forgot to write about it. Glad you picked it up. It is often overlooked in battery charging.

I've seen the result of a Hydrogen explosion under the bonnet. It is a very powerful explosion. Hence the Hydrogen Bomb.

I can hear the question coming "Where does the Hydrogen come from?"

Glad you asked.

The Lead-acid battery is made of Lead plates and Sulphuric Acid. The chemical compound for Sulphuric Acid is H2SO4. This means the is 2 Hydrogen atoms, 1 Sulphur atom and 4 Oxygen atoms in each molecule of Sulphuric Acid.

As the battery charges, hydrogen gas is given off or released from the Sulphuric Acid. And that is where the Hydrogen Gas comes from. :WOW

[tding]

Also we to check polarity of car. My brother tells me that some of the new cars are actually + positive earth! ! Just  something else to keep in mind.

[Gadget]

Old series II Landovers are positive Earth unless they have been converted.

[Brock]

The charging action actually breaks down the H2O(water) the acid facilitates the passing of the electricity. This is why batteries needed to be topped up with distilled water.

If a battery sits too long, the acid attacks the lead plates forming an insoluable layer of lead sulphate = dead battery

[alans1100]

Also we to check polarity of car. My brother tells me that some of the new cars are actually + positive earth! ! Just  something else to keep in mind.

No difference in where the leads go but connect negative first then positive and make sure vehicles don't touch.

Not advisable to jump start anything made in the last five years or so due to all the computers on board that might get fried.

Positive earth cars have been around for just about forever.......

I prefer not to start the car if jumping the bike....bike battery isn't built to take the car alternator charge output.

If a battery sits too long, the acid attacks the lead plates forming an insoluable layer of lead sulphate = dead battery

My current bike battery has been in almost 4 years because I use the bike all the time.......I expect it will fail at anytime.

[Philbo]

When hydrogen blows up it is a chemical reaction with the hydrogen combining with oxygen from the air to form water (H2O).  The explosion in a hydrogen bomb occurs when the nucleus of the atom is split, releasing huge amounts of energy - a nuclear explosion, much more powerful than a chemical reaction.  If this occurred under the bonnet, it would leave a large hole where the car used to be.
Phil

[Brock]

it would leave a large hole where the car used to be.

And quite a few blocks as well.

You dont have to worry about a care alternator hurting a bike battery, the alternator will only deliver about 55 Amps (the bike has 40 Amp), and then only for a short time. As the battery voltage rises, the current drops off..

[blerko]

Also we to check polarity of car. My brother tells me that some of the new cars are actually + positive earth! ! Just  something else to keep in mind.

Wow, as the song says, "everything old is new again". I'm fairly sure my old Morris 1100 had positive earth, so installing a radio meant power from the chassis and earth wire to the battery. I also remember it had the newfangled East-West engine - with the coils exposed to the front grill. When it rained heavily it would short which is why you'd see them with plastic bags flapping behind the grill in winter. Odd design flaw from rainy old England.