Re: [St] Don't jump start

[Eoin Kirwan <eoinkirwan@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu 13 Mar 2008, Greg Watson wrote:
> I know that most of you know this, and I know it too, however it didn't
> stop me from doing it.

I don't know of any instruction from Triumph *not* to jump start. They are 
quick enough in the owner's manual to tell you about hundreds of other things 
you are not supposed to do.


> What happened when I hooked my car up to the battery was I wiped out the
> computer.  They had to reload the program.  Go figure.

There have been one or two reports on this list of this happening, which iirc 
were not related to jump starting.


> They told me a 
> story of someone else that melted their wiring harness doing the same
> thing.

Obviously they connected the booster battery the wrong way around, or 
connected the + lead to an unfused wire (fusebox input?) not capable of 
carrying starting current. Connect directly to the bike battery.


I had to jump start the ST on a cold morning once, the bike battery was coming 
to the end of its life at the time and would not hold charge for more than a 
few days. Monday morning and I had to get to work! and no time to charge it. 
Tried to jump it without starting the car, but it still couldn't crank it 
fast enough. Started the car, let it run for a minute, and then started the 
bike right up. The car was a 1.0 litre* and so didn't have a very large 
battery itself! The bike MIL lit up for the usual 3 heat up-cool down cycles 
and then went out. If I was in this situation again I'd jump start the bike 
again, without hesitation.

As someone else said, the car is just a 12V battery, but bigger. When the car 
is running, the alternator will not put out more than 14.4V or so, in other 
words the same as the bike alternator is supposed to put out.


* a 1.0 litre Opel/Vauxhall Corsa/Holden Barina/doubt it's sold in the US! 
Incidentally, also a three-cylinder, and almost the same cc as the ST, but 
the compression ratio would be a bit less, so easier to crank than the bike!

Eoin

'04 ST955i



_______________________________________________
Triumph Sprint ST/RS mailing list
Send list posts to ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Change your list options at www.Triumphnet.com