So i have a 2000 xl1200c that i havent ridden on a few weeks. Tried to start it today and the battery was dead. Used my truck to jump it like i have done once before but this time i think i f'd up. I connected the battery to the truck battery and let it sit for a few minutes. Tried to start it and it still wouldnt turn over....just heard a couple clicks and then it was dead again. Ok... So i thought maybe it needs a little more juice. So i turned the truck on and let it sit a minute or two and the bike started right up. I left it running while i buttoned everything back up and was gonna take it for a ride. But when i would give it a little gas to take off it started hesitating a little and then i noticed the odometer was blinking on and off constantly....aww $hit i f'd something up!! Turned it off and tried to turn it on again and heard a couple clicks and it was dead again. Ok...battery is obviously still dead so i took it to autozone to get it checked and charged. Installed the battery again and it still wont turn over. Still seems like the battery is dead. The odometer will come on with key in acc position but everything shuts off in the ignition position. Checked my fuses (i found 4....are there more?) and they were ok. Could i have fried the ecm? I was gonna take the battery to have it checked again but wanted to check with u guys first.

 

You might have fried components, your truck running outputs more volts than you bike is designed to run. Might be an expensive lesson.

 

Bad battery cable. I do not see how you could fry your ECM just by jumping it from your truck. Is this truck an 18-wheeler? 18-wheelers have 24 V for starter. This will fry your Sporty, yes.

 

I fried a jet ski doing the same thing. Got lucky and only sizzled a few wires that once I replaced it all was well. Never hook a running car or truck to a bike or other small motor.

A multi meter and wire diagram might be in order.

I would suggest also getting a battery tender jr. You can check your battery connections while you install the permanent tail and once done it will charge and you will not have to worry about your battery for a few years until it dies a natural death. (Even the best lead acid batteries only last 5 years or so)

 

A running car or truck with 12 V electrical system will have no more than 14 V. This is same as a running Sportster.
In other words, whatever was wrong with your jet ski had nothing to do with jumping it to a running car. Missed some physics classes in high school?

 

Well turns out the battery was dead, not just drained. $105.00 for a new one but wont get a chance to install until tmrw maybe. I'll update when i do...

 

14.57 volts give or take.

Depends on the amps your alt can put out. Fried the some wires from the regulator/electronics box to the battery. Bought a trickle charger and ran the ski for 2 more years with no electiral issues. I am of the mind the regulator had some type of zener setup that the heavy duty truck alternator overdrove it. One would think that the battery would absorb all the amps to charge but a small lead acid battery only can draw X number of charging amps and if your alt pushes signifigantly more it can feed through the regulator and fry something.

 

No, but I think you did. It's not the volts, it's the amps that cause the problem. There's a big difference between a 20-30 amp system (depending on the year) on a bike, vs the 100+ amp system on a cage. Voltage itself is harmless without amps.

BTW, a properly functioning charging system should output from 13.5vdc - 14.8vdc.

Jumping a bike from a running cage can cause some serious damage, especially if the cages battery isn't at 100% charge, because the cage's regulator is going to be pushing out big amperage trying to recharge the low battery in the cage. And the cages battery will be low, because you just used it to start the cage.

 

What an utter nonsense. Ever heard of Ohm's Law? Current (measured in A) depends on resistance (circuits on your bike), not on source (truck or whatever). Sporty can take 14.8 V no problem. The current generated by this voltage will be just normal.

 

I see more than one person missed a few classes in the high school.
Why don't you do a little test.
Take a 12 V, 60 W light bulb and connect it to a running truck - so called 100 A source. Take a note of current generated by light bulb. It will be just over 4 A.
Now take the same bulb and connect it to your running Sporty - so called 30 A source. Compare amperage readings, they will be practically same.
Because current is determined by bulb, not source.
There can be a small difference if the charging systems are not producing exactly same voltage. This is determined by Ohm's Law.
A little more education:
Metric system units that are named after a scientist are uppercase.
V - volt - named after Alessandro Volta
A - amper - named after André-Marie Ampère
Lowercase v denotes speed in formulas, in case if you are interested.