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[JoeVibe]

I've been on two rides recently where a fellow rider left his lights on while we were eating lunch and drained the battery. Nobody in the group had cables but we were able to borrow some to get them going. I'm going to buy a set of bike jumper cables and throw them in my bags but I have a question first.

Is the wiring from the Battery Tender pigtail big enough to work for jump starting? It seems like everyone has one and it would sure be an easier connection point. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks,

Joe

[tweeter13]

I have never tried it,  I sure don't think the wires from the pigtail to the battery are heavy enough to carry the load of the starter.  There is a 15amp fuse in mine so I know it would blow once you hit the starter button.    You could hook it up to another battery for a while that might work.  But I wouldn't turn the ignition on with it plugged in.   Between head light and fuel pump coming on at the same time it also may just blow the fuse. 

Some one else may know of another idea as well. 

Todd

[MIKEYTEE]

Those tender cables are a # 12 or smaller wire, which is rated for no more than 25 amps tops. I won't say you couldn't get away with using them, but most jumper cables are # 8 and larger. Remember you are dealing with cold cranking amps which are many times higher than the 1 1/2 to 3 amps a tender delivers.
I would pack some battery cables.
Mike
 

[T-Hawk]

There are actually two fuses in the pigtail... one at either end, and if I remember correctly, they are 7.5amp fuses.  A battery tender is about the only thing that could be used, or a charger that has a 2-5amp setting.

I know the (HD) battery tender comes with a pigtail with clamps, but I don't believe it works in a reverse application.

Battery to Battery is going to be the best solution for 'jump' starting a dead bike with a fresh bike or battery.

[Chains]

I'm with the group even though I have the tender pigtail I carry a set of jumpers. Never thought of trying the pigtail for fear of starting the thing on fire when the wires melted.

[JoeVibe]

That was my thought as well, but thought I'd ask the group. Just trying to be lazy. 

Thanks All!

Joe

[longlast]

I say No,..the Tender wire is too small to carry the cranking votes & amps the starter requires"Think" the smaller the wire it will only let the voltage and amps travel at a certain rate of supply. If you demand more supply then the wire is rated (ie)Tender wire rated for trickle charging small amount of voltage plus low amperage,.. you try to pull voltage thou to run the starter and the speed of the currant increases inturn pulls up the amps heating up the wire(known as resistance the small wire will NOT let the volts move at the speed of demand)
Your Tender wire will melt and burn.
Look at the wire connected to your starter it's that size so the volts can move with the lowest amount of resistance. Use your jumper leads

[Billy]

If there is enough power to run the fuel pump you could jump start it in 2nd gear . Best if done down hill Billy

[FLHTCUSE7]

Tender wire is way to small. You probably crank 250 amp during start and that will blow the fuse for start.

If you ride with people that let this happen to them a set of jumper cables is the best way to to. 

[2k]

Hey Joe......(haven't said that since my Navy years)....Don't you have to leave the switch on to have lights???

[longlast]

Hey Joe......(haven't said that since my Navy years)....Don't you have to leave the switch on to have lights???

X2,....I had the same thought

[JoeVibe]

Hey Joe......(haven't said that since my Navy years)....Don't you have to leave the switch on to have lights???

Yep, that's what they did! Both times they turned the engine off at the switch by the throttle and didn't turn off the main ignition switch, leaving everything powered up. It was the lead bike Saturday and nobody noticed his lights were on. There were 20 bikes in our group and nobody had cables. I put a set in my bag Sunday and I'm pretty sure a couple others did too.

[Chains]

X2,....I had the same thought

This may lead into a whole new topic. "HOW DO YOU KNOW WHE ITS TIME TO STOP RIDING". 

[MrSurly]

First, let's stop all the speculating this point: the battery tender connection WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT work for jump-starting the bike. Period. (that's a real one...not an Executive period) The fuse will blow (if you're lucky) or if it has no fuse, the itty-bitty wires will immediately fry.

The same connection COULD be used to slowly CHARGE the battery with a regular 10~15 amp battery charger or by connecting to a car's charging system. Of course, if you've already tried to jump-start it through this connection, you'll need to replace that fuse.

Second, the easiest way to hook up jumpers on the bike is by connecting the jumper cables to the trans case (which has a direct negative cable to it from the battery) and to the battery cable post on the starter (which has a direct positive cable to it from the battery) and you don't have to pull the seat or anything else off of the bike.

[longlast]

Yep, that's what they did! Both times they turned the engine off at the switch by the throttle and didn't turn off the main ignition switch, leaving everything powered up. It was the lead bike Saturday and nobody noticed his lights were on. There were 20 bikes in our group and nobody had cables. I put a set in my bag Sunday and I'm pretty sure a couple others did too.

That is a habit one should not get into. Leave the kill switch in the ON potion Foreget about it. It will not do any harm. Just use the main ignition. The kill switch is mainly there as a safety (emergency stop)