D Cell Emergency Starter

[Peto]

Anybody ever try something like this?

I'm talking about wiring 9 D cells up in series as a emergency start/extra juice provider. Maybe wire them up discretely along the subframe with a switched positive to the main battery terminal.

The setup should be 13.5 Volts. Problem is I don't know if the batteries will be able to provide the current needed quickly enough to crank her over.... Maybe if the battery was only slightly drained....?

I'm not trying to prolong the life of an old battery. I'm thinking lets say you are far from home, its cold out, its dark out, you pull over on some desolate road to read a map. You shut the motor off. You do what you need to do, drink some water, take a leak, whatever, now you go to fire up your faithful steed - cha cha cha.... :mellow: cha ch ch.... :blink: ch ch c ..... :fing02:

...oh yeah, i'm alone, it's dark, and I'm getting cold, now what... :unsure:

Oh yea!!! :idea3:

I have that handy dandy switch to give the main battery some extra juice. Hit the switch. The batwings move...er, sorry - the voltage goes back up - bang - the bike starts. Kill the "extra juice" switch. Be merry.

[Tightwad]

Not likely to have enough amps to allow it to start....you would be better off carrying a spare battery....

[jeremy556]

As tightwad said, D cells will not be able to supply enough amps to turn a starter motor. You MIGHT be able to do it with enough CR123s, but it would a lot easier, cheaper, less complicated, and more reliable to just push start the bike.

[marid2apterbilt]

As tightwad said, D cells will not be able to supply enough amps to turn a starter motor. You MIGHT be able to do it with enough CR123s, but it would a lot easier, cheaper, less complicated, and more reliable to just push start the bike.

Im sure there are a few members here that can easily give you pointers on push starting a bike..

[wera803]

A quick search shows a good D cell can produce about 12,000 mAh. A rechargeable can be quite a bit less (1,800 mAh). If you had 9 batteries, it would give you a max of 108,000 mAh and as low as 16,200 mAh. Turning the key on would probably suck enough power out of the batteries that it wouldn't even think about turning over.

[jimmer]

Those batteries won't get the job done.

In the situation you describe, don't shut the engine off. Besides, how were ya gonna read the map in the dark?

[CitizenOfDreams]

A quick search shows a good D cell can produce about 12,000 mAh. A rechargeable can be quite a bit less (1,800 mAh).

Gentlemen, please. Capacity and maximum current are totally different animals. Eight D-cells will have the same voltage and capacity as a motorcycle battery, but they will not be able to provide the current necessary to start the bike.

[kaldek]

A quick search shows a good D cell can produce about 12,000 mAh. A rechargeable can be quite a bit less (1,800 mAh).

Gentlemen, please. Capacity and maximum current are totally different animals. Eight D-cells will have the same voltage and capacity as a motorcycle battery, but they will not be able to provide the current necessary to start the bike.

Wot he said. :unsure:

[NorthernVFRDave]

Actually be very careful with that one, your standard dry cell battery can possible explode if you draw too much current too fast from them. Found out when I was in trade school..Don't ask how :blush: :blink:

[Guest]

Pop starting a street bike is easy as long as you are on pavement.

[wera803]

Pop starting a street bike is easy as long as you are on pavement.

That's not always the case, especially with a fuel injected bike. It depends on how dead the battery is and how it failed.

[alwaysaware]

If you have not put a power outlet on your bike, put one. Then Black and Decker sells a small 4" x 3" 12v battery pack just for that emergency jump start. It has a cigarette lighter plug on it, so theres no clip on jumper cables. The device is small enough to carry in a sadle bag, tank bag or back pack and its strong enough to jump start a car. Good luck. :fing02:

[Guest]

Pop starting a street bike is easy as long as you are on pavement.

That's not always the case, especially with a fuel injected bike. It depends on how dead the battery is and how it failed.

Enlighten me. I've never pop started an FI bike. Why would it make a difference? As long as the battery has enough power to turn the bike on, but not crank it, I would think it would be just as easy or easier then a carb bike. Granted the times I've had to pop start a bike I was rather mad at it so it was easy to do. :fing02:

[Guest]

When you stop to take a leak make sure not to get it on the bike and you are home free :fing02:

The D batteries won't work. But you can find heavy duty batteries that will get the job done. They may be smaller and lighter than the regular battery on the bike.

[Peto]

Push starting can work, but sometimes its hard when you are well off the road and have gear/luggage with you. So,

A quick search shows a good D cell can produce about 12,000 mAh. A rechargeable can be quite a bit less (1,800 mAh). If you had 9 batteries, it would give you a max of 108,000 mAh and as low as 16,200 mAh. Turning the key on would probably suck enough power out of the batteries that it wouldn't even think about turning over.

108,000 mAh. 108 Ah. This sounds like a lot of current. I think the battery is only 10Ah and 200CCA. Not sure. Also, the bike running at 5k will only produce about 33 Amps.. The main battery is already powering everything in a weakened state. It just doesnt have enough to actually crank over. It should need very little "extra help" to start the bike. Unless the battery was severely drained.

alwaysaware, Thanks, that is a good idea, however, I could only find ones that were much bigger and heavier than 4" X 3" Also, you dont need to use the cigarette lighter plug, you can cut it off and hard wire it however you want.

kaldek and COD, yes, the voltage is the same (8-9 cells) and it is the current that is questionable.

jimmer, you are right, but, sometimes you shut it off without thinking because you are tired, or because you want it to be quiet while you look over your things on the side of the road. Btw, you can use the flashlight you have in your tankbag to read your map.

[wera803]

Pop starting a street bike is easy as long as you are on pavement.

That's not always the case, especially with a fuel injected bike. It depends on how dead the battery is and how it failed.

Enlighten me. I've never pop started an FI bike. Why would it make a difference? As long as the battery has enough power to turn the bike on, but not crank it, I would think it would be just as easy or easier then a carb bike. Granted the times I've had to pop start a bike I was rather mad at it so it was easy to do. :fing02:

Like I said, it really depends on how dead it is. FI bikes have an electric fuel pump that has to run for the bike to run, which is the biggest difference. I actually had a battery go bad where I was able to bump start it, but it continued to die while riding on the way home (not stop and go traffic either). At first it would go a few miles before dieing. I'd bump it again and it would start. By the time I got near my house it was dieing every 100 yards or less. I didn't think I was going to make it home (well, I actually had to push it some of the way up a hill).

[The Phantom]

FI bikes have an electric fuel pump that has to run for the bike to run, which is the biggest difference.

Yep I reckon that could be the problem with push-starting an 800. The fuel rail should remain under pressure, so perhaps there'd be enough there to allow it to start - after which the stator should keep it going. Any anecdotal evidence on this?

I actually had a battery go bad where I was able to bump start it, but it continued to die while riding on the way home (not stop and go traffic either). At first it would go a few miles before dieing. I'd bump it again and it would start. By the time I got near my house it was dieing every 100 yards or less. I didn't think I was going to make it home (well, I actually had to push it some of the way up a hill).

Sounds more reg/rec than battery to me?

Agree that a spare bike battery would be a better idea than a D-cell array - maybe hook one up in a twin-battery arrangement where the spare gets a trickle charge but does no work unless you need it. Kinda like my old Kombi camper :fing02:

[squirrelman]

get real, dude, and read the biography of Thomas Edison, then apply to engineering school then read the biography of Nicola Tesla and write a report about why this is not practical D cell technology........

then practice bump starting your bike, which is an essential motorcycling skill....

.....and remember that it always helps to park on a hill.......

[johotogame]

get solar panels =) =P will keep the battery charged

[Guest]

Pop starting a street bike is easy as long as you are on pavement.

That's not always the case, especially with a fuel injected bike. It depends on how dead the battery is and how it failed.

Enlighten me. I've never pop started an FI bike. Why would it make a difference? As long as the battery has enough power to turn the bike on, but not crank it, I would think it would be just as easy or easier then a carb bike. Granted the times I've had to pop start a bike I was rather mad at it so it was easy to do. :fing02:

Like I said, it really depends on how dead it is. FI bikes have an electric fuel pump that has to run for the bike to run, which is the biggest difference. I actually had a battery go bad where I was able to bump start it, but it continued to die while riding on the way home (not stop and go traffic either). At first it would go a few miles before dieing. I'd bump it again and it would start. By the time I got near my house it was dieing every 100 yards or less. I didn't think I was going to make it home (well, I actually had to push it some of the way up a hill).

Yet one more reason that 4th Gens are awesome.

[SEBSPEED]

Yet one more reason that 4th Gens are awesome.

And slower.

[CitizenOfDreams]

Yet one more reason that 4th Gens are awesome.

:fing02:

I had no problems bump-starting my bike for a week or so until my replacement starter clutch arrived. Of course, it's not the same as starting a bike with a completely dead battery, but still...

[Guest]

The local dealer told me bump starting can damage the stator. Any opinions on that?

[jeremy556]

The local dealer told me bump starting can damage the stator. Any opinions on that?

Hopefully a sales person and not a tech. I can't even imagine how that could work. :fing02:

There is no way for the stator to know, or care, whether the crankshaft is being turned by internal combustion of the engine, a starter motor, or the rear wheel through the transmission.

[Guest]

The local dealer told me bump starting can damage the stator. Any opinions on that?

Hopefully a sales person and not a tech. I can't even imagine how that could work. :fing02:

There is no way for the stator to know, or care, whether the crankshaft is being turned by internal combustion of the engine, a starter motor, or the rear wheel through the transmission.

Thanks! I was a little worried when he mentioned it because I had already done it a half dozen times while waiting for a battery.