Not Starting

[oldskool]

fyi dielectric grease is NOT conductive. use contact cleaner, actually wd40 works well, then put dielectric grease on after. its a protectant.

since i'm sure somebody else will challenge that, here:

What Is Dielectric Grease?

A look at dielectric grease and how it is used in automotive ignition spark plug wires, electrical harness connections, and other automotive wiring situations.

www.motortrend.com

Of course you clean them first I said that. It's purpose is to isolate the connections, protecting them from corrosion. The grease doesn't hinder contact as it is pushed off the contact points. Works on Subsea connections subjected to several ATMs of sea water, protecting connections from water vapor at 1 ATM is a walk in the park.

 

[m in sc]

I said it because not everyone knows it. actually, most don't.

 

[dmonkey]

You don't want the car running because it creates an even larger gap in voltage between the two batteries. Ohm's law (V = IR). The current (I) that flows between the batteries depends on the voltage difference (V) and the total resistance (R) in the circuit. A healthy battery at rest and a drained battery are already at different voltages. A car battery being charged from a running engine's alternator is likely to be at an even higher voltage of 13.5-14.5. Both batteries have low internal resistance as will the jumper cables, so when you connect the two their difference in voltage correlates with how much current flows from the higher voltage battery to the lower voltage battery. That current can be beyond the charge rate that the small motorcycle battery is designed to handle. This is a risk with jump starting even without the car running, the idea is to reduce the risk where you can. No reason to have the car running, the battery manufacturer will even tell you not to.

I've had good experiences using DeoxIT D5 for restoring and protecting electrical contacts, it's meant for exactly that.

 

[m in sc]

yeah, ok. lol. do what you want but your splitting hairs and your advice comes from no practical experience doing this. guess what the voltage inrush is when you turn the key on? 100%.

 

[dmonkey]

You're welcome to think that. I've jumped plenty of motorcycles, cars, and trucks ranging from 6v to 24v. Even done the things you're not supposed to do when there was a need, like starting 6v off 12v (with fuses pulled on the 6v vehicle). Never had a need to have a car with a good battery running to jump start a motorcycle.

 

[MJ 125 a.k.a. Camo Tablet]

fyi dielectric grease is NOT conductive. use contact cleaner, actually wd40 works well, then put dielectric grease on after. its a protectant.

since i'm sure somebody else will challenge that, here:

What Is Dielectric Grease?

A look at dielectric grease and how it is used in automotive ignition spark plug wires, electrical harness connections, and other automotive wiring situations.

www.motortrend.com

I've trusted your opinions before and have no reason not now. Your are Always very helpful Thank YOU. If I had learned everything by making mistakes, then I should be the smartest man on the internet!

 

[m in sc]

the reason they tell you not to hook up when running is that IF somebody has connected the cables incorrectly, you'll just be feeding the shit out of voltage into the harness w the alternator feeding it and feeding it, and melt the harness wires. because, most people will leave the car running before hooking up, which is bad, i agree there. always connect to an off vehicle. Think about it. its to idiot proof the process for those that are.. colorblind? process is, of course, as I was taught way back (when i was taking my ASE certification classes back in 89-90) dead battery 1st, ground then to good one ground. then hot dead battery, the lastly hot to good battery. if nothing gets warm due to completely dead shorted plates or crossed wires, then you start the vehicle. Some bigger bikes have 300+ cca amp batteries. (HD comes to mind). that will take a toll on a car with a 500cca battery. I'll continue to do it as I have for the past 36 years, thank you.

 

[SneakyDingo]

Let's not lose sight that this is a CT125 that we're talking about, not a Goldwing or something bigger. Ultra little battery, fires up and good to go with the smell of the kickstarter being pushed provided you didn't accidentally leave the emergency switch in the off position.

If I suspected the USB, for most of the bikes on this forum that'd be testable by charging the battery and disconnecting the USB accessory. Seems straightforward enough. @MJ 125 - did it work?

I don't mind people doing the wrong thing but I feel like it's unfair to do that AND also not share a cautionary video of things going wrong if they do.

 

[AZ7000']

What and how many accessories are you needing to disconnect? As far as living outside my 125 has lived its life Outside the garage, it is a bit closer to the house and under the roof then the 1975 ct90 but they both run great. Our mountain town gets the 3rd most snow in the country, second last year!

Ideal, no. How it is, yep. Original battery and I’ve never taken the plastic off to look at it, 3 years in November.

 

[ShieldArc]

I would pull the starter off and get it tested.