Jump starting/close thread....
would this apply to those portable 'jump starters' that put out mega-amps as well?
when i sunk my ski and had no idea what to do a local guy pulled plugs and went through the hydrolocked procedure. he was a kawasaki guy and jumped mine from a pickup truck while running - it runs fine - guess i got lucky?
This thread has been gone over throughly. It was meant as a guideline for jumping your ski, according to BRP's recommendations.
To answer your question Greyrider, no, it does not apply to jump boxes. I don't remember what post number this is, but it's up there. If you go through this entire thread, you will see that it's already stated that the jump boxes are fine. It's also stated that the reason why you do not jump start with a running vehicle is because of the "possibility" (key word, possibility) that you might do permanent damage to your electrical system. When jumping from another vehicle that is running, there charging system is in operation. Which means, the battery is receiving 14 VDC. When you jump start from that system and your engine starts, you have 2 different type charging systems grounding to each other.
This does not mean that your MPEM or rectifier is "going" to blow, it simply means that you are taking a chance. With the price of our MPEM's in the hundreads, if not thousands of dollars, I would think it's better to take preventitve action than it is to take the chance.
As with overheating the starter, melting wires. This is true with anything that has a starter. The starter draws 90% of the batteries CCA (cold cranking amps) during initial startup. The starter is a high torque motor and has to overcome the engines compression to turn the crankshaft over. According to BRP and stated in the shop manual, you should only turn your starter over for 30 second intervals. If your troubleshooting or having a hard time starting, grab your ground wire and see how hot it is. If your battery cable wires are getting hot, shut down the engine and let the system rest.
My advice:...Never, Never, Never jump start a Rotax engine with a battery from a running engine. Did, I say Never?...Just checking. You may be lucky several times but eventually, your going to be paying for a new MPEM. You got $500 bucks. Then feel free to take that chance.
With this being an informational thread I put together some time ago, as a guide to jump starting, I did not intend for it to go on as far as it has. Most threads I do as guidelines, I usuallly I close them because it's nothing I'm looking to set up for debate. This thread, I just didn't close it. I am going to open it back up because it seems, many members would like to add their own experience.:cheers: