Jump Starting a Convert

[Kiwi_Roy]

A couple of times now I have run the convert down to the point where it can no longer pull in the starter.
The first time a guy in a maintenance truck give me a jump start with some Auto cables but yesterday I couldn't find anyone with a set of cables
Of course a Convert cannot be push started. I called up a tow service, they quoted me $75 for a Jump Start.
I had a few feet of 16 gauge wire and luckily a guy with a Triumph Tiger was patient enough to charge me up enough to turn over,
Today I plan on purchasing enough speaker wire to make a decent set of jumper cables, I will make some way of easily attaching them to the convert battery.
Any other ideas on how to back up your convert?

[TOMB]

On my convert which is a 1976 I used to have the same problem with battery running down especially if you're running with the lights on which is the same thing to do I change my mechanical voltage regulator to a adjustable voltage regulator which I think at the time I bought it from Napa was about $25 at that point and it's also available I think from mg cycle maybe Harper's has a version of it but it's worked well for 15 years and haven't had a problem with it

TOMB

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

When I was refurbing my Convert back in 2017, I installed an adjustable solid state voltage regulator and ETX30L AGM battery. One of the first trips I made was to see my sister in Kentucky. On the way back I rode through Ashland and got stuck at every traffic light in that town. By time I finally made it through and was back out onto open road by battery gauge was down into the yellow zone. Not good.

Immediately after I arrived home, I installed an LED headlight unit, LEDs in the tail/brake light and signals. Now, no matter how many lights I get stuck at, the battery never gets drained like before.

Fix the problem and forget about jumper cables.

[Old Jock]

Don't know the convert Roy

Is there any reason though that you couldn't carry one of the Lithium (or Super Cap) portable packs that can be used for starting bikes and cars?

Hundreds to choose from, I've been thinking about getting one myself as a precaution, for my bikes

You could purchase one of them for less than the price the tow company wanted to give you one jump start

That said it appears you've got 2 suggestions that will fix the problem.

[Markcarovilli]

Don't know the convert Roy

Is there any reason though that you couldn't carry one of the Lithium (or Super Cap) portable packs that can be used for starting bikes and cars?

Hundreds to choose from, I've been thinking about getting one myself as a precaution, for my bikes

You could purchase one of them for less than the price the tow company wanted to give you one jump start

That said it appears you've got 2 suggestions that will fix the problem.

plus what Charlie has said - I do both but have an old AGM battery that I should swap out...

Mark

[fotoguzzi]

Of course a Convert cannot be push started.

from the Convert owners manual,






Not sure I’d want to be pushed at 37mph tho.

[bigbikerrick]

I had the same issue with the Cal II auto I used to have,Until  I did exactly what Charlie suggested, and never had a battery going down issue afterwards. Its all the "little things" that add up. Its amazing how much juice the 2 taillight bulbs on the vert pull when you are sitting at a stop light holding the brake. it would actually dim the headlight.  Leds took care of that. I also would turn off the headlight during daytime, and use a pair of led running lights for conspicuity. I plan to do the same upgrades to my current convert.
Rick

[ray bear]

If Im on the convert or going anywhere far I carry this , will start a car charge your phone, laptop whatever   no bigger than a phone and comes with all cables needed.  Ray

[pehayes]

Be old school McGuyver use a coathanger.
Two Guzzis side by side with the valve covers leaning against each other. That's a ground circuit.
Stretched out coat hanger jammed from one battery +ve post to the other.
Wear gloves.  Be patient.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Bulldog9]

I carry one of those 'jump start' battery packs and jumper cables at all times. Only needed it a couple times.

When I did phase one of my Convert refresh a coupe years I heard about the sharing issue, so I replaced the brake and tail lights with LED units. I also installed a USB plug thinggy with a volt meter. Idling, it shows 12v, and no drop with brake or headlights. I have a single bulb in the taillight housing, and a drop in Jeep 7" LED headlight I got of Ebay for $44 for two. My jumper battery pack is 6+ years old and rather large, I've seen others that are 1/4 the size. But what I have works, so Good enough.

I've no idea what the alternator or regulator in the bike are, the system seems to work well, but it also has a big honkin Panasonic battery that fills the entire area below the seat. The bike kicks over very fast, even after sitting over the last year when I had the tank off to get parts painted.  No idea how old it is, but I bet it is oversized which helps with capacity and draining.

I think I read in Guzziology or the Manual that you CAN jump start it, but have to hold in the clutch, and get rolling to like 40mph or so and let the clutch out. Might work if there is a big hill handy, but elsewhere, I'm not sure I want to get pushed or pulled to 40mph.....

[fotoguzzi]

I think I read in Guzziology or the Manual that you CAN jump start it, but have to hold in the clutch, and get rolling to like 40mph or so and let the clutch out. Might work if there is a big hill handy, but elsewhere, I'm not sure I want to get pushed or pulled to 40mph.....

it’s in the owners manual see reply #5

[JayDee24ca]

Roy, Like I told you, you should have bought that spare EME 450W alternator from me while you were visiting a while back!! No more charging problems!

[chuck peterson]

from the Convert owners manual,






Not sure I’d want to be pushed at 37mph tho.

I actually tried that once…at the top of a really long hill…”oh shit! It’s not turning over” after stopping at a farm stand…i was seeing 40plus on the speedo meter…repeating dropping the clutch several times on the downhill…never caught fire

But it still worked! After this huge long downhill, I coasted to a stop next to a guy chainsawing some lumber on the side of the road… he had a jumpstart pack…

Check both ends battery ground

Adj volt reg…i set mine a little too high w the headlight off…that way I could toggle the headlight off to send more juice to the battery by turning it off….left a little option when caught in parade traffic….led bulbs has changed that

Additional rectifryer ground to an engine case

Fresh 3 yellow wiring harness rotor to rectifryer

Fresh rotor brushes

Consider a starter motor rebuild…lowers the draw needed on a 45 year old starter…of better, replace the monster bosch with the smaller newer ones

Clean, scrape, smear all the grounds you can find…

Lot’s of iddy-bitty stuff over time that can add up to 1, 1.5 additional volts showing up in the whole system. That’s the difference


I’ve always harped on running it in low range for every where except interstate highway. Right up to a steady 70 on most two lane we have here in New England

LED bulbs sure are magic in dropping the necessary voltage, but could be disguising a voltage drop somewhere

And most of all, I’m no electrickery guy, but Guzziology kept me going

[bigbikerrick]

Since I have a bunch of wiring work , to add relays , etc. on my vert, this post got me brainstorming, on how best to "jump" a convert. I think I can rig up a "battery tender" type pigtail off the battery, with fairly heavy duty wire,and like a 30 amp fuse, and them make a custom wire about 10ft long, that plugs into it, with 2 medium sized alligator clips, on the other end, for hooking up to the jump start vehicle. That way I can get a jump start from a car ,or bike. The jumper cables can be rolled up and carried in a saddlebag,
  Rick Duarte

[chuck peterson]

Since I have a bunch of wiring work , to add relays , etc. on my vert, this post got me brainstorming, on how best to "jump" a convert. I think I can rig up a "battery tender" type pigtail off the battery, with fairly heavy duty wire,and like a 30 amp fuse, and them make a custom wire about 10ft long, that plugs into it, with 2 medium sized alligator clips, on the other end, for hooking up to the jump start vehicle. That way I can get a jump start from a car ,or bike. The jumper cables can be rolled up and carried in a saddlebag,
  Rick Duarte

This looks like great insurance…

https://www.batterytender.com/1000-amp-jump-starter

[bigbikerrick]

Thats a nice unit, Chuck. I wonder if the clamps are too big for motorcycle use? I have seen MC jumpers, with much smaller clamps, to fit in limited spaces. I have seen one similar, about the size of 2 decks of cards stacked, that was supposed to be able to jumpstart a power stroke diesel.
Rick.

[Tom]

Spend the money for a jump pack.  They work well.  They're also excellent back-up for camping charges/lights, flashlight, emergency lighting etc.    The other options are different battery if it isn't up to the load and changing the starter out for a Valeo type. 

[vintagehoarder]

An inexpensive chargable Jump Starter Box - Car Battery Booster Pack in the saddle bag, tons to choose from

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=Jump+Starter+Box+-+Car+Battery+Booster+Pack&crid=22E7O71ON520M&sprefix=jump+starter+box+-+car+battery+booster+pack%2Caps%2C79&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

[Ncdan]

Did you get my PM Roy?