try a battery charger instead of jump starting it next time

 

The regulator on an ATV can handle generally about 100 watts more than what the stator is capable of producing. It can only take that maximum for a short time though ofcourse.

Most automobile alternators are making 3 to 4,..even 5 times the ammount of wattage the ATV regulator can take in. However, if you have it connected to a running car, the regulator WILL demand that maximum draw for the entire time. Not good.

 

Once again, the only problem is voltage not amps. Watts are the amount of amps x voltage so the only way to effect anything is to go above its rated voltage. Volts push and amps are pulled. You could jump start off a F350 powerstroke with 4000 cranking amps and it won't hurt a thing unless the system pushes more than 12 volts.. in that case the ECU, every light bulb and the coils in your car would also fry.

 

While charging with a battery charger the voltage across the battery terminals can reach 14.5 volts. This is the same max voltage that will be seen by jump starting with a running automobile. This will cause NO damage to a modern ATV. It doesn't matter whether you are attempting to jump start from a running garden tractor or from Hoover dam. If the VOLTAGE does not exceed ~14.5 volts, there is nothing in the circuit that can be damaged regardless of the current capacity (Amps) of the charging source. Ohms law states that Amps = Volts / resistance. The resistance of the components in your bike is fixed, so the only way to increase the current is to increase the voltage.

Bottom line, as long as the voltage of the charging source is limited to around 14.5VDC, no damage will occur REGARDLESS of the amp rating of the source.(sorry for the technical response, but as a 25 year electrical engineer I wanted to provide some immutable facts)

One exception to this is if the quad's battery has a shorted cell or cells. Then, when connecting to an automobile battery, there is the slight possibility of a very large inrush current from the car battery to the quad's battery, causing the quad's battery to grenade. This is a very slim possibility, but had to mention it.