ok, for jump starting a vehicle, never put the negitive battery clamp on the dead battery terminal, it could blow up that battery. Hook it up to a ground (i've used strut mounting bolts, and engine blocks... whatevers handy)
make sure it sparks when u jiggle the connections, else u have no connection
I bet you had either ****ty cables, or a bad connection
voltage regulator is what regulates the voltage
~Nate