Battery drain problem

[Ditch rider]

Problem just started this fall....98 Polaris 500 Classic that has E-start

Something is slowly draining the battery. Is there something on this sled that historically causes this type of problem?

How can I test the sled to find out where the drain is originating from? What type of tester is needed?

Thanks to everybody for your ideas!

[polarismike]

First of all, are you sure that the battery is good? You would need a multimeter to test for a draw. Set it to the amps setting, unhook the negative side of the battery cable and put one of the meter wires to the negative battery post, and the other meter wire to the negative battery cable. Now the draw will be flowing through the meter so you can read the draw.

Meters usually have amps and milliamp settings. Amps usually go to 10 amps, so start there. If it is set on milliamps and you have too large of a draw, you can blow the internal fuse inside the meter.


How long does it take the battery to go dead, and how old is the battery?

[indy_500]

We had to buy a brand new battery every stinkin year and we got sick of it, so we just left it in there and pull started it. Don't have any sleds with ES but buying batteries every year was a pain just so u could turn a key.

[polarismike]

If you are buying a battery every year, you are doing something wrong... Ever try a Battery Tender?

[indy_500]

If you are buying a battery every year, you are doing something wrong... Ever try a Battery Tender?

haha, oh yeah, even took the batteries out for the summer, ran them one day a week on the slow charge, didn't do a thing. season came around still crap, so let it sit for 2 days on the fast charge, still nothing, junked it and bought a new one. Real men start their sleds with a rope

[russholio]

Real men start their sleds with a rope

Real men used to ride animals for transportation, Indy....wanna go back to those days?

[peter]

[QUOTE=indy_500 Real men start their sleds with a rope

Thats funny go say that on totally yamaha

[harvest1121]

haha, oh yeah, even took the batteries out for the summer, ran them one day a week on the slow charge, didn't do a thing. season came around still crap, so let it sit for 2 days on the fast charge, still nothing, junked it and bought a new one. Real men start their sleds with a rope

I thought I did not need electric start or reverse. That was when I had my 2005 Firecat. There is no way I would ever be without it now. Its nice just to hit a button to start and back out of the trailer. Wait till you start towing your POO dragging off the trailer is not fun. Well I guess you know how to be towed after all your problems last year lol Good luck this year

[Ditch rider]

First of all, are you sure that the battery is good? You would need a multimeter to test for a draw. Set it to the amps setting, unhook the negative side of the battery cable and put one of the meter wires to the negative battery post, and the other meter wire to the negative battery cable. Now the draw will be flowing through the meter so you can read the draw.

Meters usually have amps and milliamp settings. Amps usually go to 10 amps, so start there. If it is set on milliamps and you have too large of a draw, you can blow the internal fuse inside the meter.


How long does it take the battery to go dead, and how old is the battery?

Mike,

VERY helpful reply....thanks!

The battery is 3 years old. I remove it for the summer and put a trickle charger on it occasionally. It took less than a week for the battery to go from full charge to "not enough to engage the ES".

I do have a multimeter and will perform the test. I have to pull the battery today and charge it up first.

Any idea as to what might be causing it other than a wire rubbing through? Will a bad ignition switch cause the problem?

Thanks

DC

[Ditch rider]

Mike,

VERY helpful reply....thanks!

The battery is 3 years old. I remove it for the summer and put a trickle charger on it occasionally. It took less than a week for the battery to go from full charge to "not enough to engage the ES".

I do have a multimeter and will perform the test. I have to pull the battery today and charge it up first.

Any idea as to what might be causing it other than a wire rubbing through? Will a bad ignition switch cause the problem?

Thanks

DC

Mike,

I did not charge the battery first. Battery reads 12.00 volts on the tester, but when I turn the key to e-start it = nothing.

I removed the ground wire and tested per your instructions and the meter shows no drain at any setting.

I have an Innova model 3300 tester (see it @ iequus.com). Not fancy but it works.

[doomsman]

Note that 12 volts is less than 50 percent charged
is the water level right
are all connections clean and tight
is ground cable clean and tight?