HELP or I can't go to Talsma's

[cletus600twin]

Well when we were out at Butte my Polaris started overcharging.  So I ordered a voltage regulator and just installed it today and it is still overchargiong.  It is charging at 16 wolts ehre it is supposed to be 13.5 - 14.5 volts.  I have checked all the wires from the stator to the regulator and they are fine.  Anyone else know what to check or what it might be.  I need this fixed if not Peggy and I will not be at Talsma's.

[Andy]

check your rectifire. 

[cletus600twin]

I replaced it it is part of the regulator.  If it idles it is ok but when I give it any gas it starts to overcharge.  I am lost.

[highsparks]

  How old of a machine is it ?   I would look for a pinched or rubbed wirie , that is shorting and causing the overcharge .  Are you checking voltage at the battery ?

[cletus600twin]

I have checked all the wires and they are fine.  I have the front fenders off and down to the frame.  it is an 04.5 Polaris 600.  I am checking voltage at the battery.  I talked with a few people and they think it might be the battery even though it is only 2 years old.  I am going to check it tomorrow.  Hopefully that is it. 

[Gunner]

I would try the battery.  Is Peg's the same battery?  if so just switch it and see what happens.

Otherwise we can just use yours as the beer machine.  We cold hook up a fridge to it and help drain some of the volts.

[stumper]

You can lead the night ride, your lights will be BRIGHT,LOL.

[cletus600twin]

I pulled the battery out this morning and tested it.  The tester said it was a good battery but said it only had a 79% charge.  I then hooked up my booster pack to the cable ends and used it for the battery and it was charging fine.  I guess I will get two batteries this week one for mine and one for Peg's.  Peggy needs one since she left her sterio plugged in and didn't tell me and it killed the battery. 

[highsparks]

   I highly reccomend an AGM battery rather than a wet acid type.   They are much more durable, my 05 500 has the original battery yet.  I used it exclusively until last year , even using the winch to lift the snow plow .  Agm batteries dont weaken in the cols as much , they handle vibration and there not acid to cause corrosion.  You might pay a bit more up front , but in the long run its more than worth it.

[stumper]

I pulled the battery out this morning and tested it.  The tester said it was a good battery but said it only had a 79% charge.  I then hooked up my booster pack to the cable ends and used it for the battery and it was charging fine.  I guess I will get two batteries this week one for mine and one for Peg's.  Peggy needs one since she left her sterio plugged in and didn't tell me and it killed the battery. 

Sweet, glad to hear it!!!

[rundrave]

   I highly reccomend an AGM battery rather than a wet acid type.   They are much more durable, my 05 500 has the original battery yet.  I used it exclusively until last year , even using the winch to lift the snow plow .  Agm batteries dont weaken in the cols as much , they handle vibration and there not acid to cause corrosion.  You might pay a bit more up front , but in the long run its more than worth it.

ditto what he said

The maintenance free design and the AGM format is far stronger and more powerfull than the drycell. Get an AGM  battery and it will be the last one you buy in a long while.

I am quite sure that the Polaris brand maintenance free are supplied by Deka. They have the same look and model number. I went with the  Deka ETX15

You can probably get it in another brand, just look for the ETX15

[highsparks]

  Where did you get the deka ?   Was it cheaper than polaris ?

[rundrave]

ok long story short....I first went to Advance Auto on 41st in Sioux Falls.

Bought one and got it home and it was dead out of the box. Keep in mind in big bold letters is says NO INITIAL CHARGING, NO ADDING FLUIDS etc etc.

Take it back to the store and test the 4 left on the shelf. All tested 0% right out of the box. Now I havent had to purchase auto parts recently but from what I can remember most of the guys behind the counter at most these places usually have some common sense. Apparently at AA they all share the same brain or lack there of.  Anyways one guy says...did you add fluid? I just rolled my eyes. Another guy takes one of 5 dead batteries and hooks it up to their tester. Hooks the positive cable to the negative post and vise versa and then says yup, its bad this thing wont even measure. OMG Wow!

Go to the AA store on Minnesota, test 5 more batteries all dead! Needless to say I got my money back. They obviously dont move enough inventory to keep decent working batteries on the shelf.

well my journey for a working battery brought me to O'reilly auto parts. (trust me dont start singing their song...you will never get it out of your head.)

oh oh oh o'reily, OOOOO REIIILLLYY, auto parts! :lol:

quick reference in their book with one of their employees I found the ETX15 on a different brand of battery. So far so good.

Took it out of the box and tested it right at the store, and it had a charge! OMG a working battery and top notch customer service to boot! Somebody alert the media!

So here is what I ended up with:



everything looks about the same and this battery has the 210 cranking amps. So far so good, lets just hope it lasts lol.

Who would have thought it would have been that difficult, and that wasnt a short story....sorry

[highsparks]

  Thanks , now I will be singing all afternoon ........lol

[bottlerocket]

What I have heard is they are a good battery.  Just make sure if you plow in the winter and thats all you do with it then you have to put a battery tender on it.  I found out that if you do that the battery last longer, and it won't kill the battery.