2004 Polaris mx150 charging system problems

[Pete The Ref II]

My 2004 Polaris MX150 runs great except the battery light comes on every 1/2 hour of operation and I have to take it to shore and change batteries and then the new battery only lasts 1/2 hour. How do I check and repair the charging system? Thanks,Pete

[K447]

What does your multimeter say the battery voltage is when the engine is running?

What age and type is the battery?

[hill160881]

It is most likely a voltage regulator. If the battery takes a charge on a charger it sounds like a regulator is out. It could also be a fuse. Check all fuses in all three fuse blocks.

[ripcuda]

Welcome to GH!

Assuming you have a strong, healthy battery to start with (a must)... charge it up and put it in the ski. Start the ski and put a volt meter across the battery terminals and tell us what voltage you are reading at the battery with the engine idling.

More than like, if everything is running properly and you are having no other issues... or other check engine lights... then it's likely the voltage regulator has gone bad. The VR is a bugger to get to... so I would suggest you just carefully unplug the current one and just leave it where it is... then plug a new one in to the connector and ziptie it somewhere secure... like around one of the intercooler freshwater cooling hoses.

The VR is at the front of the engine, under the intercooler, under the intercooler. See the pic.



Let us know how it goes.

Cheers!