Electrical issue

ferniesnow

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2005 Sportsman 500HO. New battery, new starter, new winch, and I am still having problems. Worked fine last winter but the battery would run down by the time I finished plowing the driveway. i know winches are a big drain on the battery. So this year, with a brand new battery, I don't get halfway through and there isn't enough juice to lift the blade. Go into shop and put on battery charger. Lift the blade and finish driveway but by the time I finished the blade wouldn't come up. What is draining or not charging the battery?

Two technicians have said there was nothing wrong last year. Haven't driven the quad since last winter.
 

Bnorth

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Sounds like weak stator or a big parasitic draw. If you take it off the charger but don't run it will it start the next day?
 

X-it

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For under 50 bucks you can get a 300amp lawn and garden battery at walmart or 70dollars a 350 amp at canadiantire. Those rinky dinky, little dam expensive batteries. Refab it to fit a bit bigger battery.
 

ferniesnow

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Sounds like weak stator or a big parasitic draw. If you take it off the charger but don't run it will it start the next day?

Put in new battery on November 19th and it started good today. It is the winch that quits. When the blade won't lift the quad still runs and when I put the battery charger on it, the battery is in the 75% range.
 

Bnorth

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Put in new battery on November 19th and it started good today. It is the winch that quits. When the blade won't lift the quad still runs and when I put the battery charger on it, the battery is in the 75% range.
If you put it in neutral and throttle up will the winch lift the blade?
 

imdoo'n

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I have one with a slow leak. Do you think that might be the problem?

U having prostrate problems? Slow leak!

With the small battery you may have to rev up the motor to get more current into battery, as long as everything else is good. Not enough run time between winch uses


Just my opinion!

You may want to see a doctor with that leak problem though!
 
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daniump

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Something not right with you're quad, been using my 400 sportsman to plow my driveway and my neighbours driveway and several sidewalks for 8 years now. Only changed the battery once. Went with the polaris battery. Even when my battery was dead it would still work fine,just had to pull start it.
 

ferniesnow

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If you put it in neutral and throttle up will the winch lift the blade?

Didn't try that Bandon but i know what you mean. That is what I am thinking also.....................not enough put back into the battery while driving back and forth and working the winch. The question is, what or where do I look to be able to get the battery charging while driving?
 

Bnorth

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New winch may have more amp draw than old one, stator could be getting weak.
 

moyiesledhead

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Check your cables Doug. Sounds like the only thing you haven't replaced. With the winch running check the voltage at the battery, then at the winch. They should be close to the same. If it's much lower at the winch you have a high resistance cable. Gonna need 2 sets of hands though.
 

imdoo'n

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it is a 3500 Polaris winch and the old one was a 2500.

lol, there is likely a difference in amperage draw I would think.

at 0 pull they are close to a draw, but the 2.5 is 162 amp versus the 3.5at 190 amp at full amp draw. on a superwinch winch.
 
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neilsleder

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I would bet a stator or a broken wire in the charging system. Does the battery light turn on?


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