Help! This time for real... viper won't charge

[Martens199]

So I made it out on the trip but today my battery died on the hill and couldn't start the sled. It randomly started ( barely) after sitting and playing with the battery cables. At 11.3 v. Got on and started driving then the sled died and flashed a code. Didn't have time to catch the code number.
Getting the battery charged now but I'm in Revelstoke so I don't have much for testing.
Now the voltage on the screen is at 10.5 v
Any Ideas?

 

[cannondale27]

If it started after playing with the cables look there. If cables were loose it probably wasn't charging battery as you were riding.

 

[Martens199]

Yeah I tightened all the connections. But when it did have it started it showed the same voltage just slowly dropping.

 

[Mtnviper]

Possibly a dead cell in the battery. I've seen batteries with a dead cell, cause the charging system to not function correctly.

 

[cannondale27]

There is also a fuse.

 

[nherbst454]

Possible stator issue?

 

[Martens199]

Where is the fuse? Nothing in the main box

 

[Martens199]

There is also a fuse.

Where is the fuse? Then main box only has main battery and isc

 

[Martens199]

Well I put in a known good battery from another sled we have here and once started it still only shows the battery voltage. No charging.

 

[Mtnviper]

Main battery fuse is the one that goes to the voltage regulator and is battery positive power to the regulator.
I would check the connections to the regulator/rectifier. It's a finned aluminum box down in the nose of the sled on the right (muffler side) of the frame. Should be 2 connectors to it. One will have Black and Red/white wires going to it. The Black is ground, the Red/White will be B+ voltage from the main battery fuse. The other connector should have 3 yellow wires going to it and those are the ones from the stator.

When testing between the 3 yellow stator wires you will need a AC volt meter. According to the manual when testing between the yellow stator wires (three tests total) there should be 36-44 AC volts at 2500 to 3000 RPM at the regulator/rectifier connector.
Regulator/rectifier is what converts the AC output voltage from the stator to DC charging voltage.

 

[Martens199]

Ok I will take a look down there. So the fuse will be fine since the sled starts? Cause the "battery" fuse in the black fuse box is good. If we are talking about the same fuse. I also notice when disconnecting the battery from my buddies viper his sparked when connecting, mine does not.
To bad I don't have my multimeter here

Main battery fuse is the one that goes to the voltage regulator and is battery positive power to the regulator.
I would check the connections to the regulator/rectifier. It's a finned aluminum box down in the nose of the sled on the right (muffler side) of the frame. Should be 2 connectors to it. One will have Black and Red/white wires going to it. The Black is ground, the Red/White will be B+ voltage from the main battery fuse. The other connector should have 3 yellow wires going to it and those are the ones from the stator.
When testing between the 3 yellow stator wires you will need a AC volt meter. According to the manual when testing between the yellow stator wires (three tests total) there should be 36-44 AC volts at 2500 to 3000 RPM at the regulator/rectifier connector.
Regulator/rectifier is what converts the AC output voltage from the stator to DC charging voltage.

 

[Mtnviper]

I believe so yes. Yes talking about the same fuse.
Also when you check the regulator connectors, I would disconnect them and see if any motor oil runs out. I had that happen on my Nytro once where oil was wicking it's way up through the wiring from the stator and into the regulator/rectifier.

 

[Martens199]

I believe so yes. Yes talking about the same fuse.
Also when you check the regulator connectors, I would disconnect them and see if any motor oil runs out. I had that happen on my Nytro once where oil was wicking it's way up through the wiring from the stator and into the regulator/rectifier.

Yeah I will disconnect and examine. I did with every other connector. But I didn't see the regulator/rectifier box. So I will look for it in the morning.

 

[Mtnviper]

Yeah, it's buried down in there opposite side from the ECU. If you take the right side steering boot off, you might be able to reach up in there to the connectors.
Otherwise you'll probably have to pull some pieces off from the top to gain access to it.

Good luck, hopefully it's something simple like a loose connection.

 

[Martens199]

Yeah, it's buried down in there opposite side from the ECU. If you take the right side steering boot off, you might be able to reach up in there to the connectors.
Otherwise you'll probably have to pull some pieces off from the top to gain access to it.

Good luck, hopefully it's something simple like a loose connection.

Thankyou Mtnviper!!! Found a connector loose on the regulator/rectifier! I will be riding today!