Im not much of an expert when it comes to my xplorer i bought it used and i've been able to keep up with maintenance but my Lights died some time ago and I'm stumped.. i baught a new battery it was due for one , but was not the problem. i checked all the wire connections on the front panel and near the battery today and cleaned them of debris and rust. i went to reconnect the battery and it started to spark ..

i cant imagine thats a good thing.. i can run it without the battery but i would like to have lights if i get stuck in the bush , i cant afford to bring it in. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

These old models had magneto triggered ignitions and didn't need a battery to run. The battery was only for the starter,lights,cooling fan,etc. Possible you have a short at the terminal board or a bad ground. Plus you may have had the connections reversed. Just recheck the cables and terminal connections on the board. Here's good manual with wiring schematics and trouble shooting guides that can help also.http://visit.tradebit.com/visit.php/...75/264162958/9 Plus lights are the first thing to go when running without a battery or a dead battery that can't hold a charge. Voltage from the regulator has to go some where and if the battery can't take it bulbs offer the least resistance and can blow from the voltage surge. Once you have the problem solved and battery installed,check that the regulator is charging around 14 volts or so back to the battery while at a high idle.