awesome site! I have an electrical issue that is stumping my local polaris mechanics, maybe you can help. The problem I have is that all lightbulb elements MELT vs. blow out when I apply power to headlights or to the winch system. I thought it was the battery so I replaced it, all was working well, running the engine and headlights on till I reved up the engine and then they all got real bright and did the same. I put the meter leads directly into the lamp plug, at idle I was getting good reading, when I applied the throttle, there was an increase in voltage, up to 30v, so I replaced the voltage regulator, still doing the same. Anyone have ideas? I have checked all the obvious like grounds, shorts, cut wires, etc and do not know where to go from here....thanks!

 

Check the voltage at the battery and see if it jumps to around thirty volts there,if not then check and see where the lighting is pulling its power from,could be the lights is hooked to the stator before the voltage regulator.

 

thanks for the reply, I did check it there, also increases as I increase throttle...

 

stator voltage is going higher that the regulator can handel then burns the regulator out???? just a guess. or check the voltage before the regulator see what that is then go to the other side of the regulator and check. or for some reson there is a shorted stator wire to the frame/ground....

im just guessing tho.

 

Possible bad new regulator toooo.

 

Thanks for the replies. Is there a common method to check to see if either is bad? The manuals I read have a troubleshooting guide to see if output is low on the regulator , not high. I am not sure how to check the stator , isolating it as the culprit. Thanks again....

 

Possibly one of the auto parts houses can check that reg. if not take it to one of the local dealers and they should be able to check it off the machine.
I know nothing about checking the stator but possibly someone in here might.

 

The stator can't put out more voltage than it is supposed to. The regulator brings it back down to 12 to 14 volts DC.

You either have a bad regulator, bad wiring going to the regulator, a completly dead battery or a main ground is off.

 

It has been a while but I forgot to tell my results. Ended up being a capacitor in the stator that lost a connection and was shorting out inside the stator. Was a bit of a challenge to find one, once I did I bought 2 additional for the ATV repair shop that was helping me and it fixed 2 other machines that had the same issue.