2003 Wolverine 350 Voltage Leak
#1
06-29-2017, 03:12 PM
2003 Wolverine 350 Voltage Leak
Hi Everyone,
I'm dealing with a voltage leak issue on my 2003 Wolverine 350. After sitting parked for a week, the battery will drain almost completely. When I attempt to start it, i get that dreaded "buzz" and no action from the starter. At first, I thought it may be the heated grips, so I disconnected those. No dice at all.
Any thoughts on where to check next?
I'm dealing with a voltage leak issue on my 2003 Wolverine 350. After sitting parked for a week, the battery will drain almost completely. When I attempt to start it, i get that dreaded "buzz" and no action from the starter. At first, I thought it may be the heated grips, so I disconnected those. No dice at all.
Any thoughts on where to check next?
#2
06-29-2017, 03:20 PM
Polaris ATV Expert
Retired and loving it!
Retired and loving it!
Charge the battery up over night and have it load tested.Even a new battery can be faulty. Any auto supply can do it or you can do it yourself. If the battery checks out or you replace it,check that while running the battery shows around 14 volts or so to test that the regulator is working ok. You can get more life out of one by keeping the battery on a tender also.
Take a Voltage Reading
The voltage of a battery is a good way to determine the state of charge. Here's a handy table with the breakdown:
State of Charge Voltage
100% 12.7 - 13.2
75% 12.4
50% 12.2
25% 12.0
Discharged 0 - 11.9
If your battery is reading 0 volts, chances are the battery experienced a short circuit. If the battery cannot reach higher than 10.5 volts when being charged, then the battery has a dead cell. If the battery is fully charged (according to the battery charger) but the voltage is 12.4 or less, the battery is sulfated. Sulfation is the natural byproduct when the battery discharges. Naturally, re-charging the battery will reverse the sulfation crystals and turn it back into electrolyte, ready to produce power again. But if a battery sat, uncharged, severely discharged, and/or drained for extended periods of time, the sulfation will increase in size and harden onto the plates. This covers the surface area of the plates, removing the chemicals needed to produce power. Sulfation decreases the potential to reach a full charge, and it self-discharges the battery quicker than normal. Charging a sulfated battery is like trying to wash your hands while wearing gloves. At this point, charging alone will not restore the battery to a healthy condition. The majority of replacement battery purchases occur when the original battery has reached this point.
3) Load Test the Battery
Your local automotive shop is more than able to load test your battery for you. But it's quite easy to do at home. All you need is a digital voltmeter. For any load test to be accurate, the battery must be fully charged. Let's use a motorcycle battery for an example. Remove the seat and expose the battery in your bike so that you have access to the terminals. Do not disconnect the battery because you will attempt to start the bike. Hold the prongs of your voltmeter to the correct terminals on the battery. Now push the starter button and watch what the voltage drops to. It doesn't matter if the bike starts or not, what you're looking for is a voltage reading.
DC Voltage on a healthy 12 volt motorcycle battery should maintain a range from 9.5 - 10.5 volts under the load for a good 30 seconds straight. If the battery begins to hold and then steadily drops in voltage, there is a problem. If the voltage instantly drops to 0 volts, that is also a problem. We call this the open cell. On a new battery, this can be a result of manufacturing flaws, but it also may be caused by sulfate crystal buildup. Under the intense heat of the load, one or more of the weld pieces connecting the cells is coming loose and separating. This will cut the current, and voltage will drop. When the battery cools off, the pieces will touch, barely giving a complete connection. This gives you a false voltage reading. Batteries with open cells may read fully charged in idle, but they fail under a load test every time. Once a battery reaches this point, there is no going back. The best thing to do is recycle the thing.
Take a Voltage Reading
The voltage of a battery is a good way to determine the state of charge. Here's a handy table with the breakdown:
State of Charge Voltage
100% 12.7 - 13.2
75% 12.4
50% 12.2
25% 12.0
Discharged 0 - 11.9
If your battery is reading 0 volts, chances are the battery experienced a short circuit. If the battery cannot reach higher than 10.5 volts when being charged, then the battery has a dead cell. If the battery is fully charged (according to the battery charger) but the voltage is 12.4 or less, the battery is sulfated. Sulfation is the natural byproduct when the battery discharges. Naturally, re-charging the battery will reverse the sulfation crystals and turn it back into electrolyte, ready to produce power again. But if a battery sat, uncharged, severely discharged, and/or drained for extended periods of time, the sulfation will increase in size and harden onto the plates. This covers the surface area of the plates, removing the chemicals needed to produce power. Sulfation decreases the potential to reach a full charge, and it self-discharges the battery quicker than normal. Charging a sulfated battery is like trying to wash your hands while wearing gloves. At this point, charging alone will not restore the battery to a healthy condition. The majority of replacement battery purchases occur when the original battery has reached this point.
3) Load Test the Battery
Your local automotive shop is more than able to load test your battery for you. But it's quite easy to do at home. All you need is a digital voltmeter. For any load test to be accurate, the battery must be fully charged. Let's use a motorcycle battery for an example. Remove the seat and expose the battery in your bike so that you have access to the terminals. Do not disconnect the battery because you will attempt to start the bike. Hold the prongs of your voltmeter to the correct terminals on the battery. Now push the starter button and watch what the voltage drops to. It doesn't matter if the bike starts or not, what you're looking for is a voltage reading.
DC Voltage on a healthy 12 volt motorcycle battery should maintain a range from 9.5 - 10.5 volts under the load for a good 30 seconds straight. If the battery begins to hold and then steadily drops in voltage, there is a problem. If the voltage instantly drops to 0 volts, that is also a problem. We call this the open cell. On a new battery, this can be a result of manufacturing flaws, but it also may be caused by sulfate crystal buildup. Under the intense heat of the load, one or more of the weld pieces connecting the cells is coming loose and separating. This will cut the current, and voltage will drop. When the battery cools off, the pieces will touch, barely giving a complete connection. This gives you a false voltage reading. Batteries with open cells may read fully charged in idle, but they fail under a load test every time. Once a battery reaches this point, there is no going back. The best thing to do is recycle the thing.
#3
06-29-2017, 03:24 PM
Thanks for the detailed reply! The machine is out of state, but I'll be able to test this weekend.
I bought a new battery last year, so hopefully, that's not the issue. I used to leave the machine on a tender, but since moving it, I no longer have electricity to where it's stored.
I'll charge up the battery and report back on what the results are.
I bought a new battery last year, so hopefully, that's not the issue. I used to leave the machine on a tender, but since moving it, I no longer have electricity to where it's stored.
I'll charge up the battery and report back on what the results are.