Is this common, My Ranger will not run if I disconnect the battery leads

[Buford_Dawg]

My Ranger died on me this weekend, I jump started it off my truck battery and it started fine, but as soon as I disconnected the battery cable from my truck battery, it would stop running. I would have thought it would have kept running fine like my truck would. I guess my polaris is different.

 

[NE GA Pappy]

Sounds like a dead battery and a charging system that is not working

 

[JustUs4All]

Yep, if alternator is not working everything is fine till the battery drains then there is no electricity.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

That’s the way we used to check alternators.....start them up...pull the hot wire and it dies = bad alternator. You are running straight off of the battery. When the battery dies.....your walking ( most Ford owners are used to that tho I reckon ).

 

[Taco4x4]

My sons Mercury Optimax will not run with a low cranking battery. Its some kind of a safe mode that protects the motors electronics. He had to troll back one day because it would not stay running when jumped. I googled it and sure enough safe mode. A new battery and good to go.

 

[benellisbe]

I have always tested the alternator by cranking it and pulling the negative lead... this test is not recommend on alternators however. It was more for Generators back in the pre ECM/ECU days, but you can damage an alternator by doing this test. Alternators are internally regulated and the battery helps output voltage conditioning (if you will) to the 12v electronics in your vehicle.

 

[Taco4x4]

What outboard are we talking about. Year make model.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

So, Polaris tells me the battery has to have enough power to kick on the ECM otherwise it will not run on a run down battery. Also, these things use a Stator instead of a alternator, probably similar, I have no clue really. Regardless, what I experienced was how it should work. New battery and I good to go, did tell them I was not happy with a battery only lasting 18 months, they agreed, and helped me split on the cost.

 

[transfixer]

So, Polaris tells me the battery has to have enough power to kick on the ECM otherwise it will not run on a run down battery. Also, these things use a Stator instead of a alternator, probably similar, I have no clue really. Regardless, what I experienced was how it should work. New battery and I good to go, did tell them I was not happy with a battery only lasting 18 months, they agreed, and helped me split on the cost.

Did they check it to see that the stator was actually putting out voltage ?

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Did they check it to see that the stator was actually putting out voltage ?

I just ran up there and picked up the battery, will keep eye on the battery voltage as we use it at camp over the next 3 months.

 

[transfixer]

I just ran up there and picked up the battery, will keep eye on the battery voltage as we use it at camp over the next 3 months.

Reason I ask is I'm thinking if your stator isn't putting out the correct voltage , that could be why your battery failed in a fairly short time ?

 

[Boondocks]

I had that happen with my Ranger 570 .Less than a year old.Put in a marine battery and still went dead when riding it.Took it to Polaris shop and told them to fix it or keep it.They put a new stator and wiring harness on it.Been good or 3 years now.I had the extened warrentry on it too.Make them fix it right.

 

[JustinR06]

I just ran up there and picked up the battery, will keep eye on the battery voltage as we use it at camp over the next 3 months.

Polaris batteries are garbage, mine made it about 18 months and had a buddy who's didn't even make it a year. I replaced mine with a odyssey extreme pc925 and it cranks so much faster and no issues running a winch and led lights. It was a little pricey but beats a dead battery once a year.

 

[JohnK]

Put a meter across the battery poles. When you start the motor it will read another 1.5 volts or so if it's getting charged.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Put a meter across the battery poles. When you start the motor it will read another 1.5 volts or so if it's getting charged.

Yes sir, I did that earlier this week several times and it is doing exactly as you say, had seen that posted on one of the Polaris UTC forums as a good way to check. I think I am in good shape at this point.

 

[Darien1]

Mine wouldn't start this week. I replaced the battery first and still nothing. Finally tracked it down to the starter. This is a 2015 570 4x4 full size. The starter was buried in the engine area and took forever to get it out, but sure enough it looked like it had had a forest fire inside of it.