12V Low - Stator dead, lots of questions

[97SPX]

Ok, 2005 Seadoo GTI LE-RFI. New battery ran for a little over an hour and then said 12V low. Stator appears to be dead. 12.5V across battery when stopped, 12.25 across battery when running. Also there is a 3.9 amp draw on the battery when everything is off. Previous owner warned me to disconnect the battery between uses but 3.0 amps is obviously not normal.

Diagrams I've seen of the stator look pretty complicated in terms of narrowing it down. So, where is the stator assembly in the first place and how do you systematically test it to figure out what to replace.

Any suggestions?

Also, dumb question but is a stator the same as a magneto or is the magneto the equivalent of a coil on an automobile?

 

[Dr Honda]

Also, dumb question but is a stator the same as a magneto or is the magneto the equivalent of a coil on an automobile?

Yes and no. There are differences... but people use the terms interchangeable. We know what you are asking what ever name you give it.


OK... the stator is probably OK. I would be more willing to say your regulator has gone bad. The RFI's are known to kill the OEM regulator. Also... if the regulator goes bad... the stator coils can drain the battery. (The reg is supposed to turn off the circuit when the engine isn't running)

 

[97SPX]

Thanks Doc! Now, how do I find, check and replace the regulator?

 

[Dr Honda]

Should be on the bracket by the MPEM.

 

[97SPX]

Found it and found the guy selling the heavier duty ones online. How do you test the stator and rectifier? I have a meter but need to know what to look for.

 

[Dr Honda]

I will have to double check the wiring on that ski.... but generally... if you take the plug, going back to the engine, with the yellow wires... they should all have the same resistance between any 2... and there should NOT be anything to ground. If that checks... then it's the reg.

 

[Minnetonka4me]

I have a good used OEM replacement available if you need it.

 

[97SPX]

PM me with a price please.

 

[97SPX]

Ok. Checked three yellow wires from stator but checked them at the harness plug going in to the rectifier. I got 0.6 to 0.7 ohms between any two. None of them had continuity to the battery ground. So that's regulator right? Odd thing is that with the stator unplugged and both rectifier plugs unplugged it is still drawing 4amps. Sounds like I need to replace the rectifier just to start out, correct?

 

[spx800]

seems a bit high on the stator readings. i'm pretty sure the manual says below 1 ohm is good, but i remember a member on another forum saying .7 and up was a tad high. however, since the readings are almost identical and there's no resistance to ground i would rule out the stator. it seems the heavy duty rectifiers are decent. i'm going through the same problem on an 01 rx di.

 

[Dr Honda]

As long as it's balanced, and nothing is showing to ground... they are fine. Get a new regulator.

 

[russssellcrow]

Could it not be a whole lot of other things sucking the life out of the battery, besides the regulator? Anything that plugs to the +12V could be fried through the control circuit. Perhaps keep that Ammeter ON while pulling fuses to see if it is something else (a bad bilge sensor drove the bilge pump on my 97 Challenger when there is no water present in the hull). Perhaps a fried Fuel Sensor? Keep unplugging things until the Ammeter drops, then you will have your suspect.

 

[Dr Honda]

Could it not be a whole lot of other things sucking the life out of the battery, besides the regulator?

Well... yes and no.

YES: there could be something else draining the battery....

BUT...

NO: since he isn't charging anyway.


Once the regulator is fixed... if there is still a 3a draw... he will have to search for it.

 

[97SPX]

UPDATE:

I got a rectifier from eBay and installed it. The good news is that the 4 amp draw appears to be gone. The bad news is the stator still does not appear to be charging. 12.25V across the battery just sitting. 12.05V running regardless of RPM. I am going to recheck everything if it ever quits raining. Lastly, I hooked up the new rectifier but did not mount it on the bracket. Does that matter? It doesn't need the bracketto be grounded does it?

 

[97SPX]

I got the new regulator mounted. The current draw is fixed but it is still not charging. Are there any other tests I can run on the stator?

 

[Dr Honda]

Sounds like the regulator is bad.

BUT... open the plug with the 3 yellow wires... and check the voltage across any 2. Be careful to not short out anything. The power coming out will be unregulated AC current.

I never checked it there myself... but I would think you should see around 20 volts AC between 3000 and 5000 RPM.

 

[russssellcrow]

You wrote that it is still not charging...what is the voltage at the battery when the motor is turning 3K RPM?

Most alternator systems output 14.2 to 14.6 Vdc back to the battery. Also, you should have some small component of AC voltage (measure using lower AC Volts range on your meter), usually .050 to .150 Vac. This is because the 3 phases of the alternator coils don't exactly reconstruct into DC voltage after the rectifier. If you are getting over 14Vdc and say .050Vac when revved to 3K, then the charging system sounds good.

If your battery drains back to below 12.0 Vdc it might be the battery has a problem, too. Maybe check the water, and put it on a charger tonight. If you are in a hot climate, this is the time of year when batteries die from molecular bottlenecking.

 

[97SPX]

Is there a specific fuse that has to be working for it to charge properly? Where is it located?

 

[Dennis]

Yes, there is a 15 amp fuse on the module that is inside the front electrical box but check all fuses everywhere including rear electrical box.

 

[97SPX]

Ok, found a manual that says it it one of the two 20 amp fuses in the wiring harness in their own holders. Sound right?

 

[97SPX]

Update. This is twice I have fixed a seadoo by replacing a perfectly good fuse. Go figure. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[skewba98z28]

Good deal! If you do happen to kill a rectifier on your RFI pull the mag cover off and clean the mag itself and the mag cup of all metal shavings. If not you'll do what I did and install a new rectifier and have to buy another because you just fried your new one. I had hella issues with my RFI charging system.

 

[gbone87]

I have a similiar problem with my two 97 gtx's. I bought new regulators for both but the draw is still there. If i unplug a harness going to the infocenter it cuts the draw from 7 amps to 3.5. If I unplug the the harness going to the stator it is completely gone which led me to replace the regulators. What could still be causing this draw? Where should I start and what should I check? I called a local shop here in Florida and they said its a common problem and what they recommend to do is put in battery isolator switches. What do you guys think? thanks for the help in advance.