!997 GTX keeps killing new batterys

[riturbo]

So Last season got it up and running near the end of season went to start it to put it away for winter and dead bat .Didnt thin much of it as hadnt ridden it in a few weeks was a new batt only month old .So fast forward dropped it off at my local to have carbs cleaned this season got it back a few weeks ago running great only to find the dreaded piss hole in the exhaust. So no biggie pulled the pipe off and had it repaired .That was last weekend ski started fine .Dont ride it .So go up to the pond this weekend put the key in nothing flat dead . Wouldnt even light off the gauges or beep nothing so i guess something is draining it .Any ideas what to check?

 

[artr]

I think you could do a couple of easy tests if you have a volt meter. First you could measure the voltage when you rev the engine to see if you get 13.5-14V so that you know that the battery is charging while you ride. Second, if your volt meter measures current (amps) you could put it in series with your positive battery terminal with the ski not running and see if there is substantial current draw when the ski sits without the key inserted. There is probably a very small current (maybe 1 mAmp) to keep the clock running which is probably internal to the MPEM. If you see high current draw, then you could try disconnecting various gauges and sensors to see if you can isolate the problem, but the MPEM itself might turn out to be the problem.

 

[emspjay]

My 1996 GTX will run down the battery if it sits for a few weeks not being run. Instead of tracking down the problem I did a quick "fix" and put a disconnect switch on the positive battery cable.

https://www.amazon.com/WATERWICH-12...t=&hvlocphy=9007848&hvtargid=pla-624130013007

 

[riturbo]

I think you could do a couple of easy tests if you have a volt meter. First you could measure the voltage when you rev the engine to see if you get 13.5-14V so that you know that the battery is charging while you ride. Second, if your volt meter measures current (amps) you could put it in series with your positive battery terminal with the ski not running and see if there is substantial current draw when the ski sits without the key inserted. There is probably a very small current (maybe 1 mAmp) to keep the clock running which is probably internal to the MPEM. If you see high current draw, then you could try disconnecting various gauges and sensors to see if you can isolate the problem, but the MPEM itself might turn out to be the problem.

Well my mpem did crap out and I put a used one in last year so maybe that could be a problem. My gauge cluster also stopped working so I guess I should look into that too. Thanks for the reply .

 

[riturbo]

My 1996 GTX will run down the battery if it sits for a few weeks not being run. Instead of tracking down the problem I did a quick "fix" and put a disconnect switch on the positive battery cable.

https://www.amazon.com/WATERWICH-12...t=&hvlocphy=9007848&hvtargid=pla-624130013007

Thanks for the reply . Hope it doesn't come to that hoping I can find the problem . But certainly cheep enough if I have to go that route

 

[emspjay]

Thanks for the reply . Hope it doesn't come to that hoping I can find the problem . But certainly cheep enough if I have to go that route

Did your gauge cluster stop working or is it just unreadable? All my gauges still work but it does not show how many hours are on the machine when I scroll through the menu. I did the OSD Seadoo MFG screen fix this year so I can read everything now. From searching posts on here the compass might be bad and why I can't see how many hours are on the machine, I was thinking maybe the compass is shorted and causing the no hour problem and the short to drain the battery?

 

[riturbo]

Did your gauge cluster stop working or is it just unreadable? All my gauges still work but it does not show how many hours are on the machine when I scroll through the menu. I did the OSD Seadoo MFG screen fix this year so I can read everything now. From searching posts on here the compass might be bad and why I can't see how many hours are on the machine, I was thinking maybe the compass is shorted and causing the no hour problem and the short to drain the battery?

Not really sure when it stopped working . Just noticed it one day >it used to work .Guess ill have to look into it as I thought it really didn't matter .Don't think the gas gauge ever worked since i owned the machine. Hard to tell. It seems to be broken more then it runs . It runs great when it runs but seems like something new over and over . Such a short season around here and only make it to camp on the weekends.