Battery not charging

[rj2763]

just got this 1990 sea doo SP and my battery dies after about 20 min of riding I got a manual and the wiring above the batery box looks a little hacked and thrown together with some wires wires not connected to anything. I will be looking at the wiring diagram tonight I am new to jet skis. would the ski even start if it was wired weird? I get a spark so I am hoping that its not my stator I really dont want to have to mess with the fly wheel and all that stuff if it may not even fix the problem. so could it be the way its wired in the box above the battery or could it be something else?

 

[Dr Honda]

hacked wiring can still work. (sometimes)

Get a meter, and check the stator for an open, ground, or excessive resistance. Most likely thing is that the regulator is bad. (or not hooked up)

 

[rj2763]

is the regulator in the box on the side of the motor or is it in the box that sits on the battery?

 

[rj2763]

never mind I found it its in the box on the battery all that stuff looks looks like a big mess of wires I am wondering does power leave the battery and go through the regulator/rectifier or dose it come out of the magneto case and go through the regulator/rectifier (which common sense tells me its the later hence the charging of my battery). anyway if i test the leads coming out of the magneto going to the regulator what should they read?