Battery tender/beeping and no start

[96spxpos]

While waiting for my carbs, I put my brand new battery in on Sunday, lubed the cylinders, and crank for a few seconds in 5 minute intervals.. Ski cranked right over, cleared all that fogging oil out, no problem. Even put a bit of heavily premixed gas down the cylinder heads and she fired right up like a beast... THIS WAS SUNDAY.

Considering I may have ran the battery down, I put it on a trickle charger/tender while waiting for my carbs (I left it on the tender while still installed in the ski, I HOPE I didn't screw myself)...
Yesterday, I walked by, tender was green, left it there..walked by tonight and saw it yellow, saying charging. So I UNPLUGGED the tender (I NEVER tried cranking it while on the tender so I'm hoping that is a good thing)

I then went to just see if it would crank..
I got NOTHING from the starter, ALL 4 gauge lights lit up (gas, battery, temp and oil), then if I hit the start 3 or four more times, it made an audible half beep, then a full beep, with the GAS light being lit up, no other light. NOT even the battery light.
I even disconnected the battery, waited, and it did the same exact thing..
I took the battery out in the meantime and have it charging back up on the charger. The water/electrolyte level is fine.
Even two years ago I never heard this ski make any beeps even when I had tons of problems.
So, the million dollar question....
DID I FRY ,Y MPEM?
I will try and upload the vid
Thanks guys

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I doubt the MPEM is fried, if it's a decent tender. I always disconnect the negative battery terminal on Seadoos when charging the battery (just in case!).

You didn't mention the voltage of the battery when you found it with yellow light on but the yellow light was on I'm sure b/c something dragged the battery down. COULD be MPEM (doubtful) but what about something else like a bilge pump or some other electric device that was maybe on and drawing current?

 

[96spxpos]

Thanks for the reply! No bilge pump, connected, JUST put everything back in after redoing and servicing everything. The carbs are the last part.
The MPEM is actual a newer used one, as when I was a novice I made the mistake of jumpstarting it off of a car.
I will find the voltage out tomorrow.
It was just a little odd that I heard that half beep and then the full beep, and then the red gas light was the only light that stayed on...not the battery light?
One thing, when i DID first walk up to the ski, it was quiet, and I heard the battery overflow tube making noise outside the side of the hull where the overflow is... I'm hoping the battery just got overcharged... I mean, why else would the battery vent be making noise?

 

[96spxpos]

Oh and it's a new(er) post and starter button under the post

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

The tender will bring the voltage back up, so we don't know what the voltage was when the problem happened.

Ya know, the battery might be bad too so keep your receipt.

After the battery is charged disconnect the tender and let the battery set disconnected for 24 hours, then read the voltage. At this point the voltage should be at least 12.5 volts and if not either the battery is bad or it's not fully charged. So when experiencing battery problems first thing is you have to measure voltage.

 

[96spxpos]

Ahh! I think I may have the answer !
Considering its a 96 spx and has a non-dess post, I found it odd that I even get a beep at all. And, when it beeps, the gas light is on, like I said.. So I did a little research, googling 96 seadoo spx one beep, and there was all these crappy responses, and thru yahoo answers, this one guys answer was one word: gas.
I know the gas is VERY LOW and is fresh after I replaced the lines and also has treatment in it, but even if a ski is OUT of gas, it should still crank right?
But, this guy says GAS, and my GAS LIGHT was the only light that stayed on...theory makes sense, but the ski not cranking just because there's low/no gas in the ski DOESNT make sense
Thoughts?

 

[96spxpos]

And hooking up my battery tender while in the ski isn't out of ignorance, I KNEW I read it was ok, somewhere on here.. This is straight from the good ol [MENTION=38897]doc[/MENTION]honda so I'm leaning toward it not being the MPEM:

Yes. A small tender doesn't put out much power... but to be safe... DO NOT push the start/stop button while hooked up.

FYI... I hook mine up all winter to a Battery tender JR... without disconnecting the battery.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Yep, it will still crank if no fuel in the tank. See, unless you know the battery voltage was normal then all bets are off concerning beeps. The reason is b/c if the battery voltage was low (say 6 volts for instance) the MPEM will malfunction.

I still think you may have a bad battery.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

And hooking up my battery tender while in the ski isn't out of ignorance, I KNEW I read it was ok, somewhere on here.. This is straight from the good ol [MENTION=38897]doc[/MENTION]honda so I'm leaning toward it not being the MPEM:

Yes. A small tender doesn't put out much power... but to be safe... DO NOT push the start/stop button while hooked up.

FYI... I hook mine up all winter to a Battery tender JR... without disconnecting the battery.

You're welcome to take the chance. Personally, I will take the time b/c battery tenders can fail and I have occasional lightning strikes, and other dirty things happen like trees falling on power lines that can cause voltage spikes.

So if you feel comfortable with the risk then go ahead.

 

[AdamXP800]

Anything over 2.5 amp you need to disconnect atleast the negative terminal. I disconnect mine regardless, not worth frying an MPEM

 

[96spxpos]

Yes,
Makes sense, I just KNEW that I saw it somewhere... like "all the kids are doing it"...
so I'm guessing the gas theory is debunked then? being that it will still crank even if the tank is bone-dry...

when I get home today, If the battery is back to GREEN, (since I didn't check voltage before charging it) I will hook it up and see if the ski turns over again. If it does, I will leave the battery in and monitor the voltage. I will return it if necessary. It has a one year warranty on it, I bought it about 3 months ago, but just added the electrolyte/water and charged it/installed it over the weekend for the first time..

 

[AdamXP800]

It will crank with no gas tank even in the ski, so that is not your issue. Jump the solenoid and see if it turns over

 

[96spxpos]

Yea, Im sure it's not my issue,
I just did a little more research, found 3 other guys with the exact same issue, and all three turned out to be an MPEM :facepalm:

There was also another case where it was the starter solenoid (I hope that isn't it either, as that IS new, I bought a new one first, two years ago when troubleshooting my blown MPEM. It's only been use for about an hour after that solenoid was put it, so I think I can eliminate that theory..

I'm going home on lunch break to give it a try..
Fingers crossed.

 

[Coastiejoe]

I've not gone back and read through all the posts. You need to do a LOAD test on the battery. It can be 12 us volts all day at idle, what is it under a load?

If you jump the solenoid what happens? This test is a big one as it answers many things depending on your answer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[96spxpos]

I will jump the solenoid today at lunch, and I'll report back.
In the meantime, is there a website that actually has a page that tells what all types of beeps/diagnostic tones mean?

Also, a big part of this is that I keep getting 50/50 facts from people..
Since my ski IS a 1996, but its an SPX model and NOT an XP, Do I have a NON-DESS post or not? I was told that if it makes ANY diagnostics beeps like it did, then it is DESS
If the only noise it makes is the overheating buzzer, then it's NON-DESS..which is right?
I was also told that if your post is the magnetic type where the lanyard basically snaps on, that it's NON-DESS, and if it just RESTS on the post like all the newer ones, then it is DESS.
Does anyone know about this, or was 96 really a split year on DESS keys, depending on model?

Thanks a bunch guys!

 

[mikidymac]

IF you have a 1996 SPX green and white then you do not have DESS and the beeper only is for overheating. If your kill switch is a small black button that you can push in you do not have DESS. Sounds like a battery or connection issue to me and a low amp battery tender will not hurt your MPEM.

 

[96spxpos]

ok thanks for the clarification. and I really hope its simply a battery issue,
Also, here is the actual BEEP from last night... no light, but as you can see, the four red lights, then just the one light (GAS) and then the half beep and full beep.
has anyone ever had this?
http://youtu.be/jwTp0VdpKHo

 

[96spxpos]

and by the way, that clicking noise you heard was me hitting the start button, it wasn't the starter.. its a BRAND NEW crisp start button, so it clicks (Its not the button, as it did work since I installed it)

 

[nammer]

not sure if this is ur problem, but in my experience, my batteries were working fine, and then when the trickle charger never stopped, and it kept charging, never turned green, then i had a bad cell in the battery, and after a short while, it wouldn't start my ski anymore

 

[96spxpos]

I think you're right nammer...bc I don't see how the hell a trickle charger goes from green to yellow (still charging)....it was like the cheap small one at walmart, which I guarantee doesn't have like a shut off function..
Headed home now, so we'll see!

 

[Strizzo]

that short/long beep is the sound a DESS ski makes when it goes into self-diagnostic mode. i remember that the non-dess skis could be "upgraded" to DESS with a kit, after which they would forever be a DESS ski. not sure what's happened with yours but perhaps the self test is kicking in for some reason or something in the MPEM has decided its a DESS mpem now.

after 4 presses of the start button, you should get a short- long beep sequence, then you put the key on the post and push the start button. if the ski tries to start, all is good, if not, you get a beep sequence telling you the issue (key not recognized, no key programmed, no key sensed, etc.)

From the 96 manual in section 8: electrical, sub section 6.

1. remove safety lanyard
2. press start/stop button 5 times
NOTE: 1 short, 1 long beep must be heard. They validate the beginning of diagnostic mode.
3. install safety lanyard on watercraft switch
4. press the start/stop button again.
NOTE: if everything is correct, engine will start. otherwise refer to the following chart:

1 long and 1 short beep: No lanyard ever programmed in MPEM

2 short beeps: MPEM cannot read key or magnet is defective

2 long beeps: wrong lanyard or bad connection to DESS wires

3 short beeps: wiring harness of DESS is grounded or there is a short.

were you able to activate the advanced diagnostic via 5 start button presses before? as an FYI, my 95 gtx doesn't activate the gauges when i put the non-dess key on the post, only after starting the ski or pressing the start button twice do i get the gauges to come to life. it sounds like maybe your lanyard post could be bad, or something has possessed the MPEM to think it is now DESS.

 

[68ragtop]

I despise almost every battery tender/charger out there for small power sport batteries. with exception to the battery tender junior (or other Deltran chargers) Maybe a few other exceptions...... Many of them will cook & boil out a good battery & destroy it. But, I don't think that would happen in 24 hours?

Jump the solenoid like mentioned above & see if the battery has enough amperage to spin it over. Then see if there is voltage going to the starter solenoid. Could just be a bad solenoid?

 

[96spxpos]

Strizzo,
Thanks for the info... That is EXACTLY what happens... no lights come on at all when I put the lanyard on, only when I hit the start button a few times..
and, when I did hit the start button about 5 times, that's when I get the 1 short, 1 long beep.

68, I went home on the way to meet someone but I didn't have much time, besides checking the battery.. the battery is back to GREEN now, so I took it off the charger.
When I get home a little after 5 today, I will be able to see what exactly the issue is...

Also, if it is a NON-DESS post, it doesn't matter if you use a magnetic cap lanyard or that plastic 3 prong lanyard, does it? (See pic of what I refer to as a 3 prong lanyard)

 

[96spxpos]

The reason I ask this, is, I always used the black magnetic lanyard, and when I started working on putting humpty dumpty back together, I put the magnetic lanyard on the post, and the cap basically crumbled... So, I had a spare 3 prong lanyard, and THIS is the lanyard I used the other day when I was cranking it over and it worked.

same 3 prong lanyard last night, and then I started experiencing this problem. (btw, I just checked, SBT just delivered my new regular magnetic cap lanyard I bought after mine crumbled)

 

[AdamXP800]

Why did you order a dess lanyard for a non dess ski?