Blown fuses / VTS smoking...

[doberdann1019]

I have had trouble getting my 97 XP to start. Last night I started troubleshooting, looking in the MPEM fuse box I found a blown 15A fuse where the 7.5A VTS fuse should be. At the time I did not realize that it was supposed to be a 7.5A and replaced it with another 15A (which will explain the second part of this posts title).

I also looked in the rear electrical box and found the 15A fuse blown and about 1/4" of water in the bottom of the box. I got the water out and replaced the fuse.

I then tried to start it, plugged in the key and the vts needle bounced (this usually happens, I have never gotten beeps). Nothing happened when I pushed the start button, I hooked up my charger and it showed 50% so I left it on the charger.

Came back about an hour later to check it and I smelled smoke, took the charger off and started to look for the issue. the 15A fuse in the rear electrical box had blown again. I could not figure out where the smoke had come from so I replaced the fuse to see if it would happen again (charger still disconnected).

Pretty soon I heard sizzling and (because it was getting dark) I saw a orange glow coming from behind the VTS module and quickly unplugged the rear electrical box.

The VTS worked when I got the ski, not sure when it stopped working but when I had it in the water last month it was no good.

I took some pictures and realized the MPEM shows which fuses should be where, I had both the VTS and battery fuse over sized, thank you previous owner...

I ripped the exhaust hose out of the way to find a hole in the back of the VTS box.

A small amount of water did come out of the VTS box when I look the cover off.

 

[Coastiejoe]

VTS failure is common and often blows MPEM fuses.

Twin things... Do not charge the battery with the key in place. You didn't say you did so, just making sure as you didn't state you removed the key.

Unplug the VTS. If the fuse no longer blows then you know where the issue is.

Most unplug it and leave it. There are fixe for the VTS. Can get expensive fairly quick though.

 

[doberdann1019]

VTS failure is common and often blows MPEM fuses.

Twin things... Do not charge the battery with the key in place. You didn't say you did so, just making sure as you didn't state you removed the key.

Unplug the VTS. If the fuse no longer blows then you know where the issue is.

Most unplug it and leave it. There are fixe for the VTS. Can get expensive fairly quick though.

Thanks, I did have the key out while charging but I did not know that it shouldn't be in. I will try unplugging it tonight, would the VTS have anything to do with the ski not starting? Nothing was happening when I tried to start it (starter did not try to turn over).

 

[68ragtop]

Yep, The 7.5 fuse up front is only to power the VTS motor. If it blows, its usually becasue the motor is siezed, or shorted out.
If the if a 15A fuse is intalled in place of the 7.5 its very likely to blow the 15A fuse in the coil E-box, but puts a huge risk on damaging
something in the MPEM. The VTS unit going up in smoke doesn't surprise me at all, glad it didn't catch something on fire.

Like Costiejoe said, unplug both harneses from the VTS module, that thing is toast. Replace the fuses with the correct values & see what happens. Hopefully you dodged a bullet with the MPEM. I always disconnect my batteries when charging a drained battery, but will use my 1.5A maintainer if my DESS key is off the post.

 

[68ragtop]

Thanks, I did have the key out while charging but I did not know that it shouldn't be in.

Seadoo has a small little white sticker near the rear hatch seal that warns not to jump start the ski, but it applies to large battery chargers too.

If the 15A blows in the coil e-box your will have no power to anything. Its also possible that after the VTS fried, it shorted the other 5A circuit that supplies power to the relay & gauge fuctions of the VTS. That power comes from the MPEM on a purple wire that also powers your gauges, etc. Make sure the 5A fuse, 2nd from the bottom didn't blow. Good chance it did & it won't start if thats poped.

Lets keep our fingers crossed!

 

[doberdann1019]

Thanks! I will double check all the fuses tonight. Hopefully I can get it running again.

 

[Coastiejoe]

The no charging with the key thing is, once the key is on the DESS it powers up many things via the MPEM.

MPEMs do NOT like voltage / amperage applied to them from an outside source. Smokes them quite often. Expensive mistake. Easy 500 dollar learning curve.