97 XP- The ground inside the VTS gauge is bad. There is a purple(hot) and black wire going to the VTS gauge which does supply power to it. I have no power to the purple wire coming out of the VTS gauge which supplies power to the two other gauges that don't work. Here is the question. I connected the two ground wires coming out of the VTS gauge. Meaning I shorted the two ground wires together. Now everything works. Is that a safe thing to do?
-
This site contains eBay affiliate links for which Sea-Doo Forum may be compensated.
Electrical Question
- Thread starter Mark100
- Start date
- Status
Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
Off the cuff, it would be best if you cold locate and repair the actual broken ground or at least duplicate it with a jumper to the engine block but as long as there's no possibility of a red-hot wire in the case of catastrophic failure, you're probably okay IMO.
Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
My concern beyond safety is some kind of ground loop might occur that damages your MPEM.
I'd have to dig up an electrical schematic, but having a ton of electric motor current looped through the grounding plane of an MPEM PCB probably isn't the best idea. That's my best quick answer.
Or maybe there's a fuse on the ground conductor inside the gauge, kinda weird but I've seen this kind of thing elsewhere at least once. Rates right up there with a PCB mounted fuse inside the fuel tank to limit fuel sender current.
I'd have to dig up an electrical schematic, but having a ton of electric motor current looped through the grounding plane of an MPEM PCB probably isn't the best idea. That's my best quick answer.
Or maybe there's a fuse on the ground conductor inside the gauge, kinda weird but I've seen this kind of thing elsewhere at least once. Rates right up there with a PCB mounted fuse inside the fuel tank to limit fuel sender current.
Last edited:
Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
Can you describe again, I'm confused. It sounds like the common ground for the instrument pod normally runs through the VTS gauge. In the case the VTS gauge ground was internally broken, I'd expect the instrument pod wouldn't function due to the missing ground. Or, you can ignore my curiosity. 
The VST gauge always worked. It is the ground for the other two gauges inside the VTS gauge that the ground is faulted. The power and ground went to the VTS gauge then it is fed to the other two gauges with the same color wires. So it appears the ground coming out of the VST gauge fed the ground coming from the other two gauges. I just stopped ground from the other two gauges from going in the VTS gauge and I connected it to the main ground coming out of the VTS gauge.
Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
Gotcha, in that case I don't think there should be any issue whatsoever. Sounds like a good solution..
- Status
