Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Polaris UTV Battery Not Charging

I'll ask this here, hopefully to get more responses. I have a 2013 Polaris Ranger 500, and for the past 6 months I've had to keep the battery on a battery tender, because it wasn't holding charge. I figured the battery was just going bad, so I decided to wait about buying one when it finally died. Last week, I was on the back side of the farm working, and it barely had enough power to start and get me home, so I bought a new battery. Thought that was the problem solved......until today, and the low battery signal started flashing, and again it was slow to start. I'm guessing it's something in the charging system...…..about which I know nothing.

So, does anyone here ever have a similar problem, and if so, would they mind sharing how they went about fixing it. Thanks,

Check alternator output, check for short - turn off lights, ignition, etc and disconnect ground, is there a spark? Could mean an open circuit.

A new battery didn’t solve it....

I had a “charging” problem on my ranger. Found a stick hole in the battery. On the ‘14 800’s it is under the drivers seat. Kinda exposed.

Upgraded to a small car battery.


Prolly no alternator. Charges off a stator.

A friend had one do something like that.

He bought a new battery but still no joy.

Brother in law got to checking and found that the stator was kaput.

Only one side had voltage and the other was about 2 volts.

It only cost about 100.00 for a new one and about an hour to put it in.

Stator is part of an alternator. Makes electricity, charges battery. Should be able to check output.

On my Honda, the thing that would be called the voltage regulator was bad. Honda has another name for it.

It uses a rectifier and a stator.

Yep.
With it running you should have approximately 14 volts dc at your battery’s terminals. If not, work your checks back to stator including the plug in connection from the stator.

Easy enough to check for an Ole farm boy.

Two wires will go to the voltage regulator. Disconnect them, hook up a volt meter and set for AC , start the engine, run up the rpm, you should have approx. 25-30vac. If yes , your voltage regulator is bad. You can also check the regulator output wire to make sure it is ok. Turn the key to on and red lead on red wire and black lead on any ground. You should get battery voltage if all is good. If not , you will need to chase the wire backwards to find the open.

Bad rectifier.

Mice

Check this first, may be a bad battery

My 2018 Ranger has the same problem. This first happened when it was still under warranty and the dealer said that it was only a bad battery. They put in a new one and said it was good to go. The warranty ran out shortly after and the problem returned. I will have to get a friend with a tester to check mine out.

The battery on my atv would not charge or hold charge. My issue was a bad voltage regulator.

check that your brake isn't engaging the brake light switch when sitting. had that happen on a couple rigs here. looked out at night and thought someone was stealing my utv.

This^^^
It's also known as the voltage regulator. I had a bad one on my Honda Rancher and the dealer wanted $140 for it, I got a new one off of Ebay for about $15.

Here's one for your 2001 Ranger 500, $11.

Polaris Rectifier

Thanks for all replies. I'm positive it's not the battery, because this is the second battery that's not charging. Must be the voltage regulator, and in looking at Ebay, prices all over the board, from $12 to $140............and I'm betting they're all just alike. I'm going to see if I can find it, and check for bad wiring, although I already did. Then, I'll go from there. I have never had to work on a charging system for a UTV/ATV before, and anyway, I hate working on an electrical problem on a piece of equipment. Don't mind doing other stuff, and regularly do, but sometimes an electrical problem can cause you to pull out your hair before you find it.

James, if none of our help is......helpful consider going to “PRC Polaris Ranger Club”. A great source of information for any and all Polaris UTV’s. That’s site has helped me more than once! Good Luck! memtb