I have four Polaris,s and they eat batteries. I keep them charged, I cant get a battery tender, because they are stored in a barn without power, but I pull them around and hook a charger to them every 2 weeks to a month. They still go dead or die. Iam going to buy some expensive batteries this time, the ones with a 3 year warranty and see how they do. Its a Polaris thing, because the Battery in my Kawasaki, just a regular Champion battery, not even name brand, can sit for months and hit the starter and its fine. I see other atvs hold their starters for 5 minute intervals and the battery keeps cranking, even with new batteries, if the polaris does not start on the third try, your useing the rope. There is room on them, Iam thinking about putting a small car battery on them, do you think the charging system would be able to keep a full size auto battery charged, its still a 12 volt system, so it should put out enough to keep a car battery charged right? I just dont want to go to all the trouble of making a battery box and mounts where the small battery was and find myself in the same problem, and ideas?
Atv batteries and Polaris
- Thread starter Panzerman
- Start date
- Status
I wonder if there is a drain on them even with the bikes off?
MolaKule
Staff member
That's what I am thinking. Sounds like the charging diode in the alternator section of the field coil is leaky.
I doubt if all 4 have the same problem........But these are Polaris buit stuff so anything is possible.
I think they are just built this way and Polaris thinks that they will be used every day or so to keep the batteries charged.
I think that the only way to fix this is to unhook the batteries when not in use or to put a switch on the negative battery cable like they do with equipment.
I think they are just built this way and Polaris thinks that they will be used every day or so to keep the batteries charged.
I think that the only way to fix this is to unhook the batteries when not in use or to put a switch on the negative battery cable like they do with equipment.
MolaKule
Staff member
Or put a trickle charger on them.
I cant put a trickle charger on them, because where I store them, in a barn, theres no power. I was thinking about one of those power cutoff switchs though, I think Ill try that. I ended up buying one of those new AB something batteries, newest ones out, Iam going to see how it does. I think Polaris has too big of starters on them for all the battery they have. You listen to a Honda or Yamaha, and they make a little electric spinning sound, you hear a Polaris starter and it sounds like a Detroit firing off. I think the starters kill the batteries. That and I read that all atvs with the lights on discharge the batteries, none make enough power at idle with the light on to charge the system, thats all makes. You would think they would have a better system with all the electric doodads they make for them.
i am sold on the Battery Tender Junior. I use it on my trolling motor battery and four wheeler battery year round with temps down to -30F and up to 95F and have been using the same batteries for a long time now. One of the best inventions I have seen in awhile for powersports batteries.
All the points you make about not being able charge with the lights on at idle and too big of a starter doesn't make any sense about why the battery would go dead shut off. You obviously have something wrong that is drawing the battery down. I have a Polaris and know many people that don't have battery problems.
Did you have any accessories (like a winch) installed when you bought them? That is usually where current draw problems come from. Don't waste your money on an expensive battery, you need to fix the problem or you are just going to kill a more expensive battery and be out more money. Throwing bigger and better batteries is just going to take longer to go dead, but it won't fix your problem.
Use an ammeter to check for stray current when the key is off.
Did you have any accessories (like a winch) installed when you bought them? That is usually where current draw problems come from. Don't waste your money on an expensive battery, you need to fix the problem or you are just going to kill a more expensive battery and be out more money. Throwing bigger and better batteries is just going to take longer to go dead, but it won't fix your problem.
Use an ammeter to check for stray current when the key is off.
I have seen others on ATV boards complaining of battery problems with Polaris so there must be something amiss with some of them.
fwiw - The Ever-Start Walmart M/C batteries are made by Yusa. The oem battery in my Honda Rincon is a Yusa battery with Honda name on it.
fwiw - The Ever-Start Walmart M/C batteries are made by Yusa. The oem battery in my Honda Rincon is a Yusa battery with Honda name on it.
Originally Posted By: Mike_dup1
I have seen others on ATV boards complaining of battery problems with Polaris so there must be something amiss with some of them.
If that is the case then I wouldn't be throwing more money at it with an expensive battery that will die anyway. There is a reason for the current draw and it needs to be fixed, or else dissconnect the battery by pulling the cable or installing a cut-off switch.
I have seen others on ATV boards complaining of battery problems with Polaris so there must be something amiss with some of them.
If that is the case then I wouldn't be throwing more money at it with an expensive battery that will die anyway. There is a reason for the current draw and it needs to be fixed, or else dissconnect the battery by pulling the cable or installing a cut-off switch.
After doing a little research and comparison, it looks like Polaris just puts to small a battery on there. There batteries are only 190 cca while Honda and Kawasaki are in the 200 to 300 cca. Another problem is Polaris puts there starters at the bottom of the engine on all there two stroke models which is most suspecable to water and debris. Iam going to change some things, one a bigger battery and second a drain hose from the starter drain plug, that I can drain water without removing the skidplate with a one way valve. I used a volt meter and there is no drain on the batteries with the key off, its just a bad design and under powered battery, why I dont know, there is enough room to put a full size car battery in there.
Last edited:
Drop in a 1000 CCA Interstate and problem solved.
I went to Harbor Frieght and bought four floating battery chargers, $4.99 a piece, full autos, I hooked the Polaris's up in the garage and pulled the two batteries in the barn and hooked them up in the Florida room. Ill see if this works. If this does not I swear, Iam gonna put two 1000 cca marine batteries on across the back racks and be done with it.
- Status