[heysteve05]

hi i have a 1998 honda trx300ex and im having some problems. well i believe im having a problem with my stator with the engine running i get around 8-9 volts at the battery. is there any way i can test this? im getting tired of having to use the battery charger to start and ride

 

[heysteve05]

so i was just out running it and put the volt meter on the battery and i get 8-9 at idle with the headlights off but the strange thing is i get 13-14 volts at the battery with the lights on.. only at idle tho when i give it any throttle it drops down to 9 any thoughts?

 

[Helmut]

so i was just out running it and put the volt meter on the battery and i get 8-9 at idle with the headlights off but the strange thing is i get 13-14 volts at the battery with the lights on.. only at idle tho when i give it any throttle it drops down to 9 any thoughts?

Sounds like a bad regulator/rectifier.

 

[heysteve05]

how would i go about testing the regulator?

 

[Helmut]

how would i go about testing the regulator?

Here's procedures for checking the alternator/stator, in case you need them.

 

[heysteve05]

wow that seams pretty complex but ill try to figure that out tomorrow. would the regulator being bad explain why i have more voltage with the lights on at idle?

 

[heysteve05]

oh if possible does any one have a total wireing diagram for this machine? thanks for all the help already

 

[Helmut]

wow that seams pretty complex but ill try to figure that out tomorrow. would the regulator being bad explain why i have more voltage with the lights on at idle?

Yeah, that's how the regulator usually does when it's bad. The regulator senses that it needs more power when you turn the lights on, so it charges more. Make sure the battery is good and fully charged, though. If the battery is good and fully charged, I'm pretty sure it's the regulator/rectifier.

 

[heysteve05]

ok so before i go and buy something i dont need. would a bad battery cause the same problems? i assumed if the stator/regulator were both good ide see 12-14 volts comeing into the battery even tho its bad

 

[Helmut]

oh if possible does any one have a total wireing diagram for this machine? thanks for all the help already

I just saw this. Yes, I have a wiring diagram.

 

[Helmut]

ok so before i go and buy something i dont need. would a bad battery cause the same problems? i assumed if the stator/regulator were both good ide see 12-14 volts comeing into the battery even tho its bad

It's possible, sometimes they act differently. The only sure way to know is to check each component starting with the battery. That being said, if I were going to guess based on my past experiences of working on ATVs, I would say the regulator/rectifier is bad. But the only way to know for sure is to test everything. Start with the battery, first, because the other tests won't be accurate if the battery is bad or discharged.

 

[heysteve05]

ok i will get a new battery asap and continue testing from there. thanks so much for all the help already and thanks so much for the diagram

 

[heysteve05]

well i got a new battery today. im going to put it in and do some testing.. hopefully that was my only problem and i dont need a regulator... haha ill know soon enough tho

 

[heysteve05]

well i put the battery in and checked the chargeing system and im super happy.. it appears to be chargeing.. thanks so much helmut!

 

[Helmut]

well i put the battery in and checked the chargeing system and im super happy.. it appears to be chargeing.. thanks so much helmut!

That's great, glad you got it fixed.

 

[heysteve05]

ok so one more small problem.. when i installed the new battery with the bike in neutral i knoticed that with the key off or on that the green neutral light is on. and when the engine is running the key does not shit the quad off.. any ideas

 

[Helmut]

ok so one more small problem.. when i installed the new battery with the bike in neutral i knoticed that with the key off or on that the green neutral light is on. and when the engine is running the key does not shit the quad off.. any ideas

It sounds like your key switch is bad and not cutting off. You can test it with an ohmmeter.

 

[heysteve05]

so basically your saying it thinks its on all the time?

 

[Helmut]

so basically your saying it thinks its on all the time?

If you turn the key off and the neutral light is still on and it don't shut the ATV off, that's what it sounds like to me. When you get done riding, better unhook the battery cable or it will run your battery down.

 

[shadetree]

sounds like a bad key switch..or one of the wires is not pluged in to shut the bike down..soo..if this is the case..then this is what is draining your battery, check your switch out..replace it..or find out what wire is not pluged in..or at all.