RTV900 2005 No Electrical Power

[rickholm]

Battery was going bad so I installed a new (Interstate) battery. Prior to the new battery, everything worked. After new battery, no electrical power when after turning key. Cleaned some corrosion on the negative terminal. Checked all fuses with VOM. On starter, power tests 12 volts with VOM (I put the VOM on the negative battery post and the VOM positive on the starter). Frustrating in that battery appears to be making contact but there is no life to the gauges or starting lights. It acts like there is an open/broken wire coming from the battery positive post to the electrical system.

 

[vince1230]

Does it crank over and just no other lights. Do you have power coming into fuse block

 

[rickholm]

Does it crank over and just no other lights. Do you have power coming into fuse block?

Completely dead. When I turn the key absolutely nothing happens. Just thinking, I need to test the slow blow fuse for power with the key on.

 

[vince1230]

Check the slow blow fuse, it's under the fuse box cover on the back of the operator's compartment. The slow blow fuse is on the LH end.
Here is the wiring schematic and location of the fuses.

 

[aurthuritis]

I would wager you have a bad battery. You should load test the battery. You might try putting your volt meter from positive bat terminal to a frame ground and then turn the key to start and see of the 12 volts goes away instantly. Check the ground cable to frame connections.

 

[vince1230]

I thought he stated it was a new battery. But he stated 12 v which is low since most ne should be 12.6 or better.

 

[aurthuritis]

Yep he said he changed a weak battery with a new battery and this is when the no start happens. It is possible to get a bad battery new from store? Check simple things first

 

[bordercollie]

We had to replace a couple of old batteries this year. Even new batteries have been sitting on the shelf a while . We top off our new batteries before installing and have found that very few are even 75% .

 

[rickholm]

Just completed doing some tests:

1. Connected my VOM to the chassis and battery positive post and reads 12.8 volts.
2. Turned the key to start and no changed in voltage (still 12.8 volts)
3. Moved positive probe to starter positive connection and still reads 12.8 volts
4. Moved the positive probe to the slo-blow 60 amp fuse, reads zero volts.

I suspect the cable going from the slo-blow 60 amp fuse to the starter positive connection is bad. Next step is to disconnect the battery and check red cable continuity. I suspect the red cable going from starter to slo-blow fuse could be bad; should be easy to test.

 

[aurthuritis]

Success. Glad you figured it out

 

[vince1230]

Glad you found it. Small tests equals wins to hunt it down.

 

[Smilingreen]

Just completed doing some tests:

1. Connected my VOM to the chassis and battery positive post and reads 12.8 volts.
2. Turned the key to start and no changed in voltage (still 12.8 volts)
3. Moved positive probe to starter positive connection and still reads 12.8 volts
4. Moved the positive probe to the slo-blow 60 amp fuse, reads zero volts.

I suspect the cable going from the slo-blow 60 amp fuse to the starter positive connection is bad. Next step is to disconnect the battery and check red cable continuity. I suspect the red cable going from starter to slo-blow fuse could be bad; should be easy to test.

That may get it going again, but did you find out what caused a 60 fuse to blow to begin with? Was it a bad hot wire connection? Excessive cranking? Hydrolocked engine? Bad insulation on starter motor windings caused by excessive cranking? Did you check your ground cables and ground frame connections? The hot wire is only half of the circuit. If the hot wire was bad and shorted out, you would know it instantly, as you would be seeing some major arcing going on or see evidence of it somewhere on the cable insulation. That cable should be a #8 minimum.