Electrical problem

[Legarsky56]

For the past few months I have been trying to figure out this electrical problem I have. I bought a 1996 Seadoo spx. When I first bought it it ran great but there were no gauges working at all. So I bought new gauges. After installing them they still did nothing. So I tested my mpem. Turned out that it had a problem. I bought a new aftermarket one and installed it. I forgot to mention that my Seadoo does not have a dess system only a saftey button and a start and stop button. After everything was back together and i also disconnected the vts .I pushed the start button to turn on the electrical system it peeped once and the multifunction switch lit up. Then I fired it up and it ran perfect. But I tried to start it again but nothing happened because the 5 amp fuse blew. I tried it a few time with some fuses but it still blew. I then bought a used electrical box with the harness and it had the oe mpem and everything else. I then bought a used stator from one of the guys on here after installing everything again it does the same thing. The 5 amp just keeps blowing after you try to start it the second time. Does anyone know what I should do other than blow it up. All I want to do is ride it. Lol

 

[Dr Honda]

We see a lot of issues with the aftermarket MPEM's. It may just be bad.

But... try disconnecting the stator power wires, and see if you blow the 5a fuse.

Just an fyi.... I may have a good used OEM MPEM at my shop.

Where in the Da' Burgh are you?

 

[Legarsky56]

That's what I thought about that aftermarket mpem. But I bought a used mpem after the aftermarket one blew and installed it. It kept blowing the 5 am fuse as well. And I know where you are located. If I'm not mistaken you have a shop in Latrobe about 35 min from me.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

I don't know if Dr H can test your MPEM but if he can't send it to Nick aka minnetonka4me and he can test them for you. $20 + shipping to MN.

 

[Minnetonka4me]

Yeah I cant do much with the non dess mpems, I could put it on my harness and see if it still blows the fuses (taking the machine out of the mix). Being that you have had 3 mpems all have the same issue I think its something else.

I just have to ask...you never were jumping/boosting the battery in theses tests correct?

I think you have a short somewhere in the "accessories" side of your MPEM. What you can do is unhook everything connected to the tan and purple wires on the MPEM. They run the beeper, gauges, and VTS. If you are familiar with car stereos, the purple circuit is a positive "switched" circuit and the tan is a negative "switched" circuit meaning those wires only have power once the mpem turns on. On non dess models hit the start button with the teather off. That turns the purple/tan on for 30 seconds.

If you have all those wires unhooked and its still blowing fuses...run a temp ground wire from your battery ground to the ebox ground and retry.

If all that fails...maybe whatever is bad in your machine is actually zapping out the MPEMs. I've never seen or heard anyone have that issue though.

 

[Legarsky56]

Update. I was fooling around today and I thought I would try it again. I put in a 5 amp fuse and I tried it. Everything was working fine. I even tried it throughout the day and nothing went wrong. The only thing I am worried about is that when I first bought my Seadoo I installed a agm powersport battery. The battery has been sitting for a few months and it dropped a few amps . I tested it on the Seadoo while it was running and I got 11.80 off and when I started it it started climbing. But the positive terminal was really hot. I think if I put the battery on a charge and install in fully charged it will start causing problems again.

 

[Dr Honda]

The battery should get hot. The charging system on the seadoo isn't powerful enough to do that.


I would be looking for a short in some other system.

 

[Minnetonka4me]

Yup usually hot wires and connections usually point to rotten wiring, or corroded/loose connections. Your whole scenario points to it...

 

[seadoodoopartsofcf]

Stop throwing parts at it! Disconnect your vts and your accessory plug ins and plug in one circuit at a time...probably a shorted vts motor or wiring..

 

[RodInEscondido]

Yup usually hot wires and connections usually point to rotten wiring, or corroded/loose connections. Your whole scenario points to it...

I completely agree with Nick on this one. Try wiggling your big wires to the battery ... full length and especially at the terminal lugs; if you feel crinkling/crunching/grating at any point, replace the wire. Any indication of corrosion/water damage in any of the wiring deserves similar analysis. Even a few ohms resistance where it should not be can be the difference between a sweet-running machine and one that is flaky or inop.

Wiring problems are such fun ....

Rod