2007 Polaris Sportsman 800 with winch Blowing fuses

[royjl42 10]

so about a month ago my machine wouldnt start up. click click click everytime. so immediately im thinkin starter solenoid. then im thinking its cold out and i did do some work to the lighting and had them running without the engine on so it prol drained the battery down. well i hooked it up to my trickle charger charged her up good to go. or so i thought. couple nights ago we had a big storm. i set out to plow the driveway like i do every storm got about 10 mins into it went to go real the winch in and everything blacked out and it shut off completely. now nothing when i turned the key. no lights no gauges nothing. so it being 11 at night i just shoved it off to the side and called it a night. in the am ripped it apart and discovered it was only a 20 amp fuse. psyched replaced the fuse started up no prob. put the plow back on and went to winch it up...nothing from the plow switch. nothing all around. the quad starts up fine but i have nothing in the winch department. checked all the wires nothing burnt or melted. again thinking solenoid, or perhaps even the conductors? what do u guys think...nebody ever experience anything like this before?

[potownatv 10]

I have to ask. What was the 20 Amp fuse in line to protect? Sounds like something is bleeding/leaking voltage somewhere. Is the solenoid clicking when you push the winch switch?

[BuckBilly 19]

<P>Wire brush all the connections for the winch and solenoid. Also the stater my not be putting out enough juice. Leave the battery tender on all the time its not in use. Try plowing with no headlights. Buy a cross over pulley for your winch, it gives twice the pulling power and makes it easier on the winch.</P>

[outlander560 10]

yea i agree with buckbilly... and a snatch block will do wonders for ur winch

[royjl42 10]

to tell ya the truth i dont even know what the fuse was protecting. theres only 4 up front 2 20's a 15 and a 5. as far as all the wires there still brand new its only an 07 with limited corrosion on only one which i did clean off. where would the stater be located on a sportsman? im not too too familiar with the electrical on these. thanks guys for the info...keep em comin with things i could do cause i really dont wanna bring it down to the dealer with the economy being the way it is...kinda strapped for cash!!

[hobbles 10]

Mornin royjl42

What kind/brand of winch is it? Not sure what model your quad is but does it have a diagnostic mode in it? Check and see what what the voltage is on the battery before it's started and again when it's running then again at 2500 to 3000 rpm's

Edited January 23, 2009 by hobbles

[royjl42 10]

the winch is a polaris brand winch...came with the quad. i believe its either a 2500 or a 3000 i forget??? my quad is an 07 sportsman 800 efi deluxe. ill check the computer i dont believe it gives me much of a diagnostic. it says check engine every once in a while but i think thats more on the lines of it hasnt been cleared cause i did my own 100 hr fluid swap and checklist. im not sure where im leaning and i would hate to just keep buying the wrong part if it were something simple or stupid. i gotta just sit down with the thing and rip it apart but again im so vague on the electrical im sure ill miss something so ne little bit helps from u guys. thanks again keep em comin

[hobbles 10]

Mornin royjl42

Don't know if this will help but it can't hurt to post it any way I reckon.

...click Warn Industries - 2006 Recall And Replacement Notice: Contactor ...

And with your quad you can run a diagnostic. test on it, Instead of doin all the book tells you to do just try it this way.

Put it in neutral, (if you turn the key on to do this then turn it off and wait 10 seconds before you go on) hold the yellow button in (left handle bar) and turn the key on and off as fast as you can one time, Wait 2 seconds keepin the yellow button in, then turn the key on and wait. First it will give you the version of the software,(you can let the button out now) Then it will give you the volts of your battery. It should read in the 12's. Now start it up and it should read higher volts. Now rev it up to bout 2500 or 3000 RPM's and it should go higher yet. Mine gets to the low 15 when I do that. What we are doin is checkin out your stator and voltage regulator.

Edited January 23, 2009 by hobbles

[royjl42 10]

that was good advice hobbles i finally figured out how to set my clock...well i never actually looked but now its set...lol. did what ya said, it read 12.3 before engine start went up to 14 at idle which i believe was right around 1800ish...went to 25-3000 and it peaked at about 14.8. so thats what i got...what should i do now...lol...ur the boss let me know

[hobbles 10]

Evenin royjl42

Well, the volts sound right. Your idle sounds a lil high tho. I do believe it should be at 1150.

Did you check the web site I sent and seen if you have the 4 or 8 post Contactor? I have noticed on this board when I post a word which is a link, it don't show up to good. On mine ( I get it wet) ((click on the word wet)) I put that electric grease an all my plug in, and there's a lot of em . That helped a lot of my problems. Your chargin system seems to be workin ok and your battery seems good.

[hobbles 10]

Just in case it turns out to be the Contactor, Moto Alliance - ATV Viper Winch & Accessories

I have their tires. set $145.00

These are cheaper , if they will work with the one you have.

Edited January 24, 2009 by hobbles

[royjl42 10]

little update. checked out my rpms for my previous post it idles in at about 1280-1300 regularly. not sure cause its an 800 if it would be diff than most. i checked the winch switch with the solenoid and there is no clicking from the solenoid when the switch is switched. does nebody know where the contactor is on a sportsman. i cant locate it without having to prob rip everything apart and we do have a storm sopesedly brewing 2night so looks like a shovel for me!

[royjl42 10]

so get this. we were all wrong but very helpful. i went to go plow the driveway last week. what i have been doing since the winch doesnt work is just very strategically plowing and having to just back drag off into seperate piles already plowed...lol. sucks and looks crappy but at least its plowed. so i go to start the machine nothing. so im thinking battery again cause we havent gotten snow in a while so i hook it up to the trickle charger give it an hr or 2 and go back to her. still nothing. just by chance i was holding a lil pressure on the kill switch and as i did i heard the comp kick on. yatzee!! so i solved the reason she wouldnt start. thats cool. took me about 45 mins to remove the stupid handle grip take the kill switch/lite switch box off disassemble put it back together and she stats like a champ. but guess what. my winch works. im not lying and i did nothing more than take a part and put back together the kill switch box. i have no idea how the 2 are intemingled but everything works now as if it did a long time ago. again thanks guys for all of your helpfull wisom and knowledge with these things i will be coming back if i ever run into anything again. thanks

[BuckBilly 19]

Thank you for the update. Glad you got it figured out!!!!!!!!

Made this thread sticky because it's a rare problem.

Edited March 9, 2009 by BuckBilly

[Snipe 10]

winchs are the shit I wish I kept the one I had for my rancher lol

[Spooge 10]

I hope the 20 amp wasnt for the winch, my 2000lb winch recomends a 150 amp fuse.

Also, check to make sure your cables are tightly screwed onto the batterie and that you have a good ground cable. Mine did the exact same thing, certain electronics would work but when I tried to use the starter or winch (something that draws a lot of amps) I would get a click click click like you described. It was all because my wires were not bolted onto the batterie tight enough

[Spooge 10]

winchs are the shit I wish I kept the one I had for my rancher lol

Go to harbor freight and get one for $50... I did and it lasted me a winter of plowing and 5 recoveries (one completely submerged) plus various other uses and is still going strong

[Snipe 10]

Yeah I seen them there I had a warren I couldnt pass the deal up on ebay but I just traded my utility though having a winch on the ex come be handy to lol.

[trailboss 10]

I know this sounds too simple but if you have no visibly loose wires or faulty connections check to make SURE you have solid ground connections