Voltage Drain

[K8FAB]

I have a 2023 can am defender limited fully loaded with extras above factory accessories to include a stereo, electric/hydraulic bed lift, heated seats, extra lights & a plow with positioning actuator. It has 1700 easy miles & in 3 years I have in installed 4 new batteries including the factory battery. It seem there is a current draw somewhere in the system that drains the battery then when I’m plowing, the battery voltage drops beyond the re-charge point. I was recently plowing & my plow actuator quit working, battery voltage was at 3.6 volts well below the recovery point. The dealer can’t find any parasitic drain, the stator seems to be working properly but the battery drain continues. The only resolve I have is to disconnect the negative lead from the battery apply a battery tender until I can install a remote battery disconnect & hopefully it solves the problems because good batteries aren’t cheap & have a small fortune tied up in batteries. I’m taking it the dealer tomorrow for 4th time for this issue & the installation of a second battery so hopefully when these fixes are applied the problem will go away. However, this has been an ongoing problem with these machines & apparently can am doesn’t care otherwise they would fix & compensate the owners for their poor engineering.

 

[RossO]

It kind of sounds like your battery is going dead while you're plowing and not when its parked. I am by no means a mechanic, but if your are using your stereo, lights, seat warmer and winch all at the same time, you might be drawing more power than the stock stator can replace... Especially if your engine RPM's aren't very high while you are plowing.

 

[K8FAB]

It kind of sounds like your battery is going dead while you're plowing and not when its parked. I am by no means a mechanic, but if your are using your stereo, lights, seat warmer and winch all at the same time, you might be drawing more power than the stock stator can replace... Especially if your engine RPM's aren't very high while you are plowing.

That’s what I originally thought but I’m only running the heater & sometimes the headlights when I plow. What I think is happening is when the buggy is idle for a couple of days, there is a parasitic drain from something &/or a short to ground that draws the battery down but it still has enough energy to start. When I start plowing, the battery is starting out well below capacity & drains to the point where lifting the plow makes the headlights go dim & the heater slows down. I bought a new battery & trickled charged it for 3 days. When I installed it, it was showing 14.4v @ 100%. After sitting for 2 days with a battery tender attached, it showed 12.2v & the engine wouldn’t start. I disconnected the battery, put it on a charger & overnight until it was 100% charged. So my band aid fix will be to install a second battery & a remote controlled battery disconnect. I still think there is a parasitic drain but we haven’t been able to find it & it might be an intermittent drain which is impossible to find unless it’s draining when you check it. After this 3 year ordeal, I think this might be the best alternative at this point but time will tell. Can Am needs a complete re-design from their anemic 850w output stator to their medieval interior design. Just my opinion!

 

[RossO]

Gotcha. Sounds like you are right about the draw. Unfortunately I am zero help with knowing what could be the parasitic draw, but I also think adding the second battery kit will help. From what I've heard most of your accessories run off of that battery and are completely separate from the main battery. Good luck! I really hope you find a solution. Nothing worse than having a machine that you can't trust.

 

[K8FAB]

Gotcha. Sounds like you are right about the draw. Unfortunately I am zero help with knowing what could be the parasitic draw, but I also think adding the second battery kit will help. From what I've heard most of your accessories run off of that battery and are completely separate from the main battery. Good luck! I really hope you find a solution. Nothing worse than having a machine that you can't trust.

You nailed it with word trust!

 

[Andystoy19]

If you or your dealer can check to see if the charging voltage is 13.6 to 14.4 when the engine is running than your stator is charging as designed.
The problem seems to be that you are drawing more current when plowing than your stator can put out at the RPM you are plowing at. The stator puts out maximum current at 4400 RPM and your dealer can check that on the spec sheet.
If you are concerned about parasitic draw check your battery voltage after you finish plowing with the engine off, it should be at 12.8v +/-. Disconnect one of the leads at the battery and recheck the voltage, it should be the same as before. If the battery voltage is lower than you have found the answer is not enough charge to replace the amps used for plowing. If your battery drops below 12.2 volts at any time you are below 50% discharge and start to damage the battery to the point of being unable to fully recover. A 32 amp/hr battery is at 50% when it produces 16 amps.
Leave the battery disconnected for several days no battery tender hooked up and check the voltage, it should be the same as the last time you checked.
You can check parasitic draw by placing an amp meter around one of the battery cables, if you don't have one start pulling fuses until you determine which circuit has the problem. You can also check current flow across the fuses with a good multimeter.

Charge the new battey with a battery charger not a battery tender to be sure you are giving the new battery a full charge.

Placing a second battery or a larger battery in the system will give you more time before you discharge both batteries when plowing. You will have to charge both batteries with a battery charger so they are full for your next job after each job.

850 watts/volts=amps, so if you want to have a fully charged battery at 12.8 volts you can only get 66 amps at 4400 RPM or above. This has to supply amps to the fuel pump, injectors, ignition, dash display, headlights etc. before you have any amps to recharge the battery and supply current to your other accessories while plowing. If you have heated seats, heater, etc. write down what each of those draw and I think you will see where your charge current is going. As an after thought check your voltage at the battery with the engine running at idle and all the accessories that you are using turned on. Now push your winch button and turn your power steering both use alot of current. Rev the engine up to 4400 RPM and repeat and see what the max voltage gets to. I think you already knew most of the above info but breaking it down may help manage the problem.

I have a 19 Defender Cab XT, HD10 with heater and I added an LED bar light for the front and a small one for the back, with a winch in front and a winch at the back, both 4500 and I am still on my original battery but the first thing I checked was the size of the stator but I don't plow with it. I charge the battery in the spring before use and fall before I park it. No battery tender on any of my toys or vehicles and very good battery life.
Good luck with finding a solution to your problem.

 

[K8FAB]

If you or your dealer can check to see if the charging voltage is 13.6 to 14.4 when the engine is running than your stator is charging as designed.
The problem seems to be that you are drawing more current when plowing than your stator can put out at the RPM you are plowing at. The stator puts out maximum current at 4400 RPM and your dealer can check that on the spec sheet.
If you are concerned about parasitic draw check your battery voltage after you finish plowing with the engine off, it should be at 12.8v +/-. Disconnect one of the leads at the battery and recheck the voltage, it should be the same as before. If the battery voltage is lower than you have found the answer is not enough charge to replace the amps used for plowing. If your battery drops below 12.2 volts at any time you are below 50% discharge and start to damage the battery to the point of being unable to fully recover. A 32 amp/hr battery is at 50% when it produces 16 amps.
Leave the battery disconnected for several days no battery tender hooked up and check the voltage, it should be the same as the last time you checked.
You can check parasitic draw by placing an amp meter around one of the battery cables, if you don't have one start pulling fuses until you determine which circuit has the problem. You can also check current flow across the fuses with a good multimeter.

Charge the new battey with a battery charger not a battery tender to be sure you are giving the new battery a full charge.

Placing a second battery or a larger battery in the system will give you more time before you discharge both batteries when plowing. You will have to charge both batteries with a battery charger so they are full for your next job after each job.

850 watts/volts=amps, so if you want to have a fully charged battery at 12.8 volts you can only get 66 amps at 4400 RPM or above. This has to supply amps to the fuel pump, injectors, ignition, dash display, headlights etc. before you have any amps to recharge the battery and supply current to your other accessories while plowing. If you have heated seats, heater, etc. write down what each of those draw and I think you will see where your charge current is going. As an after thought check your voltage at the battery with the engine running at idle and all the accessories that you are using turned on. Now push your winch button and turn your power steering both use alot of current. Rev the engine up to 4400 RPM and repeat and see what the max voltage gets to. I think you already knew most of the above info but breaking it down may help manage the problem.

I have a 19 Defender Cab XT, HD10 with heater and I added an LED bar light for the front and a small one for the back, with a winch in front and a winch at the back, both 4500 and I am still on my original battery but the first thing I checked was the size of the stator but I don't plow with it. I charge the battery in the spring before use and fall before I park it. No battery tender on any of my toys or vehicles and very good battery life.
Good luck with finding a solution to your problem.

Good advice thanks for your suggestions.

 

[rexhavoc]

First thing I did was ditching the halogen headlights for LEDs. Really, really helped the load.