2001 E285 New owner questions

[Volkemon]

First Post!
Been reading here for a little while, and had a couple questions that I had not seen…

2001 E825 2 passenger. Got it for free with hard doors, rear window kit . Included a linkspac for it also, but the swivelpack came attached. I got REAL lucky.

Original with FLA batteries? I am going by what the service and owners manuals say on checking water regularly. I got mine with GEL batteries from the previous owner. About a year ago ( per receipt date of June 2016) they replaced 4 of them at a cost of $2000+ Other two are mismatched brands, and dated 2014. I brought them back from the dead enough to test the cart, and I am happy with it. 25-26 MPH when the batteries were at 94%, and still 23 MPH when at 60%.

Going to get Trojan T1275’s for it. I have yet to pull the dash and ID the charger. IF all is stock, it should be set already for FLA batteries, and need no adjustment. I read somewhere here the stock charger is good up to 130A@20H batteries… but the T1275’s are 150A@20H. Anything to be concerned with there? Going to pull the dash out to ID charger and have a look around later.

Several times I see people referring to the miles on their GEM cars. AFAIK, mine has only an hour meter as part of the ‘information display gauge’. Might I have an odometer I overlooked?

The 99-04 owners manual says my tires (were) 10 inch, but I have 12’s on the cart. Don’t see a problem, just something I noted.

According to the owners guide, my battery charge light is not working correctly. When the batteries were dead, it gave nothing but a red doubleflash when plugged in. After individually charging the batteries, the charger works. When plugged in, it initially flashes red, green then yellow. After a brief pause, then a flashing green at ~1.5Hz or so. Unplugging the charger, the light flashes red 4 times, pauses, then two more times. (just went down and unplugged/replugged charger to get these. I did not notice the red ‘afterlights’ before, but this is new to me.)
Any clues as to why my charge light doesn’t match what the manual spec’s?

The wiper fuse is blown, and has a 5A instead of a 7.5A. The manual calls for a 7.5A ATC fuse. HOWEVER… sure looks like a self resetting breaker in the picture. And there are warnings that running the wipers dry may result in them not working briefly…then returning. Sure sounds like a resetting breaker. Comments?

All in all, I got a fun EV for an absolutely great price. I don’t mind ‘crying once’ and getting the trojan 1275’s. I am a Clubcar/EZgo cart tech, and trojans have always impressed the heck out of me. I will charge them religiously.

I see no reference to it, and sure dont feel it… is there regenerative braking on this cart?

Thanks for reading, and hope for responses.

Located in south Brevard county, Florida. Just north of Sebastian.

[Naetdogg]

Pretty sure you have a Delta Q Charger, yellow box with black fins in the center of firewall behind upper/lower dash. Your Gem car probably received the DC/DC converter recall which replaces the 7.5 ATC fuse for the wiper to a 5A fuse. The updated DC/DC converter is the rectangular black metal box with fins or potted board.

[Volkemon]

Thanks @Naetdogg!
If (ok WHEN ) we get our seasonal afternoon rains i will have the dash out tonight and confirm charger and DC/DC converter. Would not be the first time the manual didnt agree with the vehicle. A lot can happen in 15 years.

Found the recall - https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/acm6106719/rcrit-06v222-8308.pdf

Thanks again!

Spent some time this AM cleaning and waxing… what a fine looking vehicle.

[LithiumGods]

2001 wont be a deltaq , probably a zivan (black)

suggestion? for less then the price of Trojans you can update it to lithium. cart performance will go way up .it will accelerate much faster and you can get top speed in the mid 30’s . lithium will last a very long time and will have greater range . your a tech , this is an east conversion for you . if your anywhere naples come drive mine , you will love it .

[Volkemon]

@ Kinghappy - got numbers for that? Sounds too good to be true!

https://orlando.craigslist.org/bpo/d/lithium-boat-trolling/6205229241.html gets me into lithium batteries… for $4K or so… and I am unsure if the charger will have to be reprogrammed with them.

I will check Monday, but I am thinking a set of trojans will set me back $1500 or so. A quick google search for T1275 led me to $204-$279 a battery. I have a battery wholesale dealer I deal with at work, and they carry trojan. I am fairly confident that I can match or beat those prices.

Even up to $2k for batteries… You have a link for a drop in/‘plug and play’ Lithium system that will give me the same performance for that money? I have PLENTY of projects going, I need to have m’lady convinced that it will be a simple day/weekend task, not another ‘honestly…just one more thing to figure out’ modification.

As i understand it, lithium is also significantly lighter than the FLA batteries. Which leads to a major redesign of the suspension to get back a cushy ride. Being that this is going to be my Lovely Ladies ride, ‘Comfy’ is high on the priority list. The Trojans spec out at 85 pounds each, the DEKA gel (what is in there) weighs 75 pounds. The lithium batteries I linked to above are ~30 pounds. Losing 300 pounds will probably make the ride a bit choppy.

Speed in the miid 30’s is attractive, but cant I reach that (or close to) by getting the magnet for the motor? Looks like the same ‘trick’ (reduces the speed impulses by 1/2) that the Club Car iQ carts can use. I dont mind having to double the speedo reading, and with (apparently) no regen braking, thats the only drawback.

I ABSOLUTELY agree that lithium technology is ‘head and shoulders’ above lead-acid. If i were designing a ‘clean sheet’ design, lead wouldnt be even on the table. However… this is a fully assembled, designed vehicle that is 15+ years old. If this vehicle was going to be my daily driver, then a total redesign of the charging and battery system, then the suspension, might be in order.

But this is a good looking, running cart. For $2k I can have it reliably going (well, battery wise…) for 6-7 years. The short trips we will use it for should never have it below 80% charge. So for $2K, I have a 25MPH cart that rides silky smooth. Install time approx. 2 hrs.

I am VERY interested in a lithium battery system that will give the same results, for the same time and money.

[Inwo]

Check out Grant’s thread.
He’s working on it today.
About a $2500 price tag for 2015 Chevy batteries with 8k miles on them.
I have a similar set on the bench.

[Volkemon]

@Inwo - Thanks for some numbers!

I have been following Grants thread… and other ones here. Very impressive.

$2500 for the batteries alone, or for the battery monitor and charger shown also?

I was just googling spark battery packs… I am interested…

[Volkemon]

@@Naetdogg

Pretty sure you have a Delta Q Charger, yellow box with black fins in the center of firewall behind upper/lower dash. Your Gem car probably received the DC/DC converter recall which replaces the 7.5 ATC fuse for the wiper to a 5A fuse. The updated DC/DC converter is the rectangular black metal box with fins or potted board.

Its raining, so play time!
Indeed, it is yellow and a DeltaQ charger. And looks like a large heat sink low and to the right… for now I am gonna think it is the DC/DC converter that has been replaced under recall.

Now off to find what the blinky codes are for the Delta Q. Any help welcome.

[Inwo]

Let us know what’s blinking during a charge cycle.
Plug the charger in with main switch open to read charge profile. 1-3 etc.
Look for the number starting with dq ie. dqct, dqcp, dqda.
That will tell you if it can be reprogrammed.

The $2500 is for the reconfigured pack. Use as 24s or 22s as desired.
Wire harness and bms-24.
Voltage spoof to allow Gem to run higher voltage=high performance.
Charger reprogramming.
Hot rodding not without risks.

If you want to build your own for 25% less and more work, I can find a salvage volt for you.
Enough to do 2 Gems. New ones are more money. You can find 2012 Volts for < $1500.
I think it’s worth the money to only buy new ones.
Either way I can help with accessories. I’m trying to be the go-to guy for Chevy modules.

[Volkemon]

Inwo

Let us know what’s blinking during a charge cycle.

The little red light TDC of the ‘dash cluster’ is blinking.

Plug the charger in with main switch open to read charge profile. 1-3 etc.

Assuming this means " SWITCH THE MAIN DISCONNECT SWITCH TO ‘OFF’ and Hmmm… Observe the flashing pattern of the light TDC of the dash cluster" and note the flash sequence (OBD1 all over… )

Look for the number starting with dq ie. dqct, dqcp, dqda.
That will tell you if it can be reprogrammed.

Look for a model number on the charger found under the dash. It should start with one of these letter groups.

The $2500 is for the reconfigured pack. Use as 24s or 22s as desired.
Wire harness and bms-24.

Yes, $2500 for all the goodies in the pictures.

Voltage spoof to allow Gem to run higher voltage=high performance.
Charger reprogramming.
Hot rodding not without risks.

And more to be done. And you can turn expensive electronic components such as controllers and motor into ‘bricks’ or ‘doorstops’

If you want to build your own for 25% less and more work, I can find a salvage volt for you.
Enough to do 2 Gems.

OK… I have a ‘window shaker’ AC unit that draws ~450W running, under 1KW to start. If I can put the whole battery pack in the cart, and keep the weight up and ride soft, AND mount the AC unit in a box with a 1.5KW inverter replacing the stock cargo box to allow a cold cabin for my Lady… WIN

New ones are more money. You can find 2012 Volts for < $1500.
I think it’s worth the money to only buy new ones.
Either way I can help with accessories. I’m trying to be the go-to guy for Chevy modules.

Well, you are on the top of my list. Thanks for the effort.

This post ‘eclipsed’ dinner and a ~7 mile GEMcart ride. We got 25-27 until battery fell to ~85%, then 23-25 until we went home at 46%. I have NO practical experience with AGM/GEL batteries, but I like them so far. I got them when 4 batteries read .25 (1/4 ) volt. I did not think they would recover this well.

[Inwo]

Look at the lights on the charger.

Number is on charger flange.

Lighter weight means harsh ride.

Get Gels. No agm profile in Gem chargers.

Yes, $2500 for all you need. Lithium is for hobbyists. Mistakes are costly.

But oh the performance, and no more fumes and acid eating cables.

[Volkemon]

OK, will look for lights on the charger itself. Did not see any, but it was a brief look around, while unplugged from 110v.

My price on T1275’s are $165 apiece. 150A@20Hr

No AGM profile on the charger… darn it… Trojan AGM’s are $215 each, and I was considering… even at 110 A@20hr

Needs a bit more research however… the previous owner has installed AGM’s , and had the money to ‘do it right’ .

So… things may have been changed. The adventure continues.

sigh no more fumes and corrosion… NOW you found my Achilles Heel… I was willing to spend $400 more and give up 1/3 of the capacity to have AGM’s just for that reason.

I know its not part of this GEM forum… but do you have the Spark lithium conversion worked out for 48V Club Car, EZgo etc? I have MANY residents that may find that very tempting.

[Inwo]

You can have the charger reprogrammed or set to the wet setting for agms. Just not perfect setting.
I’m glad to share what I’ve learned about the Volt/Spark batteries.
Don’t know the voltage limits of controllers other than GE.
It only gets easier with golf carts. More room and fewer cells.
The most common configuration is 12s or 44v nominal. 36v to 50v range. Most energy under 48v
I will reconfigure or show you how to do it.
My 48v Tomberlin has a 28s 2016 Volt module in it. Changed to 14s2p. 110ah 50v nominal. Makes a good high performance pack.
Less than 15 cells can use a cheap $100 bluetooth bms/monitor.
Depending on the budget, might part with that one. I just set the pack in it. Haven’t taken it out of the garage yet.

If 44v works it’s very simple to do. I have the harnesses made to parallel up to 3 modules.
A full Volt has 8. Which should do at least 3 carts. Salvage price can be < $1500.
I could sell you one to test. Going forward, copy it from cheaper sources.
These last two 24s are as-new 2016.

Android monitor.
Just look at app to check batteries from nearby. Or while charging.

[Inwo]

I think this is the one 2016 I have left.
I can sell it ready to go for 50v or 100v max.
44v or 88v nominal. 12s or 24s
5kwh total.