I just replaced the batteries on my 2005 GEM because there was a flashing code on the charger ( 3 flashes)and 2 batteries would not charge to more than 10 volts. Now I have no lights on the charger. The batteries are fully charged and the dash shows 100% but nothing on the charger. Does the charger need replaced? I haven’t plugged the charger in since changing the batteries. Isn’t the charger supposed the charge level or is it only the charging level?
Why not? It can’t charge if not plugged in. No lights either. Am I missing something?
I also thought this was a confusing statement. Maybe you need to clarify what your issue is?
First - maybe you should go back and carefully follow all of your battery cables as they go from one post to the next. Make sure you didn’t install any batteries backwards. Make sure you have the main Pos and Neg hooked to the correct ends.
Hopefully- you have a meter and can probe each battery and verify all batteries are still up over 12v. Then keep your Neg lead on the first battery and move your Pos lead to the next battery and it should add 12 each step. at the opposite end of the pack you should have somewhere around 72v.
Then- for testing, switch the main breaker off and look at the charger. Verify that you are getting power from the wall, then all the way to the charger. With the main 72v breaker off the charger should at least blink out the profile setting on the charger display when you plug it into the wall.
I guess my real question is, shouldn’t the display on the charger be showing the voltage status of batteries? The new batteries are fully charged as checked with a meter and installed correctly. The display on the dash shows a full charge but no indicators on the charger. The main breaker switch is on.
Ah! Ok. Let’s see if I spit this out correctly.
The charger is more of an upstream AC component that is not powered by the dc from the cart. When an AC source becomes present it does a self check, then checks the DC state on it’s output leads, and decides what to do about it. After it’s charge cycle it will show status at that point as long as it still has AC input. With AC removed it goes dark.
The neat thing is that after initial self check if no DC is present(such as if the 72v DC main breaker is off and you plug in the charger to 120vAC), the charger goes into a diagnostic mode and blinks a repeating code. This code is the charge profile currently set. The charger has maybe 6? different charge profiles programmed into it and can be switched depending on the batteries in the cat.
Since you just changed your batteries you should check your profile and make sure it matches your batteries. An incorrect charge profile can kill your new pack within a couple of months.
For future use(save it for later)- If the charger has any problems with it’s cycle it will drop out and may also blink out a pattern. You might see this.
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Thank you. So can you tell me if I was right to get new batteries regarding the charger code in my original post?
Most likely yes.
Without knowing more about the pack I’d say that was a good guess. Depending on the age of the pack and how it was used might have factored in an alternate (temporary) solution just to get the car running.
Hopefully you put in a good quality battery that will suit your needs. Assuming the car is new to you, run the car for now with what you have, learn it’s limits, find the other things that need fixing, make a few tweaks, and if you need to mod it more down the line you’ll be good.
I plugged the charger in with the breaker off to check the charger profile and there are two blinks of the red light. I have Interstate deep-cycle SRM-31 batteries 675 CCA 845 MCA. It had NAPA 8231 when I got it. Is the charger profile right for these and how do I change it if not?
Can’t charge with the disconnect (breaker) off. That’s an error code.
If the charger was set correctly for the 8231’s, then yes, it’s correct for the SRM-31’s.
That’s the code for breaker being off. The profile code blinks for 10 sec before that. Right after a boot sequence.
So I checked the battery profile code again, 1 blink of the amber light followed by 4 more. Can anyone tell me if that’s right for the batteries I have stated in my previous post. I don’t want to ruin a new battery pack.
13 is correct for flooded batteries.
After doing some research on this site I was able to change the algorithm of the charger from 14 to 13.I used a momentary contact push button, wired between the #6 + battery post and the cable. Got it on the second try! The previous owner had replaced the batteries before I bought it, so it must have had Gels in it, they just went a less expensive route before selling it that’s why the batteries only lasted a year. I would tell everyone when buying used to check the charger algorithm for compatibility with the batteries installed. Thank you everyone for your help in resolving my problems!