When I turn on the headlights & beacon, the dash goes dim
It’s fine at night, but in the daytime I can barely tell how fast I’m going
Anyone have any insight?
My best guess is having a lo or high [j or h] headlight on indicator on the display tell the dash to go night time mode
Q: Without the headlights ON does the dash appear bright/normal enough to read?
Are you running the headlights/beacon for safety/policy?
Or is your beacon strangely wired into your headlight circuit and you have to run the headlights at the same time?
There are a few ways to fix this depending on your answers to the above.
Yes, the dash display is bright with the headlights off
Yes, the beacon & headlights are wired together
I like to have the lights/beacon on in the daytime for visibility
Would a weak 12V battery do something like this if the lights are pulling more current than the 12V battery + converter can hold up?
Also, OP needs to tell us what year and model of GEM they have.
FYI, my 2008 e4 does dim the display slightly when the headlights are turned on.
Yes, the beacon & headlights are wired together
Interesting choice.
Ok- then it sounds like you need to bring up the display brightness (when headlights are ON) a couple of clicks so you can see the Display in the daylight. Drawback will be that the display may be too bright for night time use.
It’s up to you to find the level you want.
Maybe you don’t drive at night?
The Square dash display has a Hidden Menu. Only a few things in there should be messed with. Not all is known about the others.
To enter this Hidden Menu
Have the Trip Meter Setting Showing On the Display
Hold trip meter button down
Move Turn Signal Lever to right turn position,
Then Left Turn position
Then back to center position
Release the Trip Button
Display will read PO15
Move the Turn Signal lever to Right Hand Position to cycle thru the different settings
Which will be:
BAT - Leave alone
CHInd - Leave alone
dCind - Leave alone
SOC - Resets battery bar graph (when needed)
Lt On - Display Brightness - When Headlights Are ON
Lt OFF - Display Brightness - When Headlights Are OFF
CHLt - Display Brightness - When Car is Charging
noCLt - Display Brightness when Charger is Finished Charging
Leave all other settings alone.
You are interested in LtOn
Example:
ltOn 30 - When headlights ON display @ 30%
ltOFF 100 …then headlights OFF display @ 100%
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2013 e2ES
It’s former life was a utility vehicle for a school district in Utah
At some point I’ll add a switch so I can run the defrost fan without the heater coil
I don’t drive at night often
There are very few non-sunny days here in Reno
The hidden menu looks like the solution
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I assumed we are using two independent systems here. One of them being the DC Converter that drives the headlights and beacon.
The other being the Display driver that is totally internal to itself.
I beilieve you are right, The display does get a 12v feed so maybe it would be affected by a DC Converter low power drop. One way to tell is to unplug the headlights at the hood connector(and next- wherever the beacon ties in) and see if the display still drops out. Don’t forget you also have a couple of tail lights that come on with the headlight switch.
Thinking more- If a battery was weak/failing enough to dim the display when turning on the headlights, then same results would be obvious when stepping on the Accel Pedal. So I doubt this is an input supply problem.
If anything, I’d go around and inspect/look for a bad ground on the 12v side.
A meter at a few key test points would tell us alot.
OP needs to tell us what year and model of GEM they have.
You are right. I read into this Way more than I should have. There were clues in there that drove my response in the direction it went. But I assumed a lot off the OP.
2013 e2ES Looks like it’s always been garaged
No fade or flicker, with or without the lights on, batteries about a month old
some of the models have a separate 12V battery under the dash, like a little motor cycle battery. That’s the 12V battery I was referring to. Sounds like you found a nice vehicle.
Pull the glass fuse labeled “heater”. That’s the 72V to the coil. The other “heater” fuse, is an automotive blade fuse for 12V to the fan and contactor so it will just blow ambienet temp air.
The “SPARE” blade fuse slot in the middle row is for a vehicular light bar, same as what is on marked police cars. It"s even wired in, you just need to fish the wires out and add a switch
In a 2008? I thought those aux batteries didn’t start until the new body style when they also redesigned the entire motor, power & transmission design.
it was unknown what model year this thread was discussing so I threw that out there as an option. We later learned that it’s a 2013 e2.
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Thank You, AssyRequired
The hidden menu, did the trick
Slightly different, here’s what I see on my 2013 e2
Hold the trip,button, cycle the turn signal r & l
PO 204
bAtt
GAtACE
AHD
AHOC
SOC
AHt
t,d
trtL,0
CP,t
CHd,SE
Lt ON
Lt Off
CHLt
EnErGY
Once I get to Lt ON, push Trip, cycle the turnsignal, r for increasing the number, l to decrease, push Trip, screen says done
Display stays bright 100%
Maybe the turnsignal indicator is bright enough to catch my attention after I’ve turned a corner 
Thanks sound good
I like the beacon, I also have the safety triangle on the back
I ditched the toolbox, as it will interfere with the Go Go Dancers…
310405736_5746356655423139_6982363417069570927_n|666x500
Yeah, i see now that your post was closely timed to that information, and i wrote your gems year not his. Lol.
You ever manage to get the pink slip for that from speed racer?
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I just got the signed xfer doc from the seller yesterday! I can now go to the CA DMV for the 3rd time, or is it 4th, and spend another hour or two getting it finally taken care of… insane
This whole DMV ‘privilege’ to pay them annual registration fees and taxes on a vehicle already taxed rubs me so VERY wrong… When I bought our 2010 ezGO type cart from a CO manufacturer we literally got a sales receipt and to get it on the road the DMV told me I had to send them my bill of sale, not a copy, the real bill of sale, and then they would provide me with a Title of Ownership. When I asked why the Bill of Sale was not the document of ownership they gave a vague answer so I researched and found out the State can not legally prevent us from using the public roads. But if we give them ownership of our vehicle, they can give us a document representing ownership while at the same time becoming a driver for hire. We are literally driving State owned vehicles and paying them for the privilege… THAT is insane but thank you sir may I have another is what I say when I walk through the DMV doors.
Yes. Your car has different firmware loaded. (PO 204)
I has more settings in there than we’ve seen before.
One of these days someone will uncover the document that reveals what all of these do.
Maybe the turn signal indicator is bright enough to catch my attention after I’ve turned a corner
You don’t have the “hey stoopid- You left the turn signal light on” beeper? It usually lets you know in about 30 seconds or so.
hi
trtL,0 here you can see how many times you have a turtle on your display
maybe good if you buy a car and will se how many times battery go deep ?
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I have the beeper, the indicator light is better now
I started to fall down the software rabbit hole,
I see that it is a $1000 proprietary nightmare
Maybe Waev will respect right to repair, I won’t hold my breath