Electrical Burning Smell Gem 2002 4 seater

Our Gen has an electrical smell and the black wire from the Zivan charger is not connected to anything. Related issues? Where does the black wire (a black and a white wire come out the top of the charger) connect to? It looks like it got pulled off somewhere. Does anyone know where it connects?

@Jroden Nice photos!

I also have a 2002 GEM four seater e835. I am very new to GEM cars but think I can provide some information about the black cable that looks disconnected. I believe it is a temperature probe that is situated near the batteries up front, under the hood. I’m not sure if it has a specific place, or just lies next to the batteries. If you are not getting a flashing charging diode and audible signal, or an error code on the BDI I’d guess it is ok.

Burning smell? You seem to have upgraded to Gel Batteries. So the charger dial should be set to “C” for gel and not “F” for flooded deep cycle. Is the fan working?

Full disclosure: I still do not have my internal charger working. My original (without a dial) did nothing when the car was plugged in. I borrowed one from a neighbor from a parts car. He had the dial set on “C” but I changed it to “F” because I have flooded deep cycle batteries. I get yellow and green battery diodes flashing and an audible alarm. This car was left sitting for about 5 years. I assumed the batteries would be shot but if I charge them one at a time with a car charger they actually seem to hold a charge for quite a while.

Well, I hope you have better luck!

I have a manual for 99-04 GEMS.
Its the repair manual with all the wiring diagrams.
If you need it let know. Its in PDF format I could email it to you if you need it.

MIke

@Mcphipps
Thank you, McPhipps! I guess I need to check my user settings because I did not get notification of a response. Anyways, I just thought perhaps I could find someone who had solved:

1- Where exactly does the black temperature probe go. I did the same thing as the original poster, and put it between the batteries. It never gets hot under the hood, so unless there is a receptacle for it, or it is broken, I guess it is not the problem.

2- Has anyone solved a problem that caused the Amber and Green diodes to light up, and the audible to sound when I plug the a/c power into the receptacle on the car? I read somewhere that this alarm means that the charger is not compatible with the battery configuration.

3- I accidentally found another symptom that seems odd. I get the alarm mention above whether or not the main switch is in the on, or the off position. In all other respects the switch seems to function. That is, the car will run with the switch on, and the BDI works. It doesn’t do anything else when the battery switch is off. How can the battery diodes still have power? Could the main battery switch be broken?

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I will look at mine when I get home from work today. I want to see if that black connector (in the bottom picture) is on mine and where it might go. If I have it I will take a picture of it and post.

Mike

OK. I looked at mine tonight. I have the same thing located on the bottom of the battery holder in front.
Appears to be a sensor. Mine has a little corrosion on it but is solid.
The one in the picture you have looks like it may be hollow? Could be just the picture.
Anyway, I have a 2001 and they are pretty much the same up to 2004.
Here are a couple of pictures.

@Mcphipps: Thanks for the details of where your temperature sensor was located. Love your paint job with the rally stripes and all!