I replaced an old set of Gel batteries with standard deep cycle lead acid batteries. Everything on the LCD seems to work except the BDI always displays the red bar. The battery charger seems to be working fine. I saw a previous post with a 2008 Gem showing similar symptoms where the user just drained the batteries down and recharged. Is this what I need to do?
I also so a post about someone manually resetting the BDI. How is this performed? I would like to try this before draining the batteries down completely. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Did you ever get a resolution to your problem? I am having the exact same problem with my 09 E2 that I recently bought. The batteries are fully charge via a Quick Charge brand charger but the BDI on the dash shows one red bar. The previous owners had another after-market BDI installed which reads correctly. Mine does not even show when the charger is hooked up on the dash. You can call or text me at 817.808.7402. Thanks! Dennis
Hey RmeyPilot - Welcome to the group.
You might have already noticed this, but sometimes it gets overlooked and it’s real easy to do when replying to posts. The Date of the original or last post in the thread.
This one happens to be almost a year old.
It’s good practice to start a new thread with your issue and call it your own.
As to your apparent problem - BDI / SOC meter not accurate. I see you found the instructions on how to reset. Good job searching the archives. There is a ton of info there that often gets overlooked. That may be only a temp fix however.
The clue you offer in your post:
Mine does not even show when the charger is hooked up on the dash.
It sounds like your charger interlock may have been bypassed. Look for a green wire in a bundle of wires coming out of your charger. Is it taped off? There should be another green wire(it’s other end) that is most likely now run to a +72v source somewhere under your dash.
This green wire is key to sensing if the car is plugged in, and resetting the battery monitor built into the pod display. Since it is not cycling(just remaining in high state) it never thinks it is getting plugged back in.
It’s also curious that the PO installed another monitor to serve it’s purpose.
Do you have a unique battery pack installed? (lifepo4?, Lithium?)
This may be one of the reasons why.
It sounds like you may be needing a manual to sort these things out.
@LithiumGods
I guess I need to explore this component a bit more.
Does the BDI actually keep track of the Amps going back into the batteries too?
(would it track a partial charge?)
I was under the impression it just reset at full.
It is a counter not a volt meter. It counts amps going both ways. So if you bypass it when charging it can’t keep track of amps going in and your gauge always shows red.
Y- guessed it was based on consumed amps and not volts. Didn’t think it was keeping track of charge amps too.
I’m going to keep an eye out for the shunt. I saw something in the PSDM that was interesting but it didn’t look like it would carry the needed current.
It’s a shame the wiring diagram is kinda vague about this.
For the record, it is a Quick Charge brand charger, I guess the same kind that Ride for Fun relabels. It’s transformer-looking with an LED that is green or yellow, depending on the charge. The connection from the charger to the vehicle are wrapped in electrical tape but I can remove that to see what the connections go to if someone thinks one might not be tied in properly. There are a few connectors near the battery that look like they used to go to something but are disconnected. There is also an orange wire that looks like it is the same one going to the after-market battery indicator.
FYSA- This E2 came with two-year old Trojan T1275 wet cell batteries which are in great shape. To make sure I don’t screw those up, I just installed some bayonet “Ez battery check” caps so I can more easily see the water levels. I have seen some E2’s with two batteries up front but my extra two are under the accessory area which forces me to remove everything to fill those up. At least now I can peer behind the four under the seat to see the levels. I’ll check them every week or so but Alexa is set to remind me every 30 days in case I get OBE.
I need to get a wiring diagram so I can run the extra wires to ground. (no pun intended)
Does it have a 2-digit segmented display? Then it’s this one:
manuals are on the right side of the page - you should have the SCO7210.
Thick wires (10-gauge) red & black are the charger output.
Thin wires (16-gauge) white & black are the interlock wires - when the charger is plugged in, they just break continuity so that, if connected correctly, the cart will refuse to turn on so you don’t drive off with the extension cord still attached.
To make things even easier you might want to look into installing an automatic watering system.
It has replacement caps that have little floats on the ends. All of these caps are connected together by a hose with a squeeze bulb on one end. Every month(?) all you do is uncoil the squeeze bulb, stick it’s end in a bottle of distilled water and work the bulb. Any low cells will take water until the float shuts it off. When your bulb gets tight, you are done.
So some history, which could help everyone understand the situation. Apparently, in 2016, the previous owner had the original issue of the State of Charge (SOC) showing one red line after the batteries were fully charged. This is when they replaced the charger with a Quick Charge model OB7210 and installed the third party battery indicator. (As an aside, the battery indicator always has a red line to indicate the charge, and full charge is to the left, both of these facts are counterintuitive, but at least is seems to be accurate. I have easily gone 24 miles with a bit over half the charge showing as remaining.)
It turns out that the wrapping is under the splice for the 110V plug so that should be okay. The Quick Charge is model # OB7210. It only has the 110v out and then two wires on the back side that are red and black, which clearly would hook up to the battery bank. The following describes my current hook ups. (Note: though I found the process to reset the SOC using the trip meter switch and turn signals, the SOC does not hold after the system has been recharged. It goes back to one red bar on the display. I’ve reset it via the process but it never holds)
You can also see an orange wire that goes directly from the battery to the area underneath the wiper arm attachment. A bluish wire goes from the controller to under the dash someplace. I am assuming that the orange and bluish wire are going to the third party battery indicator, which is always live.
I also noticed a black wire that is coming out of the factory harness (my hand is under it in one pic). I am not sure if this is for a wiper washer motor or something else. Though it COULD be the disconnected wire that is causing all the trouble (no showing plugged in, not holding the SOC indications, but I am reluctant to hook anything (especially 12v) to it unless I am sure. I don’t want to fry anything.)
In the end, maybe the original problem was a defective Battery Indicator aspect of the instrument cluster and this was the cheapest, easiest way to fix it?
That Black wire in the original factory loom is for the Wiper motor. My 09 has the same thing. I guess they ground the motor through the chassis and feel they didn’t need the tab on the motor so they left it off? That wire just hangs there homeless (whatever).
Your aftermarket BDI looks like a simple bar graph voltmeter. Does it drop when you hammer the throttle and come back up when you stop? If so, depending on how it is calibrated it may not be the best indicator of remaining range left in your batt pack. More research is needed on this device… For now, do not run it down past half way?(guessing)
Next time you are out running around and come back with it halfway, note your pack voltage and report back with that number.
I think you are correct on the orange and blue wires. I bet they go to the new BDI.
I see the black wire going straight to the controller B-.
It will also help if you trace out where the other end of the red wire goes. It probably attaches to a spot under the dash. Have you pulled the top off the dash yet?
The bar on the voltmeter does not move regardless of how much I accelerate or brake.
I have not pulled to top off the dash to trace wires. That would be very helpful to do. Can you point me to some instructions on how to do that? (this is timely since I hear something rattling around under the dash every now and then, and that drives me nuts. haha)
I’ll get back with you on pack voltage the next time I drive it at length. It’s rain here in North Texas for a couple more days.
