I have recently purchased a 2007 GEM eL. it now has 300 miles. i like to drive with the lights on during the day but 35watts is a lot. has anyone replaced the lights with DOT approved LED lights?
Also i have a small oil leak from the differential. i have not found the exact location. is this a common problem with this GEM?
Thank you.
Guy
I don’t know about the led lights but would love to know. 2007 (and others) do leak oil out of the differential breather hole. There was a factory update that added a spring and a rubber bellow to the breather hole. I had it done for free by one of the now defunct factory service vans. Good luck with a Polaris dealer. I think there might be a recall on the parking break. Not sure because I’m afraid of the untrained dealer mechanics. Barry Chico, Ca
good to know about leak. i have looked all over for the leak but it seams to be from the case of the differential. does anyone have photos of the repair? i have the service manual but the differential section is not that informative. do i need to add more oil as it leaks out?
Any other members in Tulsa ok?
Thank you.
Lights only draw 2 amps. In real life about as much as a pimple on an ants a**. Light em up.
Hello all I thought I would add my 2 cents here, about 5 years ago I converted my 2002 Gem eL Longbed to all LED Lighting, the amp draw of the brake lights alone at a light or stop sign is very high, as well turn signals etc, the loss through the DC/DC Converter also factors in, (as it is nowhere near 100%) if you like range it’s worth the effort, as LEDS draw NOTHING !
As well I “WIRED” the high mounted running lights (located on all older GEMs behind the headrests) to function as brake lights as well for increased safety. Anyone who has had these apart knows from the factory they are a “Running, Stop, Turn Lamp” with 1157 bulbs, BUT GEM at the factory only connected the running lamp on the 1157 socket at the factory.
All one has to do is remove the seat cushion and add 2 short pieces of 16ga ignition wire into the existing “Spaghetti” tube and push up to the sockets, then tie into the BRAKE light wires (located right there, at the back of the seat cushion) for the left and right side.
You now have high mounted brake/turn lights, I do not know why GEM did not do this, as for some years ALL new vehicles are required to have a high mounted brake light.
As to the 100 % LED Conversion, go the website “SUPERBRIGHT LEDS” they have most of what you need. BUY LED 1157 “CORN” stop/turn bulbs, called this because the led chips look like an ear of corn.
oH and do not make the mistake of buying “White” buy the RED ! I found out the hard way, for WHATEVER reason the white LED Light WILL NOT go through the red cover, as to the two front “AMBER” turn, they are a sealed lamp from the factory, if they burn out you toss them, OK the factory makes the EXACT same thing with 3 leds, you can not tell the difference, you have to take it off and ID the mfgr (I forgot) then Google and buy online. They also come with both the chrome bezel and black bezel, for GOTH MODE !
As to the tail lights, my eL Longbed had the horz “OVAL” rubber grommet mount style standard truck/trailer taillights. They TOO ARE available LED from the same exact mfgr, once more no difference in appearance AND they come with a new grommet.
The conversion is well worth it, and I added a very fancy LED Dome Light which is a LED Light bar, that rotates for aiming and comes with a switch built in, VERY handy ! I mounted it on inside the roof.
So for the average GEM car, you will need 4 RED LED Corn Lamps, 1157’s (remove and check they are 1157’s not 56’s !) from Superbright LED’s, I think I got my dome light form them too ? You will need 2 headlight lamps from them, then you will have to order online the two amber front turn lamps to match (remove and get make off light)
In my opinion this is very worthwhile doing, and a fun EASY project as well, GOOD LUCK, hope this helps
A correction on the eL flat bed tail light, you certainly can install a LED Corn 1157 here, if you are “thrifty” no need to change the whole light, I found that the mfgr produces the exact same model /style as a sealed watertight LED stop, turn & tail, so I bought them, very pricy, (as I recall $60./each) but they have the “LQQK” of real LED Tail lights, as I say if you are trying to save money, throw an 1157 led lamp from super bright leds in your existing eL taillight, as to the other model Gems, you need 4) 1157’s as the high mount have a 1157 socket, so you have to use one there even if you don’t connect the brake filament as I suggest. But to covert the front turn amber indicators, you have to buy a new LED model, as I said the existing amber lamps are non-replaceable lamp type, they are epoxy potted and sealed. I keep saying 1157’s, they could be 1156’s ? I don’t remember, prior to order remove one and read the numbers on it.
To me it makes perfect sense to run low draw leds, dropping your load from 10 amps with all lights on to less than a fraction of an amp !
As well you know the time the ignition stays on AFTER you turn off the key, the time is user selectable, you can set how long, this allows you to for example leave the lights on to walk to your door, etc, etc.
Thank you…
among the changes to my GEM car… I added LED turn signals and tail lights… the turn signals I felt were a safety add on… as I have a cargo box on the car during the winter I wanted better real lighting… I do have my head lights on again a safety measure… don’t think they draw that much power… I do have a Battsix BMS and could probably do a time study… nah I like my car the way it is… at least for now… always subject to change.
Bob
Hmmm
I have an amp meter on my gem to see the draw in real time. With all lights on including brake I max out at 3 amps total.
All bulbs factory stock. Would have to have a light bar to hit 10 amps.
Rodney
where did you mount the meter and what did you hook it to?
Bob
[quote=eS GEM Colo;27373]where did you mount the meter and what did you hook it to?
Bob[/quote]
Hello if I could interject here, but SOMETING is wrong, the stop filament on a 1157 draws (Published) 2.10 amps EACH !
The running lamp portion (Published) is .59 amps EACH ! So simple math at night your lights are on, on the rear of the GEM you are drawing 5.38 amps, add the running portion of the high mount lights (at headrest) this adds another 1.18 amps for total of 6.46 AMPS !!!
So then lets look at the front marker lamps (Orange) figure the same each (.59) amp, add another 1.18 for 7.64 amps.
I can promise the headlights are AT LEAST 6-10 amps EACH one ! Lets use 6, since I don’t have my GEM here to check the ORIGINAL lamp type, it’s a EDUCATED guess. so that’s 19.64 amps.
There are some VERY good cheap DC amp meters on the market for alternative energy use with a good scale, sounds like the issue here is the scale, type of meter, obviously if it is a hundred amp scale, you cant read it, as well if it’s 50 years old out of an old JD Tractor, that could be it too !
As well placement, where in line is it ? Because it’s not measuring all the load or broken ! Secondly it MUST be located into to feed side of the DC to DC Converter, NOT the load side out, although you could put it there as a SECOND choice, but remember there is a substantial loss in the DC to DC converter (Which lowers the 72 VDC to around 13.4 or 14 volts, output), for your lights and 12 VDC accessories)
REMEMBER if you have an older Gem, and never had the recall installed then it has the old non-potted LOW EFFICIENCY Converter, these use much more power, the conversion loss is greater, as well when damp or wet are prone to leakage of current, in other word drains your batteries, as if they are grounded or shorted out ! (99% of GEMS on the road today NEVER had this important recall done)
The reason for placing the amp meter AHEAD of the DC to DC Converter is loss of efficiency, through conversion, this means the 2.10 amp draw DIRECTLY from your CAR, (NOT NEV) battery, in theory would be 2.10 amps, through the DC to DC Converter on the GEM, that lamp draw could now be 3 amps, or more ! So if you place the amp meter on the “OUTPUT” side of the DC to DC Converter, you are not getting a true reading of the real draw of the lamps factoring in the conversion loss.
The world is getting TOTALLY away from incandescent lamps, don’t matter if it’s a 12 volt or 120 volt lamp, they are bad, bad, bad, this is why everything is going LED !
I am a retired Licensed Electrician, as dad used to say, “There ain’t no free lunch in electrical physics”, not to mention the fact LED generally never fail or burn out as the old style lamps do.
Dirk
Dirk
1 Your ignoring the fact that the GEM is a 72 volt system. In the overall scheme of things 2 or 3 amps at 72 Volts (Agrees with your 18 amps at 12 volts) is a minor draw when compared to the 32 amps when cruising and the 100 to 150+ amps when accelerating.
2 “(99% of GEMS on the road today NEVER had this important recall done)” Sorry not so. In the last 3 years we have experienced only 2 that weren’t converted 1 of these was one of our members who needed help because the Polaris dealers he contacted didn’t even know of the problem and that they were responsible.
3 I have been a Manufacturing Engineer, Design Engineer, and Plant Engineer since 1970. I also know how to count my amps.
I also know how to measure cost benefit relationships when Projects or Engineering changes are proposed. Granted Led lighting is tons more efficient than filament lighting. However the cost of conversion of a GEM car to Led lighting won’t be recovered during the average owner ship period and possibly the next and the next. I am considering Leds on my headlights for purposes of better lighting not for electricity savings.
I respect your expertise with electrical calculations. If you would like please calculate the payback period for a led installation for an owner who uses his cart 500 miles per year assuming 20% lights on driving. If these parameters aren’t to your liking I’ll be more than happy to accept yours.
Rodney
’
’
I tried to keep it simple, maybe I did not make sense ? YES it is true and everyone should know that every time you double the voltage, you cut the amp draw in 1/2.
Does not matter if ac or dc. So if your 1.5 hp pump draws 16 amps at 120 volt, it would only draw 8 amps at 240 volt, advantage ? You can use much smaller cheaper gauge wire AND run it farther from the source. As well amp draw lowers the line voltage, leading to voltage drop, not good.
BUT, as far as the power company is concerned YOU PAY THE SAME TO RUN EITHER ! (Remember the no free lunch !)
Ok so the DC to DC Converter is going to draw less at 72 Volts under load than at 12 Volts. BUT as I said there is no free lunch in electrical physics, the lights are depleting your batteries as fast at any rate.
As well batteries in parallel if they are say 200 ah rated, and you have 5, that means you have 1,000 AH capacity in the bank, but the GEM has them in series, this means you only have the AH Capacity of ONE battery, and it figures out which is your “WEAKEST” and this then is your total capacity for that bank of batteries.
So the amp draw at 72 Volts is less (by far) than 12 V, so on the lights it is correct that if you want a real light load at 12 VDC, without conversion, the (watts and amps at 72 VDC vs 12 VDC) amp meter should be AFTER the DC to DC Converter, on the OUTPUT leads.
This will show your show and display your real lighting (and acc load) at 12VDC.
The FACTORY GEM DC to DC Converter was/is rated at 25 amps output at (30 amp surge) around 13VDC. This IS NOT because the lights draw ZERO and they generously allowed extra for a tv, stero and fans, not the case at all, 90% of the planned load for the converter was lights only ! (Because the light load is around 20 amps total at 12 VDC)
[quote=eS GEM Colo;27373]where did you mount the meter and what did you hook it to?
Bob[/quote]
I have it in a little box on the dash, Connected to the 72 Volt +/- the display doesn’t hold up very well. Imwo suggested a capacitor array that I haven’t installed yet. Hope it helps You get a lighter foot if you watch the amp meter.
http://s108.photobucket.com/user/user973783/media/meter_zpskeiigag7.jpg.html]
es GEM Colo… Were did you get the super cool miniature drag chute? :clap2:
No answer… from es Gem Colo… Is his form of an answer?
sorry I didn’t see the question… I think I found it on eBay… the seller was hvc33 on eBay but he doesn’t have any lister… I think the company was ShortChutes but their webpage is gone 
Bob
thank you Old Houseboat for the post of the photo
Bob
[quote=eS GEM Colo;27830]sorry I didn’t see the question… I think I found it on eBay… the seller was hvc33 on eBay but he doesn’t have any lister… I think the company was ShortChutes but their webpage is gone
Bob[/quote]
[B]Thank You…[/B] I did some checking. It was two brothers that got in a argument and now are closed down… Shame, A neat Item.
jerry
bummer… you could always get a mailbox and a pilot chute and make a working one… really surprise the guy behind you
Bob
