So, we’re ok during the day until recently.
When you turn the lights on, we get an error. It’s been doing that for a while and getting progressively worse. Now when you step on the brake, it’s chirping and errors. Lights go dim or off when it errors. As the power gets lower symptoms gets worse. Seems like a relay, board or something because it is intermittent. Some days are worse than others. When it chirps and errors we can hear a clicking near the panel where the fuses and cut-off switch are. Brake lights and blinkers work ok if the lights are off … but brake and blinkers at the same time is now causing similar issues, but momentarily.
Again, during the day were pretty good to go, but at night when you have to turn the lights on … it acts up.
2005-06 with upgraded motor and transaxle.
Any guesses?
Gems use a DC to DC converter that makes 12 volts from the battery’s 72 to 78 volts. If your lights are dimming and error codes are coming up then your DC to DC converter is not properly regulating the output voltage properly. Under the dash on the right side below the main contactor is the PWB (printed wire board) which makes the 12 volts and integrates the status displays, marries the brake lights and turn signals with the instrument pod etc. It has probably failed.
Appreciate the help.
Where’s the best place to get one of those converters?
I’m pretty handy. I could probably change the converter. Thanks again.
Where would you get this board? At your local (or not so local) GEM dealer I suppose. It’s a GEM-specific part. But before replacing it, do some testing to see what’s going on. If it’s not blowing the fuses for the 12 volt light circuit then it’s probably going to show a voltage drop at the terminal near the top-left that feeds the heavy red wire going to the fuse box. Measure the voltage there and see if it drops when you switch on the lights. It might even be something as simple as a loose or corroded ground connection to the frame at the point where all the negative wires bolt to it. Do some investigation before spending several hundred dollars on something that “might” be broken.
If you’re not a mechanic with electrical troubleshooting skills, you may be sending it to a GEM repair shop on a flat-bed or trailer. Maybe you can save yourself some money by troubleshooting yourself first.
Again … appreciate the tips. I will troubleshoot myself. I am very comfortable using a meter and troubleshooting. If it becomes unclear then I may post again. Either way, I’ll post the results. Thanks!
FYI, I just went through a failure of the AUX board on my 2002 GEM over the weekend. It began a few weeks ago by blowing F1 (a 10 amp fuse on the 72 volt input circuit) and then by causing the seatbelt warning to be on all the time which disabled the right blinkers. Saturday it finally decided to go completely by not providing 12 volts except when turning off the main disconnect switch and showing the miles on the GE digital gauge for about 2 seconds.
I have had rotten luck with getting any parts from Polaris unless they’re used on the current 2011-2013 models so had no hope they’d be able to source this AUX board since they stopped using this one back in 06 I think.
Luck would have it that the OEM supplier GEM used still has some of the latest model they made for our older GEMs in stock. Check out their web page here.
SPS Electronics has a few of these updated AUX boards for $300 plus shipping. For another $30 you can get an external backup beeper to replace the on-board one the old AUX board had.
Good luck.