Let me say thank you for reading this Post. I am not an electrician, and only a fair mechanic by necessity. I have spent some time reading over the prior posts and I don’t even understand all of the acronyms that are being used.
I have recently acquired 2 GEM trucks- 2009 GEM ELXD models. Prior to this my experience with electric cars has been and occasional ride in a golf cart. I’m in Alaska and these vehicles were shipped new to the City of Seward AK after manufacturing. The City of Seward has been the only owner. They would have been subjected to cold temperatures with a lot of moisture and salt water potentially.
I picked them up from the city of Seward a few months ago. I anticipated, because they have been parked for at least two years maybe three years that the batteries would need to be changed out. After picking up a set of batteries for one of the vehicles (I have only picked up one set of new batteries the selection was not great, but I THINK I picked up a set that at least were an option.
As I dug into the vehicles, I realized that one of the two vehicles had nine 8 Volt batteries in it. The other vehicle had Nine 12 Volt batteries. I am an electrical novice, but my understanding tells me 9 -12 volt batteries in a 72 volt system is not good. Both sets of batteries were acid water batteries.
The 8 volt batteries – 9 of them- were the NAPA GC8, 8399611198-1 a deep cycle golfcart battery. Manufacture date 8/19
The 12 volt batteries-(9 of them) were the Duracell GEL Magna power 12V maintenance free- LIG8VGC- manufacture date 6/17
I attempted to get as much information on the cars (trucks) from the city workers when I picked them up-- there was no information available, so the history of the vehicles is a mystery.
Suffice it to say, I have two vehicles that are supposedly identical. the vehicle that did have 9-12 Volt batteries I will not refer to it other than letting you know I have another vehicle that I have initially troubleshot and came up with the exact same problem. However, its history suggests it should have significantly more damage than the vehicle that had nine 8 Volt batteries.
I have replaced all the batteries. I filled them with distilled water, charged them individually and checked their voltage. I have also checked the water level which I had to add in a few of them. All of the batteries seem to be working individually correctly as well as together giving a total voltage +/- 76 volts.
When I turn the main power switch on the LED panel will flicker and that’s as far as it goes. If i toggle the power switch back and forth quickly then the LED panel will stay lit as long as I am toggling the main power source.
There is a high-speed charging system installed. I do not have the actual charging system, but it’s set up for one. – I see the male fitting for the high-speed charging and there are small wires going to an electrical circuitry that is attached to the main power relay?? (AEV18012) with foam double sticky tape. (This is the same on both vehicles.)
As I run down the power it seems (ed) that this relay is where the problem is - I replaced this relay and temporarily and use the electrical circuit which I believe goes back to the high speed charger and plugged it into the new relay.-- no change.
On the diagram and car, the only place I seem to find a “D2 pin”- this small piece of circuitry double sticky taped to the relay (AEV18012) —None of the symptoms changed, still no power to the LED screen so I cannot read any codes. I have been over the troubleshooting algorithm, and I do not know where to find the display connector “IPS harness D2 pin A” which it says to check except on a small chip taped to the relay mentioned above and securely foam taped to the relay. There are 2 small white and 2 small black wires that run into this small circuitry (which I believe manages the high-speed charging) and there is a small black and red wire the come out and plug into the said EV relay.
I have attempted to reprogram the battery charging unit to an acid lead battery algorithm but have not been unsuccessful at this point. It is a Delta Q charger, Yellow LED flashing code -**, - in yellow, (24 I believe) then it settles down to red flashing ** ** ** ** (low voltage) while the voltage is 76 volts is read coming directly off the battery pack. The Q Charger with a few minutes settles down to a single solid yellow LED under this flashing red - ** ** **
I have tried to get it programed back to an acid lead algorithm, which I understand to be ??? I forget right now. But my skills and understanding of changing the algorithm is not making any headway.
The break alarm will sound when the main power is switched on and the emergency brake is released. Besides this, the car(s) is dead as far as I can tell.
I have checked all of the fuses, and they appear to be good. The main power switch seems to be working properly as well.
It has been two weeks since I worked on the car, so I thought I better give exact voltage readings to you fine helpful souls reading this, and when I went and double checked the voltage, so I could give and accurate measurements on this post, it now read 36 Volts !! What is going on? As far as I know there should be no draw on the batteries, I believe the main power switch was off… even if it were left on, there should not have been this much surface draw. They have been kept in a warm shop ever since these new batteries have been installed.
(This seems similar to the recent post from GemDandy.)
I have now recharged each battery individually and then started over trying to run down what must be a short? 6- new 12 volt batteries- 31DCM, 555/190RC—individually they have 12.6 to 13.0 + volts individually.
Could the fact that I disconnected the taillights when I took off the bed of the truck be the issue? I did temporarily ground these taillights as if installed- no change.
Suggestions?
BOTH cars have this same dead screen unless the main power switch is toggled rapidly.
I just read some more of the forum posts…. Could these be the wrong batteries from the start and be causing a completely dead vehicle right from square one?
…Hoping to learn how to fix these GEM Trucks
Wow, There are quite a lot of meaty bits in there. While I go back and fully attempt to fully absorb some of it, I suggest you have another look at that car that contained the 9)12v batteries. I don’t know why someone would want to do such a thing, But it would not run like this anyway. Possibly someone had a last ditch attempt to get the car running by sticking in a bunch of tired old batteries and tried to add them up to get the correct voltage to start.
Most likely you misread what you had. If built a 12v battery I would probably not send it to the marketing department with a part number of LIG8VGC. That hints at an 8v Golf Cart rated part number. Perhaps you have it mixed up with your other batteries? Can you can see/count the cell arrangement? Does this battery have 4 or 6 caps?
In any case. Figure out what you have first. Charge them up real good. Depending on their state when abandoned, this may take several hits a day, with a rest period in between, repeated over several days per battery.
Then monitor their resting voltage as they may have internal issues. If V stays up, do a load test to see how fast it takes a dive.
It may not be worth your time. Seven years on a battery in such a harsh climate as Alaska, also being a “Maint free” battery, I would be impressed if you could get anything in them at all.
It doesn’t matter what you put in these cars for testing, but they need to hold a charge. You may be noting a surface charge but once loaded note how far and how fast it drops.
When you get them all installed, make sure you wire them up in the correct order. Verify this by metering on the electrical panel/fuse block at the dash. With the main disconnect switch flipped on you should see 76~78v.
We will worry about the Key operation and
dash next.
(In case you haven’t picked up on it from other messages in the archives)
The Main Disconnect switch needs to be ON for the charger to see the battery pack. The pack V needs to be above ~68V for the charger to consider it as a valid and viable candidate worthy of receiving amps. Otherwise it will error out and mock you with a Red2 flash.
There are TWO GEM cars I picked up, one had 9 -12 volt batteries.”Edna” The other had 9- 8 volt batteries. (yes – golf cart batteries) “John” (these are the names painted on the different trucks)
I installed 6, new - 12 V batteries into the GEM truck that did have the 9-8V batteries— this is the vehicle I have given all the information on. “John”
(Originally I did install these 6 new-12 volt batteries into the other truck, “Edna” then realized I had taken out 9-12v batteries and thought I should move on to the vehicle that was less likely had been burnt out with excess voltage.
As I started on John- I came up with the very same issues-
BOTH vehicles behave the same…. There was plenty of voltage at the batteries- to the main power switch, ~ (76V) and when flipped on , only a single flash at the main control screen, but if the main power switch is toggled rapidly, I can see the screen light up with what appears to be normal screen. As soon as I stop toggling the switch, the screen goes dead.
If the emergency brake is let off, the alarm will sound constantly.
For reason of clarity- I will only refer to work on “john”—which is the vehicle I have dug into the most — I have abandoned “Edna” for the time being and want to see if I can at least get one vehicle to work. (John)
Yes, Edna and John worked for the City of Seward apparently in public works / parks. – both these individuals are retired and not available for questioning and getting more information on the GEM Vehicles named after them.
Ok, it seems you buried the fact that you bought a new set of batteries in amongst the fluff and I did not pick it up.
For now we shall concentrate on John.
Does the charger kick in? What does it show you on the status panel?
but if the main power switch is toggled rapidly, I can see the screen light up with what appears to be normal screen.
For now- don’t do this.
I didn’t know the volt value necessary to not get a low voltage error, but I did know the master switch needed to be on to charge and roll through what must be a check list prior to turning on the screen== That is what is confusing—I was getting 76V at the batteries and the master switch (on), and still low voltage reading on the charger. ( two flashes of red at the charger, after going through the other yellow and green flashes for a few seconds.- about 15 sec—)
I messed up my leg, so I have not been getting around too well, so I have not hooked the batteries back up again after this recent recharging exercise.
No, As far as I can tell, the charger has never kicked in, at any time.
I DO have a heavy gage electrical cord going to it, but it IS longer then the requested length… it is to essentially a dedicated circuit, but it is not a GFI outlet… I have tried other outlets in the garage thinking that perhaps the charger was detecting a poor power source for charging… I don’t thing this is the case, …
Power cord length is not the issue- if it is flashing the profile and then going to Red2 then we should explore where it is hooked up. It sounds like it does not see the battery.
On the end of the charger wit the cable runs. find the cable that strips down to four 12ga wires. There will be a R, B, G, & W.
The R should go to the front of the electrical box in the cab of the car. (driver side). I have seen it also go over to the main relay or the back of the Main Switch.
The Black wire will usually go to the NEG on top of the controller or over to the electrical box on the right side.
It will be a few days before I can do any more. I will run these wires down as you direct… As I look at the picture, possibly the 72V - had the lead directly from the battery pack to that post and not to the 72V - batt post… I will check.
Are they plugged in or unplugged when switched on?
I will re do this- so there is not possible error in my answer.
I will re do this- so there is not possible error in my answer.
No need. The other guys are just late to the party.
No, internet service is just sketchy out here at Rockets-R-US and Bullet Depot.