# HELP. .(please) with controller programming on GEM



## Guest (May 7, 2010)

I just got the kit to reprogram my controller with the computer. .which seems to work nicely, but. .I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing, and would SURE appreciate some advice on the matter.
So far, I've just made a few basic adjustments. .fooled with the speedometer a bit (which I'll be checking against my GPS, soon as I find it. . .slowed the acceleration (function 3) a bit . . upped the regen current (function 9), and turned the speed limit up to 35 (function 20)
I seems to work fine, but I have this nagging feeling that there are more adjustments that should be made, to enhance/compensate for what I've done so far.
There must be somebody out there who's familiar with the best "tweaks"
HELP (please)
ps. .it's an 02 GEM E-S, with the stock 5 horse motor, 185-70-13 tires, and 9 of the 170 Amp Hour 8-volt batteries from Interstate


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## Guest (May 7, 2010)

You might try your local Golf Cart Dealer. Not too sure if many of us here are into Glorified Golf Carts. I think that would be your best place but you may not want to tell them about the increased speed tweak. 

Pete


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## Guest (May 8, 2010)

gottdi said:


> You might try your local Golf Cart Dealer. Not too sure if many of us here are into Glorified Golf Carts. I think that would be your best place but you may not want to tell them about the increased speed tweak.
> 
> Pete


the local golf cart guy thinks that reprogramming the Zivan charger consists of changing the voltage-selection switch, so I'd never let him NEAR my controller

ps. .dontcha tnik your little "glorified golf cart" remark makes you sound a bit like a friggin SNOB?

I once converted a FIAT X-1/9 to 120 VDC, and it didn't give ME that kind of attitude. LOL


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## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

solarmon said:


> ps. .dontcha tnik your little "glorified golf cart" remark makes you sound a bit like a friggin SNOB?


Ol' gottdi there can be a bit crusty at times, but his comment is essentially accurate: not too many people here have any clue about the golf cart stuff.

Try, the forums at Buggies Gone Wild instead. They seem to have exactly the sort of people you need to be asking. Unless, of course, you want to pimp that ride with a solid 1000A controller... _then_ I can help you out...


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## Guest (May 8, 2010)

Yeah! I can be crusty at times but Buggies Gone Wild is a real fun place to go for that sort of thing. I have gone there to get information for my electric Cushman Mailster. I plan on finishing that during the year. It will remain electric but it will be fast when done. Nothing slow like a golf cart. I will have limits that I can place on it but I want it to go fast. It will be a flatbed Truckster when done. For most of that I will be over at Buggies Gone Wild. They have already been a great help. Don't get me wrong, golf carts can be fun but they are usually not found here. Golf cart stuff could be adapted to electric lawnmowers. 

Pete 

Any remaining photos of your other conversion? If so why not post those and any information you might deem helpful to others learning about converting a car. Remember, your electric car is not a glorified golfcart. A Gem is. Sorry but that is the truth.


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## Guest (May 8, 2010)

gottdi said:


> Yeah! I can be crusty at times but Buggies Gone Wild is a real fun place to go for that sort of thing. I have gone there to get information for my electric Cushman Mailster. I plan on finishing that during the year. It will remain electric but it will be fast when done. Nothing slow like a golf cart. I will have limits that I can place on it but I want it to go fast. It will be a flatbed Truckster when done. For most of that I will be over at Buggies Gone Wild. They have already been a great help. Don't get me wrong, golf carts can be fun but they are usually not found here. Golf cart stuff could be adapted to electric lawnmowers.
> 
> Pete
> 
> Any remaining photos of your other conversion? If so why not post those and any information you might deem helpful to others learning about converting a car. Remember, your electric car is not a glorified golfcart. A Gem is. Sorry but that is the truth.


sorry no phtos of my conversion. .and. .

if my GEM is a "glorified golf cart," then ANY electric vehicle is just a larger and faster version of same. They all share the basic concept of electric motor, batteries, controller. . .

My gem can exceed the 35 speed limit between home and town, so what more do I need?

As you can see, the GEM is fully licensed and street legal as a LSV.

The other pictures are my OTHER toy, which I DEFY you to demean as a glorified ANYTHING LOL


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## Guest (May 8, 2010)

I like Gems but they are still like a glorified golf cart. I guess you don't need more than that if that is all the faster you need to go. Gems have their place and should be used. If I lived in town I might actually have one. Modified of course. 

Nothing wrong with that. My TDI is modified from stock. Do I need it that way! Nope but I do like it from time to time. Still get decent mileage too. 

It's a glorified Tonka 

Pete


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

Tesseract said:


> Ol' gottdi there can be a bit crusty at times, but his comment is essentially accurate: not too many people here have any clue about the golf cart stuff.
> 
> Try, the forums at Buggies Gone Wild instead. They seem to have exactly the sort of people you need to be asking. Unless, of course, you want to pimp that ride with a solid 1000A controller... _then_ I can help you out...


I'm getign the feeling that I'm not particularly welcome here, but can't figure out how to quit this group. .. and stop raining on your your private parade


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

Your more than welcome. I just figured that your local dealer could help you out more than we can for your particular needs. Any electric vehicle is welcome. Don't worry about our crustyness. We all like electric vehicles. No need to go away. It is far from a private parade around here. If you want a private parade go have a look at the thread about the unique vehicle. You'll get a real laugh about that one. 

Pete 

I don't want to send you away. You have valuable information that would be good here. Not sure how to deal with messing with your controller. What kind of other things are available that you can mess with? I'd fire up the GUI and then write down the stock settings so you can always go back if you muck something up. That may be the only way to mess with it. But keep a copy of the original parameters so you can always go back to original. I do for my controller. 

Pete


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

Tesseract said:


> .
> 
> Try, the forums at Buggies Gone Wild instead. They seem to have exactly the sort of people you need to be asking.


Buggies Gone Wild is for GOLF CARTS. .not a GEM type of place

there IS a difference


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

Yeah, for Hot Rod Golf Carts that would put a Gem to shame. Go there you may find what you need or do my suggestion and keep your original parameters written down so you can always go back and try some changes. If there is only a few parameters on the GUI then that is what you have. It actually sounded like you did just about all you could do short of getting another controller and more batteries and a bigger motor. Did you look into AC as well? You can convert it. Not cheap but you can. 

This place is for converting just about any thing on wheels or that floats. http://hpevs.com/

Pete


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

gottdi said:


> Yeah, for Hot Rod Golf Carts that would put a Gem to shame. Go there you may find what you need or do my suggestion and keep your original parameters written down so you can always go back and try some changes. If there is only a few parameters on the GUI then that is what you have. It actually sounded like you did just about all you could do short of getting another controller and more batteries and a bigger motor. Did you look into AC as well? You can convert it. Not cheap but you can.
> 
> I'm not even INTERESTED in a Hot Rod Electric. . just "putting" to town in my GEM. .at the speed imit of 30 MPH
> 
> ...


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

Nice little bump in ah and slight increase I guess in voltage. You can set things so they accelerate faster but still keep the speed in the legal zone. 

Good to hear all is good. Sounds like you have lots to play with on your controller. 

Pete


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

gottdi said:


> Nice little bump in ah and slight increase I guess in voltage. You can set things so they accelerate faster but still keep the speed in the legal zone.
> 
> Pete


same number of cells, so the voltage remains at 72. .but definitely more AH. I converted to watt/hrs because that's the only way to get areasonable comparison between different voltages

I'm actualy DECREASING the acceleration, as I have a tendency to spin the front tires in the slightest bit of dirt. .and. .the slower the acceleration, the longer the ride


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## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

solarmon said:


> Buggies Gone Wild is for GOLF CARTS. .not a GEM type of place
> 
> there IS a difference


You keep saying this, but the GEM vehicles have a 5hp motor (7hp optional!) which puts them squarely in the golf cart category as far as likely powertrain components. 

And instead of bad-mouthing my suggestion, why don't you actually try searching for GEM at said site? Here are the results, some of which seem to address your concerns more or less directly:

Buggies Gone Wild - Search Results for "GEM"


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## Guest (May 9, 2010)

Tesseract said:


> You keep saying this, but the GEM vehicles have a 5hp motor (7hp optional!) which puts them squarely in the golf cart category as far as likely powertrain components.
> 
> And instead of bad-mouthing my suggestion, why don't you actually try searching for GEM at said site? Here are the results, some of which seem to address your concerns more or less directly:
> 
> ...


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## hartfischer (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi Solarmon,

I have the same question as you do. I have a 2001 GEM 825 with a standard 5.0 hp motor and 9 x 8V Interstate batteries.

This is at your own risk, but one more item that I can recommend is function 7, which sets field weakening.
With changing the setting from value 100 to value 61, my GEM will now continue to accelerate beyond the 28 mph barrier that all the other settings you had mentioned had gotten me.
I just modified this setting 2 days ago and ran tests in 90 degree weather and so far I have not gotten any problems with overheating. My temperature sensor has not given me any warning signals, but I do get some faint smell from my motor that I haven t had before ( maybe I just never paid enough attention to this ) .

On the upside, my GEM is now a totally different car. I can now easily flow with traffic and really enjoy my GEM. I commute to work for 30 miles round trip every day in LA city traffic with ease, including a steep uphill section for 2 miles at the end of my trip.

If changing this setting will cause my motor to burn out, I am ready to invest in a 7.5hp replacement motor to get the extra performance that would make my GEM even more fun.

Hope this helps. If you have gathered more experience with these settings, let me know. Sincerely, Hart


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## dj69 (Aug 1, 2010)

solarmon said:


> I just got the kit to reprogram my controller with the computer. .which seems to work nicely, but. ...


Can some one direct me to where I can buy a programing kit and instructions for Gem's ?


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2010)

How about give GEM a call!


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## dj69 (Aug 1, 2010)

Sure.....

And since they were the ones who limited it to 25 Mph to conform to the law over here, I am certain they will be glaaaad to help me with it...


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2010)

If your looking for customizing your controller outputs for faster speed then maybe you can do some experimenting yourself. If you do you need to write down the initial specs so if your change does nothing you can always go back to where you started. If you don't do that you will be screwed. I am not sure but suspect that most here do not own a GEM that has been custom converted. I think you may be on your own. 

Have you been looking on GEM forums for your answer? Maybe someone on one of these forums has the answers for you. 

What are you expecting to make different about your GEM with re-programming the controller functions? Faster? Have you taken a look at all the functions? I am sure you can get the stock functionality of your GEM so you know what function does what and then go from there. 

Best bet is to then look at GEM forums. 

Pete


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## dj69 (Aug 1, 2010)

First is, I don't own a Gem. My neighbor does.
As the resident Geek, I was asked to "open" the limitation that was put into the computer.

The question is, how do I access it. back it up before making any changes is obvious.
Looking google up for gem speed limit I found the post of the guy who started this thread. Where can I find specialized Gem forum ?


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2010)

Gotta have the programmer first. Then plug it in and have a look at what is there. Then write the numbers down. I am not sure how their programmer works. Some are as simple as #7 controls this function and depending on what letter or number you input you get a specific end result. Find out what the default items are for each function and write them down. 

Pete 

Some programmers say exactly what does what and do this to do that. Mine has an excellent GUI interface and says exactly what does what.


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## dj69 (Aug 1, 2010)

But where do I get a Programmer ?


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## Guest (Aug 2, 2010)

From the company that makes the controller. 

Pete


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## hartfischer (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi,

to get a GEM programming kit, try a company called Forklift Electronics. Here is a web link.

http://home.paonline.com/rmeyer32/nevprogramkits.html

You will need to open the dash panel to look at your controller to find out what the right programming kit is. Alternatively, you can try to shine a flash light past the gap between the steering column and the dash board cover panel to find the bar code sticker with the GE model number ( should be very close to the steering column ). My GEM e825 needed a software that only seemed to work on Win95. Luckily I still had a copy of that, and an old computer onto which to install that, lying around.

Good luck.

My e825 is still doing good after 3 weeks on the Field Weakening function7=61 setting. I am consuming 20% more electricity because I loose more energy to wind resistance and breaking from higher speeds. But my GEM is so much more fun now.
I am still a little concerned about longevity of my 5hp motor because it seems to be working a lot harder than it used to. We shall see.


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## murrayeliminator (Apr 9, 2011)

New member and first post. I just bought a 7.5 hypo motor for my GEM and will post the results when it gets here. they are also reprogrming the controller to my specs so I'm hoping to get 40+MPH after the upgrade...


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## hartfischer (Sep 14, 2008)

Hi MurrayEliminator,

you are going to love your 7.5 hp motor and the controller reprogramming. My 5.0 hp motor did burn out eventually as my field weakening setting of 61 was too aggressive for that motor. 
Even the 7.5 hp motor is set at field weakening levels of around 65 to 70, despite the fact that it can take a lot more heat than the 5.0.

But anyway, with my new 7.5 hp motor, I can now comfortably cruise in city traffic, and fully enjoy my GEM.

With gas prices surpassing $4.00, I enjoy not having to use gasoline imported from countries with evil dictatorships that hate us, even though I am spending a lot more on my GEM than I am saving in fuel cost on my Chevrolet Camaro Z28.

My next new car will have some e-assist or Voltec like drivetrain to combine the benefits of electric propulsion with the advantages of unlimited range, combined in one single car, as that is still cheaper than to have a second car for the purpose of saving gasoline. Or maybe I will experiment with CNG conversions.

I wish you a lot of fun with your Gem, Hart Fischer


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## kineticpolarity (Jul 6, 2015)

Good job! make sure the ah of the battery pack is the same. and that's it!
I am getting ready to install a solar system on a 72 volt GEM using 2 solar boost controllers made by GENASUN.com with 2 solar panels 30 volts each. I will have to divide the battery bank for solar charging. I am interested in reprograming the speed controller. Vehicles newer than 2004 have to be reprogramed to drive while charging. Did you get the programing Equipment from FORKLIFT ELECTRONICS?
Regards KP Kinetic Polarity solar electric vehicles.


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