What is your typical voltage reading?
08-25-2008, 06:04 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
What is your typical voltage reading?
I used to think mine was around the 13.9 to 14.2 range but recently I notice that is is hovering around 13.5 to 13.6. Seems a bit low but I don't know what's normal.
08-25-2008, 06:06 PM
#2
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
used to be mine was at 14.2 or so. lately I've been watching it much closer and it goes from 13.3 to 14.3. not worried. starts fine and runs fine, too.
08-25-2008, 06:15 PM
#5
Team Owner
I just checked the other day because I have two larger amps in the car and was worried about them drawing to much. At idle with the stereo full tilt it fluctuated between 13.3-13.8. With sound off pretty much the same.
08-25-2008, 06:18 PM
#6
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
In which case, don't expect your alternator to charge up your battery by doing a little driving around. BG has told me that once the batt. goes dead, A) the altern. is not made to do the job of a charger, and B) if you even want to try such a thing, go for a long, sustained, 30-45 minute ride at about 1500 rpms.
Advice taken, and that was last November.
Advice taken, and that was last November.
08-25-2008, 06:21 PM
#7
Drifting
Thread Starter
The battery seems to be fine now. It's been about a week since the DBS incident. Its dumb that with all the DBS problems with the vettes that GM did not design the alternator to be a charger. 
08-25-2008, 06:24 PM
#8
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
more weight, more expensive, more heat, etc.
08-25-2008, 06:25 PM
#9
Race Director
The alternator is a battery charger. But just like a gasoline engine it takes RPM to produce power. At idle speeds it barely produces enough to power the engine electronics and accessories, nothing left to charge the battery.
08-25-2008, 11:10 PM
#10
Drifting
I've seen 13.6 - 14.5 v, usually 14.2 v cruising at 1500 rpm, no problems.
About how long does it take at about 1500 engine rpm for a fully-charged, healthy, OEM C6 battery to recover from a cold start?
About how long does it take at about 1500 engine rpm for a fully-charged, healthy, OEM C6 battery to recover from a cold start?
08-25-2008, 11:18 PM
#11
Safety Car
Mine reads around 14.3 in normal use. I was on a trip recently and noticed it had gone to around 12.4 and became concerned.
I stopped in a dealer who graciously checked the alternator and the computer for no charge or even a write up. Nothing was found amiss and I was advised the computer controls the voltage.
Continued on the trip and the voltage returned to normal.
I stopped in a dealer who graciously checked the alternator and the computer for no charge or even a write up. Nothing was found amiss and I was advised the computer controls the voltage.
Continued on the trip and the voltage returned to normal.
08-25-2008, 11:42 PM
#12
Team Owner
Normally a charging system runs a little higher when cold...14.2-14.5 then goes down and stabilizes at 13.8-14.2 after warmup.
After a dead battery, the best way to recover is to put the battery on a slow charger, say 2-5 amps overnight. If the car recharges the battery from dead, it takes a long time because that's not really what the alternator is designed for...in any car. It is designed to put back what the starter just took out from starting the car, and then to take care of the power needs of the car while running. Reviving a dead battery is not really part of the program. So unless you are going to leave on a long trip, don't rely on the alternator for this. Put it on a nice slow charger.
After a dead battery, the best way to recover is to put the battery on a slow charger, say 2-5 amps overnight. If the car recharges the battery from dead, it takes a long time because that's not really what the alternator is designed for...in any car. It is designed to put back what the starter just took out from starting the car, and then to take care of the power needs of the car while running. Reviving a dead battery is not really part of the program. So unless you are going to leave on a long trip, don't rely on the alternator for this. Put it on a nice slow charger.
08-26-2008, 01:27 AM
#13
Drifting
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Mine get unhooked from a battery maintainer when they pull out of the garage and hooked up when they return. The maintainers are the 1.5 amp Schumacker units that you can pick up at Wal Mart for under $20.
A battery kept this way will last about twice as long.
I have four vehicles and 4 motorcycles hooked up. Some sit as long as 6 months between uses. Never a flat battery.
My son calls it life support.
A battery kept this way will last about twice as long.
I have four vehicles and 4 motorcycles hooked up. Some sit as long as 6 months between uses. Never a flat battery.
My son calls it life support.
08-26-2008, 08:44 AM
#15
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
And as lh4 posted above, that is what I was told to do: buy a battery "maintainer" and put it on the car battery for anything left untouched for more than a couple weeks. That's what I did!
08-26-2008, 01:06 PM
#16
Mine reads around 14.3 in normal use. I was on a trip recently and noticed it had gone to around 12.4 and became concerned.
I stopped in a dealer who graciously checked the alternator and the computer for no charge or even a write up. Nothing was found amiss and I was advised the computer controls the voltage.
Continued on the trip and the voltage returned to normal.
I stopped in a dealer who graciously checked the alternator and the computer for no charge or even a write up. Nothing was found amiss and I was advised the computer controls the voltage.
Continued on the trip and the voltage returned to normal.
08-26-2008, 04:10 PM
#17
Team Owner
Until about a week ago mine always stayed at around 14.2v, then I noticed that when the engine compartment, the compartment not the engine since it started at 14.2v and stayed there until I was stuck in traffic (water and oil temp never changed), heated up it dropped to 12.6v. It did it several times on both hot and warm days. So it’s in the shop being checked out.
08-26-2008, 05:11 PM
#19
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Maybe? A fully charged battery is 12.62vdc. Anything above that is charging and anything below is a discharge. The battery voltage of your car will depend on what accessories you are running at the time and the rpms you are running.
