Battery voltage
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 187
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls SD
Battery voltage
What does your DIC say for your battery voltage when you are going down the road? I drove to Denver last weekend and mine was reading 13.9 or 14. Got home on Mon. and let the car sit until today and went to start it and nothing. Batt. is about 6 or 7 years old according to the last owner, so I am going to replace it tomorrow because I have been having problems with it for the last month. This is twice now that it hasn't started for me with out the charger so I have a new one to put in. But I thought the batt. charging voltage was a little high while I was driving. What say you guys?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,062
Likes: 1,838
From: cookeville tennessee
What does your DIC say for your battery voltage when you are going down the road? I drove to Denver last weekend and mine was reading 13.9 or 14. Got home on Mon. and let the car sit until today and went to start it and nothing. Batt. is about 6 or 7 years old according to the last owner, so I am going to replace it tomorrow because I have been having problems with it for the last month. This is twice now that it hasn't started for me with out the charger so I have a new one to put in. But I thought the batt. charging voltage was a little high while I was driving. What say you guys?
Robert
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 588
Likes: 1
From: Santa Ynez Ca.
I have a 11 month old Diehard in my '01Z and I noticed the running voltage showing 14+/- yesterday and was wondering the same thing. I've kept the battery on a tender since I bought it and was surprised to see the running voltage so high, it made me worry that the "new"battery was weak or something? Standing voltage is 12.53 with underhood light on and I have no trouble starting but was just wondering same as everybody else.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 671
Likes: 10
From: Tulsa OK
I have a one year old Die-Hard and my voltage reading while cruising down the highway runs 13.4 to 14.2 volts. I think that is about normal; However, if the A/C is on and I'm in stop-and-go traffic it may drop to 12.9 volts.
OBD
OBD
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,131
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From: Kannapolis NC
13.5 to 14.2 is perfectly normal, as is a little higher. How did anyone ever drive a car with only a red light that came on when the generator/alternator went completely dead? Now we're worried about 1/2 volt difference? If it bounces high and low WHILE you're driving then you might have a problem with connections.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 187
Likes: 1
From: Sioux Falls SD
You guys are great, I have the old battery out and will get the new one in the AM. I am in the process of moving from WY to Sioux Falls SD next fri. so my meter is in my new garage but I'm hoping the battery is my problem. Will let you know. Anything I should do while the battery is out?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,640
Likes: 83
From: . New York
The DIC shows what the charging system is calling for from the alternator while the car is running (13 something to 14.3 for me) and shows what the battery is showing minus all the loss from the connections you made when you turned the key on when the engine isnt running. 14+ is not too high (when running) and as stated before the reading you see when the car is off is essentially useless, the only way to see what the battery is doing is with the key off and a meter across the terminals on the battery.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 646
Likes: 11
From: San Antonio Texas
A new battery should read 14.4V. Once a battery gets to 12V, it's actually starting to go bad. As stated earlier, the DIC is gauging from the alternator. You need to use a multimeter meter and test the battery at the terminals.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,131
Likes: 4,154
From: Kannapolis NC
A new battery should read about 12.6v. (2.1 volts per cell x 6) With the car running, reading with a voltmeter across the battery you should read about 14.4v, but you are reading the output of the alternator.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 33
From: GRAYSLAKE IL
Oldtimer
St. Jude Donor '13
LQQK, suggest you get a battery mat for under your new battery. IMO use a trickel charger like CTEK 3300 all the time. Got 6 yrs plus on my red top replaced it to play it safe but it was still o.k.