what should the battery voltage be?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Texas
what should the battery voltage be?
I just installed a new battery, and after I drove for about 15 minutes, I *think* the DIC said 13.4. I was trying to reprogram my tire sensors tonight after the Corvette was sitting in the garage for a good 12 hours, and checked the battery voltage for the heck of it. It was 12.1 - is this normal? What is the normal range it should be in? Should it flucuate like that depending upon if it has been sitting for a while or not?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Are you saying that the DIC showed 13.4 with the car not running?
The short answer is Yes.
The DIC should show the battery charging at between 13.8 to 14.4 with the car running, so right when you turn the car off, it may show 13.4 volts, but will drop quickly into the 12 volt range.
The battery should put out a minimum of 12 volts, but can be higher if it has been charging.
Also, I found that the voltage that the DIC is lower than the voltage if you actually measure it across the terminals of the battery.
The short answer is Yes.
The DIC should show the battery charging at between 13.8 to 14.4 with the car running, so right when you turn the car off, it may show 13.4 volts, but will drop quickly into the 12 volt range.
The battery should put out a minimum of 12 volts, but can be higher if it has been charging.
Also, I found that the voltage that the DIC is lower than the voltage if you actually measure it across the terminals of the battery.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Oct 11, 2007 at 10:55 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
I would not be concerned unless you see the voltage drop below 12.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Texas
ok, so 12.1 voltage with the car sitting for 12 hours is fine? I did notice that the battery had a sticker on it that said 10/07 on the side. I guess that is the sell by date or something.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
Yes. It depends on the brand of battery where it is, but most batteries have a date code somewhere that tells when the battery was made.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Texas
ok i looked at it while shut off this morning ... last night it was 12.1 and this morning was 12.0. It immediately shot to 13.7 or so when I started it up, but could it be something is draining the battery? Sorry if I sound too concerned about stupid stuff!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
The reason it jumped to 13.7 is the alternator is producing power once the engine is running and is charging the battery. The DIC should show high 13 to about 14 volts with the engine running.
Probably the best thing you can do is to take the car out for a good highway run this weekend. Think of a fun place to go that will take an hour (or more) to get to at highway speeds (over 50 MPH). Go there, have a good time, drive home. That will ensure a good charge of the battery.
Over the next few days check the battery voltage (sounds like you have another car so let the Vette sit for a few days). Report your voltage readings, and we'll see if it looks like you have an excessive drain on the battery.
Probably the best thing you can do is to take the car out for a good highway run this weekend. Think of a fun place to go that will take an hour (or more) to get to at highway speeds (over 50 MPH). Go there, have a good time, drive home. That will ensure a good charge of the battery.
Over the next few days check the battery voltage (sounds like you have another car so let the Vette sit for a few days). Report your voltage readings, and we'll see if it looks like you have an excessive drain on the battery.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Texas
thanks Steve! I dont' think I'll be able to do that this weekend unfortunately - we just adopted a little girl, and paired with our son, they are both driving my wife nuts! Before we adopted, if you were to ask her what day it was, she wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between a weekday and weekend (other than me being off of work). Now, she loooongs for weekends so I can be of some relief to her from the kiddos (haha). They are quite the handful! But anyway I think going away for an hour ... in the car she didn't want me to have in the first place ... may not be the best time this weekend (for other reasons too 
)
I will be driving it to get the oil changed and brakes looked at though, so I may take the "long" way to get their
)I will be driving it to get the oil changed and brakes looked at though, so I may take the "long" way to get their
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 256
Likes: 1
From: Delta BC
thanks Steve! I dont' think I'll be able to do that this weekend unfortunately - we just adopted a little girl, and paired with our son, they are both driving my wife nuts! Before we adopted, if you were to ask her what day it was, she wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between a weekday and weekend (other than me being off of work). Now, she loooongs for weekends so I can be of some relief to her from the kiddos (haha). They are quite the handful! But anyway I think going away for an hour ... in the car she didn't want me to have in the first place ... may not be the best time this weekend (for other reasons too )
I will be driving it to get the oil changed and brakes looked at though, so I may take the "long" way to get their
)I will be driving it to get the oil changed and brakes looked at though, so I may take the "long" way to get their
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
My congratulations also .... and having raised a daughter (she's now 20) pretty much by myself I can more than sympathize with how tiring small ones can be ... all I can tell you is ... if you think it's bad now .... wait 'til they're in their teens !!!!! 
OK .... see f you can make the following deal .... take the car out for 30 minutes at highway speed (big loop or out-and-back run) and then get oil changed. Offer her, in return, 3 or 4 hours that she can take off with a girlfriend or relative to go shopping, get her nails done, whatevr, while you take care of the kids. Sneak a bunch of flowers into the house nad surprise her with them when she gets home. Might make things just a LITTLE easier for you to get the Corvette out that way.
Again, congratulations,
Steve
OK .... see f you can make the following deal .... take the car out for 30 minutes at highway speed (big loop or out-and-back run) and then get oil changed. Offer her, in return, 3 or 4 hours that she can take off with a girlfriend or relative to go shopping, get her nails done, whatevr, while you take care of the kids. Sneak a bunch of flowers into the house nad surprise her with them when she gets home. Might make things just a LITTLE easier for you to get the Corvette out that way.
Again, congratulations,
Steve
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Steve, I had no idea you doubled as a marriage counselor!!! That sounds pretty good to me 
Flowers are a great idea 
At least it'll make her happy until she knows I'm about to modify our Impala SS
Flowers are a great idea At least it'll make her happy until she knows I'm about to modify our Impala SS
