Strange reading on volts, need help
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 756
Likes: 5
From: Griffin Ga.
Strange reading on volts, need help
I have notice within the pass month the reading on on the DIC and the gauge reads 12.3 to 13.0 after dirving a while. So I checked across the battery while engine was running and got 13.8 to 14.2 amd also the same coming from the alternator. I removed the ignition switch and cleaned the contacts which did not help. I can't understand why the DIC reads lower than the reading on the battery and the alternator. Has anyone have this happen before? If so how did you fix? Maybe I shoould just ignore the DIC as long as battery and alternator is putting out ok.
Bob
Bob
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 756
Likes: 5
From: Griffin Ga.
Well I just finished pulling the ignition switch and cleaned the contact. They didn't look bad to start with. Got it back together and didn't seem to help much with the voltage. I have also check the grounds to make sure they were clean and tight. Not really sure where to go from here.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
My Mazda does the same. I have a digital voltage meter that plugs into the cigarrete lighter and lately, since outside temps have risen, the voltage meter has been about half a volt lower. It is okay in the morning when it is cooler. Voltage at the battery is similar to yours while the car is running.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 756
Likes: 5
From: Griffin Ga.
My Mazda does the same. I have a digital voltage meter that plugs into the cigarrete lighter and lately, since outside temps have risen, the voltage meter has been about half a volt lower. It is okay in the morning when it is cooler. Voltage at the battery is similar to yours while the car is running.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 805
Likes: 2
From: Granbury TX
???
I have notice within the pass month the reading on on the DIC and the gauge reads 12.3 to 13.0 after dirving a while. So I checked across the battery while engine was running and got 13.8 to 14.2 amd also the same coming from the alternator. I removed the ignition switch and cleaned the contacts which did not help. I can't understand why the DIC reads lower than the reading on the battery and the alternator. Has anyone have this happen before? If so how did you fix? Maybe I shoould just ignore the DIC as long as battery and alternator is putting out ok.
Bob
Bob
I've had the same problem since 99--- lots of questions and research and no answers ---maybe someone will step forward.
Terry
Pro
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 671
Likes: 10
From: Tulsa OK
I agree, Summer time is especially hard on electrics and batteries. I have occasionally observed the same thing. When on the road and everything seems to be fine, the DIC shows around 13.7 to 14.1 volts. Since this is showing the output from the alternator, I'm not concerned. If I stop at a light or for some reason and leave the engine idling, the indicated voltage drops to slightly less than 13 volts. I believe this is caused by the second fan coming on and what I see is the lag time before the alternator starts to make up the difference.
This isn't a scientific observation but I've seen it for a couple of years now and it is a reason I continue to monitor the voltage. I've also cleaned the ground connections near the alternator due to earlier EBCM problems. Since repaired.
Good luck and if you discover a cause, please let us know.
OBD
This isn't a scientific observation but I've seen it for a couple of years now and it is a reason I continue to monitor the voltage. I've also cleaned the ground connections near the alternator due to earlier EBCM problems. Since repaired.
Good luck and if you discover a cause, please let us know.
OBD
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
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I remember a post from Bill Curlee that there's a ground on the frame down low between the battery and fuse box, that can cause the voltage reading to be wrong. He's got a picture of this ground nut somewhere here in the forum.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 756
Likes: 5
From: Griffin Ga.
Bob