DIC voltage vs. Alternator voltage
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 394
Likes: 71
From: Miami Florida
DIC voltage vs. Alternator voltage
DIC voltage reading says 11.6v, but when I read the voltage with a multimeter at the battery or right off the alternator terminal it says 14.4v
Any idea's about what could be causing this drop?
Any idea's about what could be causing this drop?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 357
From: Northville, MI
Sounds like the battery has seen its last days, check the battery voltage with the multi meter when the engine is off and sitting for 30 minutes. If it is below 12.5V that means it is getting time to replace.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,947
Likes: 24,704
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Moved to C5 Tech.
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,496
Likes: 3,999
From: Cape Coral, Florida
DIC voltage is normally about 0.4 volts lower than the actual battery voltage…DIC voltage is read off the ignition 1 voltage which comes from IPC fuse 19…what voltage do you see at fuse 19 with your DVOM ??…what you can do is check the voltage drop between battery positive and fuse 19…one lead of DVOM on battery positive terminal and other lead on fuse 19…what do you read ??
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,394
Likes: 1,137
From: Dyer, IN
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 357
From: Northville, MI
Years ago the C5 section reported many problems about about starting, gauges etc. and it was common for someone to measure battery voltage with the car running. GM engineers did some investigating and found that the battery voltage. with the engine off, went below 12.5V weird things would happen, everything from steering wheel lock to not starting. There is a "sticky" about this above. When measuring voltage with the engine running you are looking at the voltage from the alternator (over simplification), not the battery. Hence the testing with the engine off or thate cables disconnected.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,394
Likes: 1,137
From: Dyer, IN
Years ago the C5 section reported many problems about about starting, gauges etc. and it was common for someone to measure battery voltage with the car running. GM engineers did some investigating and found that the battery voltage. with the engine off, went below 12.5V weird things would happen, everything from steering wheel lock to not starting. There is a "sticky" about this above. When measuring voltage with the engine running you are looking at the voltage from the alternator (over simplification), not the battery. Hence the testing with the engine off or thate cables disconnected.
