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Re: Ari, I frequently see 14.4 volts at highway speeds Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Fri, 7 Mar 2003 08:59:09
In Reply to: Ari, I frequently see 14.4 volts at highway speeds, pursang, Thu, 6 Mar 2003 09:08:09 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
The voltage you'll see on the EDU - which is the voltage from the alternator - has nothing to do with the health of the battery. The alternator doesn't know the state of the battery - it's just a load to the alternator, like a light bulb. If it needs a charge, it just sucks some current, which would act to actually drop the voltage you see.
The voltage you'll see is a function of the voltage regulator and the loads from the car - heater, lights, etc. 14.4 volts at speed on a cold day with minimal electrical loads isn't out of the question, especially if you haven't checked the accuracy of the EDU with a meter (just assuming).
Check the EDU reading with a voltmeter on the battery. If you start seeing 'real' voltages much above 14.7, think about a new voltage regulator. Too high a voltage can be worse than low voltages - high voltages burn out bulbs faster, and can damage car electronics.
When batteries get old they don't hold a charge as well. You can see a nice voltage on them, but they lose it quickly. You can jump the car and all is well, but it'll lose charge again quickly.
A good battery should hold a charge for three weeks with no problem. An older battery may not hold the charge that long, but be OK as long as you drive the car every few days. Eventually it just keeps dying. And when a battery completely discharges, that eats away some life.
If a car will be sitting for a while, or it seems the battery dies quickly, clean the top and sides of the battery with a weak solution of water and baking soda. Batteries outgas when they charge, and some acid comes out with this. It condenses on the top and sides of the battery and combines with dirt and grease, and actually forms a conductor. Not a good one, but one that can actually suck as much current from a battery as a dome light. The baking soda in the water solution neutralizes the acid and cleans the sides of the battery, and removes this conducting film.
That may not be the problem, but it won't hurt, and your battery will be sparkling fresh. If the battery is more than 3 or 4 years old, it may be getting tired. But if you're driving the car more regularly and the problem has gone away, then good.
posted by 192.249....
, Thu, 6 Mar 2003 08:16:10, Fri, 7 Mar 2003 08:59:09 <-- Viewing This Message
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