22 Years' Battery Customization
APR 22, 2021 Pageview：498
Do you think it is important to check the voltage on a car battery? If you say no, then read on to know everything about the voltage on a car battery!!
During the working life of a battery, it would often need to be charged. The battery will lose some of its charges if you store your vehicle or not start it for a long period. The voltage reading will provide useful information about the state of your battery. It can also help you diagnose any issues associated with the battery.
Curious to know about the voltage on a car battery. Let's get into it.
What is the voltage on car battery when running?
Fully charged vehicle batteries can have a voltage of 12.6 volts or more. When the engine is working, this reading should be between 13.7 and 14.7 volts. If you don't have a multimeter, you should measure the electrical system by starting the vehicle and turning on the headlights.
How do you check voltage on car battery?
The battery in your car is the lifeline of the engine. You won't be able to progress without a working battery. That means you should monitor your battery's charge on a regular basis to ensure it has enough juice to last you for the next few months.
Today, we'll show you a quick way to check the voltage of your battery.
But Before we Start, Is the Alternator or the Battery to Blame?
If you're experiencing power problems and are worried about a dead battery possibility, you can first run a couple of checks to decide if the problem is with the battery or the charging device (the alternator) before wasting a lot of money on anything doesn't need.
You can verify the health of your alternator in a few ways:
1.Turn on your headlights after you've started your engine. If you notice the lights are a little dark, this may indicate that the lights are being operated solely by the batteries. In this case, it means that the alternator is producing little to no charge.
2.Try revving the engine with the headlights on. If your lights glow brighter when you rev them, it could mean that your alternator is providing enough current but not enough at idle to keep your battery charged. In contrast, if the headlights' power does not improve, the alternator is most definitely running smoothly.
3.If your interior lights steadily fade when driving, your alternator is most likely to blame.
4.If you recall hearing a faint growling sound emanating from your car before things went south, it may be a sign that the alternator is failing.
Now we know if it is an alternator to blame or not, let's look at a couple of ways to test your battery voltage yourself.
1. Test Your Battery Voltage with a Voltmeter
A voltmeter, which calculates the electrical potential difference between two points in an electric circuit (in plain layman's terms: voltage), is a simple way to inspect your battery's voltage. We suggest that you use a digital voltmeter because they are much easier to use.
Perform this test 12 hours after turning off the vehicle to enable the surface charge to dissipate.
●Be sure the engine is switched off.
●Remove the battery's optimistic terminal mask. Examine the terminal for corrosion and, if possible, clean it. Then, connect the positive wire of your voltmeter to the positive wire of your battery. After that, connect the negative lead to the negative battery terminal using the same technique as you did with the positive end. You're now about to scan the voltmeter readings.
●Check the reading. A fully charged battery would normally display a voltmeter reading of 12.6 to 12.8 volts. If your voltmeter reads between 12.4 and 12.8, your battery is in good condition.
●Any voltage greater than 12.9 volts is an indication that your battery has an abnormal voltage. If this is the case, enable the high beams to drain the excess voltage surface charge. (An excess charge can also indicate that the alternator is to blame for an overcharged battery.)
●If the voltmeter indicates a voltage less than 12.4, charge your battery. However, if your voltmeter reads less than 12.2 volts, you should consider "trickle charging" your battery. It means that you can charge your battery at a much slower pace, avoiding the possibility of adding too much charge amperage, which might result in a lot of extra heat and off-gassing (and, in extreme cases, explosions).
2. The Engine Cranking Method
Please don't throw away your voltmeter; you'll need it for this test. If you don't have a remote starter, then you are advised to sit in the driver's seat and watch the voltmeter rating.
To check your battery voltage using the "crank" process, mount the voltmeter to your battery using the same steps described above. Next, make a buddy crank the engine for a few seconds while you track the voltmeter. (By "crank," we mean charging the car to energize the engine using external power, such as a remote starter) (not a key). The name derives from the days when starting an engine needed a literal metal crank.) If the voltage falls below 9.6 volts, it means the battery has been sulfated and no longer maintains or accepts a charge.
You will take this test a step further by turning off the ignition or injection to keep the engine from running. This allows you to crank the motor for a few seconds longer, but we recommend no more than 15 seconds. The voltmeter can read 9.6 volts or higher if your battery is correctly charged.
These are only two approaches for inspecting your battery's voltage, but they are perhaps the most basic and cost-effective.
Does voltage drop on car battery when starting?
Even a well-maintained battery can experience a voltage drop at its terminals when cranking, but not by 3 volts, as you say. As a result, it may be the batteries or the wiring. To determine this, calculate the voltage at the battery terminals before cranking; it should be about 12.5 and no less than 11.0 when cranking.
Conclusion
Most people have no idea how to read the voltage using a voltmeter. Hopefully, this handy guide has provided you with an idea about checking the voltage on car batteries.
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