Nov 16, 2021 Pageview:943
The topic of which voltage can start a car will always remain hot amongst car owners. For instance, some recommend that 12volts can do the job while others have suggested something lower. When it comes to recommended voltage for car batteries, there have been series of questions. These could be questions like “what is the average car battery voltage”, “can 11.9volts start a car”, “what voltage is considered low for a car” and many others.
Are you amongst those that have been asking these questions? The good part is that you have come to the right place where everything about car batteries and their average voltage will be explained in details. The answers to all the questions asked above will be provided.
Average Voltage Good Car Battery
For a healthy car battery, the voltage should be around 12.6. it can also be above which is better. However, at 12.6volts your battery is in the best of conditions. It should be noted that such reading is when the car isn’t working. In a situation whereby your car engine is running, the reading is expected to fall within the range of 13.7 - 14.7volts. With this, you can be rest assured that the battery is still very healthy.
There are times when you may not get 12.6volts. This usually happens when the battery is not fully charged. For instance, at 75% charge, it can display 12.4volts. Again, it will likely display 12volts when the battery is only 25% charged. If your battery has discharged completely, its voltage reading will drop below 11.9volts.
Also, you may find out the car battery voltage is 12.5volt. This isn’t bad either as you can still drive the car around. However, it is recommended you always try as much as possible to maintain 12.6volts as recommended above. If you notice the voltage is 12.5, try to observe it for the next couple of days whether it is going to drop further.
Voltage between the range of 12.1 and 12.4volts is an indication of partial discharge. In this case, you need to ensure that such battery is recharged. The reason is because it can affect the battery’s lifespan. The same can also be said when the voltage drops below 12.0. Using such battery like that can affect its health. It won’t serve you as expected again.
Having said all the above, the average voltage that is considered healthy for a car battery is 12.6volts. Anything below this can mean that your battery needs to be charged before usage. If the voltage is higher than 12.8, ensure it doesn’t go beyond 14.2. This is because in a situation when it is more, the battery can be damaged.
Is 11.9 Volts Enough To Start A Car?
The answer to this question is quite simple and straightforward. 11.9volts isn’t enough to start your car. At 12.0volts, your battery is dead. This means it can’t start your car. 12.45volts indicate that the battery hasn’t been fully charged. At that point, it should be charged before usage. Please note that there is no set-in-stone rule for this. For instance, your car engine can start while the battery is reading 12.0volts. At other times, such may not be possible. This means if your battery voltage is reading such amount, the chance is 50%. 11.9volts means very low chance of the engine starting.
Always be on the lookout when your battery begins to drop in terms of power storage. Trying to start the engine at 11.9volts can cause more harm than good. For instance, it can shorten its lifespan since cells are likely to get damaged. This can make you spend unnecessarily to replace the battery. At such voltage reading, your focus is supposed to be ensuring the battery is charged to its fullest of between 12.6 and 12.8volts. It is the safest way to use a car battery without having to bother about its cells being damaged or lifespan getting shortened.
Just as explained above, your car engine has 50% chance of starting once the battery is 12.0. This is the lowest level you should attempt using such battery to start your car. Anything short means you need to consider recharging.
What Voltage Is Low For A Car Battery?
According to experts, the recommended voltage that is low for your car battery is 12.0. This is a sign that such battery is about 25% charged. This is low for your car battery and you should consider recharging before it drops even further. Also note that it strongly depends on whether your car is using a 24volt system or 12volt system. The good part is that majority of the cars today are being powered by 12volt instead of 24volt system. Just remember that such 12volts are going to require lots of amps.
As a general rule, your car battery shouldn’t be too low up to reading 12.0. It is true that your engine can be powered as explained above. However, note that working in such condition won’t help your battery. It is only a matter of time before the cells will get damaged. The truth is that the results obtained from cars starting with 12.0volts will always vary. This is because batteries are usually working under different conditions. Therefore, never expect the result to be fixed. While some car engines may start with 12.0volts. Others may require a battery with higher voltage.
There are cars that will start while using much lower amperage as compared to others. This usually depends greatly on how many cylinders are available. Also, the compression ratio of such cylinders can also play a crucial role. Generally speaking, anything below 12.0volts will be considered low to start your car.
Final Thoughts
Having seen all of the above, it is very obvious that there are numerous facts you need to understand about your car battery voltage including how it works. Trying to ignore this means you could end up spending more money than required. This is because such knowledge can help you understand how your car battery can be maintained to remain in good health.
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