Running voltage question...

[spabula]

I noticed today that my battery (voltage) gauge looked a little bit low. It wasnt right smack dab in the middle. it was probably only 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. I dont recall seeing it be that low prior. My truck off voltage was 12.0V and with it running i on had 12.6V. Shouldnt it be at around 14V when running?
I replaced my alternator about 5 months ago and am running a yellow top Optima battery.

 

[asasial]

yes your right you should be running close or above 14 volts. check your fuses to start with on my 96 i'm pretty sure there are two fuses one in the box under hood and one inside door. not sure if a 2000 is the same or not. doubt it's a battery problem. those optima are about the best you can get but still would do a load test before replacing battery

 

[spabula]

Even if the battery was bad wouldnt i still read around 14 if the alternator was ok?

 

[asasial]

actually yeah you should unless the batter is really messed up but then you would prob have prob with starting. but still doesn't hurt to check it out

 

[spabula]

I just hope its not the new alternator I dropped in it... although, it should still be under warranty...

 

[asasial]

an ol school way of checking the alternator is to start up the truck turn on all the electrical equipment you can.(ie. lights, fan, radio, interior light, and anything else you can think of.) and pull the positive terminal on the battery if it dies then your alt isn't putting out enough voltage. if it dies take your alternator to a parts store to have it checked... actually i believe advance and auto zone can check your alternator with it still in the vehicle but i'm not sure

 

[spabula]

yes i believe they can . im gonna give that a shot tomorrow. thanks

 

[asasial]

i've always heard that the first place i mentioned electronic parts aren't that good. heard that for years so ya might wanna go with another brand if your havin problems with the alt and that's where ya got it.

 

[spabula]

If i have to get another alternator i was planning on getting one that puts out more current... i am going to start redoing my lighting and will need lots 'o juice

 

[asasial]

sounds like your building some kind of play toy... me like.... me like... lol

 

[asasial]

but if your lights are gonna pull alot of power ya might wanna think about an addition battery and a battery isolator

 

[spabula]

So I had advance auto check it. They said it was fine and gave me the printout showing the tests performed. No load test was 13.8 and load was 13.6.
It wasn't that high when I checked it yesterday. So I don't know if its an intermittent problem. The battery also tested good.
I figured out that I did buy it there and it has a lifetime warrranty so if it does crap out I can just get it replaced. Although that doesn't really help me when I'm stuck in the side of the road somewhere.
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