Voltmeter dips, what's up? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Voltmeter dips, what's up?

alohamonte

Well-Known Member
Joined
October 4, 2007
Messages
784
Reaction score
4
City, State
Glendale, AZ
Year, Model & Trim Level
1998 Explorer 4.0 4x4
I have a new battery (2 years) and a new alternator (6 months, stock 95 amp replacement) and recently realized (due to the colder weather) that when at idle with the defroster and heat on, the voltmeter drops considerably.

I cleaned the battery terminals and problem persists. When the engine is reving, the voltmeter analog arrow levels out. Also, if I turn the heat or defroster off, the voltmeter immediately goes up (or down in the other case).

I suspect this isnt normal because the engine feels bogged down when the voltage drops. Do these things have voltage regulars and where about is it located on the OHV? Only aftermarket electronics is an alarm. Thanks gents
 






First thing I would try is an additional ground wire from the battery NEG to a good clean connection on the battery. The existing ground straps may be corroded.
 






Voltage regulator

The voltage regulator is mounted on the alternator and is not adjustable. Measure the voltage across the battery terminals with the engine idling. It should be about 14.0 volts. If not, check the condition of your battery cables and clean the battery/cable connections.
 






Back
Top