Battery Voltage Gauge Fluctuating...
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: USA
Battery Voltage Gauge Fluctuating... Ever since buying this car I have noticed that the Battery Voltage Gauge likes to move around a lot. Is this normal? This is what I have noticed:
-Prior to turning the key to start, the voltage gauges reads just a hair over the red area (10V if I had to guess)
-Upon starting and for the first 30M of driving, the gauge reads somewhere around 15V
-After about 30M of driving, the gauge goes to about 13.2V and remains there until I turn her off
*Is the gauge indicating that the alternator is charging the battery for 30M everytime I turn the car on? If so, why would it still try to charge my new Optima Red Top Battery that I bought yesterday? Is this how the stock factory alternator voltage regulator works?
Notes:
-I don't have an aftermarket alarm, amp, stereo, lighting accessories, or any other device to my knowledge that would draw a current when the car is off and cause the battery to be drained.
-Prior to turning the key to start, the voltage gauges reads just a hair over the red area (10V if I had to guess)
-Upon starting and for the first 30M of driving, the gauge reads somewhere around 15V
-After about 30M of driving, the gauge goes to about 13.2V and remains there until I turn her off
*Is the gauge indicating that the alternator is charging the battery for 30M everytime I turn the car on? If so, why would it still try to charge my new Optima Red Top Battery that I bought yesterday? Is this how the stock factory alternator voltage regulator works?
Notes:
-I don't have an aftermarket alarm, amp, stereo, lighting accessories, or any other device to my knowledge that would draw a current when the car is off and cause the battery to be drained.
