Over charging.

[HookMeUp]

I think I have an over charging problem. The charge rate is 14. 6 volts, is this normal. I have noticed the voltage gauge sitting to the right of the mid-point for the last couple of weeks. I just put new batteries over the weekend and don't want to burn em up.

 

[WKruger]

14. 0-14. 6 is normal. Anything over 15, better do something.

 

[Cattletrkr]

14. 0-14. 6 is normal. Anything over 15, better do something.

That's what the dealer told me a month or so ago when I asked the same question. Looks like the gauge is further over than it used to be, but so far it's not been an issue. Still starts at -20*F.

 

[ENafziger]

I have a digital gauge in the cab that plugs into the cigarette lighter. It has read between 15. 1 and 15. 4 volts since I hooked it up 6 months ago. So far, no ill side effects. The cell phone sure charges faster in the truck than in the house :-laf!

--Eric
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[DPellegrin]

I think I have an over charging problem. The charge rate is 14. 6 volts, is this normal. I have noticed the voltage gauge sitting to the right of the mid-point for the last couple of weeks. I just put new batteries over the weekend and don't want to burn em up.

The voltage regulators are thermally compensating. That is, as the ambient temps get colder the voltage reg setting gets higher. For example, on a 70F day the charging voltage is 13. 9-14. 0. On a 20F ambient the charging voltage will be 14. 4 -14. 5.



Also, if the charging voltage truly is over 15 volts this is slowly cooking the batteries, unless you are in -25F ambient temps all the time. I would get a good Fluke or Simpson digital VOM and verify that the charging voltage is, in fact, over 15 volts.



regards,

 

[AH64ID]

My OBDII reader reads 14. 3-14. 6... used to read lower until I had the current flash done in December... Personally I would like to see it go to 14. 5 for the first 30 minutes of operation then drop to 13. 3-13. 5 after that. . the batteries would last much longer.

 

[betterthanstock]

I noticed my gage is over 14v, but with the batteries over 5 years old (mine was made in late 2002) and still running like new, I'm not worried.

If you see acid dripping, or one of the eyes is not green, then do somethig, but otherwise leave well enough alone.

 

[HookMeUp]

I had one of the eyes go dark and then come back green, the same battery would boil over also. Just replaced with 2 new batteries and don't want to burn them up if there's a charging problem.