Car battery putting out too much power?
So I have a 1991 Ford ranger. Up until today everything has been fine it has a rebuilt engine and a ton if new parts. The battery is an optima red top. The truck has a voltage meter but the person I bought it from put in a custom console that has a digital voltage display. Usually it reads around 12.5 volts sometimes more sometimes less. But today it's reading around 14.3 volts and the needle on the gauge moved up past what would be considered normal. Any ideas what could be causing this?
Seems pretty normal to me.
Gauge is probably broken. Get a multimeter (DVOM) and get a true voltage reading.
12.5 -13.2 with the engine off and with the engine running <15 and > battery voltage is normal.
Personally I'd be concerned if it was only reading 12.5 V or less, Although I'm very comfortable with a reading of between 13. 5 and 14.5, But then again I make my living as a mechanic, and as a general rule I won't even touch these things some kid has did a electrical butcher job on, First off kids don't have the money needed to fix it correctly.
1. The BATTERY isn't supplying ANY power when the engine is running.
2. The ALTERNATOR is supposed to supply about 14 volts.
3. If it ONLY reads 12.3 volts with the engine running, THEN you need to be concerned.
If the engine is running, volts is absolutely normal. Battery voltage without the car running should be about 13 to 13.5 volts.
Relax. That's where it should be.
Your car battery is not what is "putting out" the 14.3 volts. The alternator is what's putting out that voltage. Approximately 14.4 volts is the normal charging system voltage. With the engine off, the battery will be around 12.6 volts, but slowly drop if you discharge it, for example, by playing the radio.
You can't charge a 12 volt battery by connecting 12 volts to it. There's a range of voltage that is proper, depending on the battery temperature. At low temperatures, like 0°F, the alternator will charge at a higher voltage, typically at the high end of the charging voltage range, which is perhaps 14.7 volts. If the temperature out is hot, like 100°F, then the alternator will charge at the low end of the charging voltage range, like 14.1 volts.
I'm not sure about the accuracy of either of your voltmeters. You need to get an electronic test voltmeter like a Fluke DVM and check the voltage at the battery terminals. Like I said, it should be around 12.6 volts with tbe engine off, and around 14.4 volts with the engine running. If it's like 15 or 16 volts, there's something wrong with the battery.
Normal battery voltage when the engine has been off for two hours is 12.3 - 5 volts is normal depending on the age of the battery. When the engine is running and spinning the alternator, normal battery voltage is 14.2 - 14.4 volts which is normal voltage.
When the engine is running, the alternator is furnishing voltage for every electrical system on the car.
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