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Intermittent voltage drop?

jhale2004
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jhale2004 Enthusiast

jhale2004

Posted
Posted

Sometimes my amperage gauge will drop to about 10 or 12 but it usually stays a little over 14. Is there something going wrong? I don't have any amplifiers or anything extra that would pull a load on the electrical system. I did an alternator and battery test and everything was fine. Here are pics.

 

It was actually lower than this but by the time I snapped a pic it had started going back up.

B801AF02-40C5-44AA-B67C-C025C96A900C-7830-000004FCF2392F9B.jpg

 

And normal

 

977FDD57-FC70-46FB-BA16-09894FE41DEE-7830-000004FCEB376005.jpg

dwgr Enthusiast

dwgr

Posted
Posted

Mine does that too. I have a 2009 Silverado with a 5.3 L engine. I would like to know also.

MikeNH Senior Enthusiast

MikeNH

Posted
Posted (edited)

Normal operation. Read your manual, it's supposedly more efficient this way.

Edited by MikeNH
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Gurrzt Enthusiast

Gurrzt

Posted
Posted

The alternator in these newer vehicles are what is called "free wheeling" that is to say when the battery is fully charged, the alternator "disingages" via a clutch so even though it is connected to the serpentine belt, it is not causing any drag on the system, thus the gas savings. I PERSONALLY DO NOT SEE A GAS SAVINGS ON MY VEHICLE.

MikeNH Senior Enthusiast

MikeNH

Posted
Posted
The alternator in these newer vehicles are what is called "free wheeling" that is to say when the battery is fully charged, the alternator "disingages" via a clutch so even though it is connected to the serpentine belt, it is not causing any drag on the system, thus the gas savings. I PERSONALLY DO NOT SEE A GAS SAVINGS ON MY VEHICLE.

 

Not quite. No clutch or any fancy stuff, it just backs off the output.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

5829BMG Enthusiast

5829BMG

Posted
Posted

The alternator in these newer vehicles are what is called "free wheeling" that is to say when the battery is fully charged, the alternator "disingages" via a clutch so even though it is connected to the serpentine belt, it is not causing any drag on the system, thus the gas savings. I PERSONALLY DO NOT SEE A GAS SAVINGS ON MY VEHICLE.

 

 

Every .0001 of a gallon counts when you try to beat the C.A.F.E. ratings

Gurrzt Enthusiast

Gurrzt

Posted
Posted (edited)

The alternator in these newer vehicles are what is called "free wheeling" that is to say when the battery is fully charged, the alternator "disingages" via a clutch so even though it is connected to the serpentine belt, it is not causing any drag on the system, thus the gas savings. I PERSONALLY DO NOT SEE A GAS SAVINGS ON MY VEHICLE.

 

 

Every .0001 of a gallon counts when you try to beat the C.A.F.E. ratings

 

 

Point well taken :)

Edited by Gurrzt
Wolfmanjohn Enthusiast

Wolfmanjohn

Posted
Posted

It is called Regulated Voltage Control . :)

 

 

And there are 6 different states of it, according to my Helm manuals.

00Silverado4x4 Senior Enthusiast

00Silverado4x4

Posted
Posted

I'm just curious as to why my voltage starting "dropping" after a couple of years of driving. The voltmeter was always constant at ~14 volts then one day it just started dropping and raising and has ever since. I'm always scanning my gauges, pet peeve of mine. I found out it was normal operation but to not see it happen until after a couple of years driving???

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