Where is your volt meter while driving?

[sxmax]

Is my system overcharging? Battery going bad? Alternator going bad? Or is this just normal? Heading on a 2000 mile trip and what to know if I should be concerned...

[dougs01gt]

mine sits at about 14.5 to almost 15. Im not worried about it though. You could take a volt meter and check the output at the battery but my guess is the guages in most vehicles arent 100% accurate and im sure they arent all the same. How long has it been doing this?

[jhm]

Mine did the same thing. Turned out one of the diodes in the alternator was bad. It was still in warranty so they replaced the alternator with a rebuilt one. The gauge IS accurate,

[sxmax]

Just starting reading that high today. It has always read a hair over 15 and 15.3 on a volt meter when checking the system while running the truck so the gauge must be close. Today it was -20 out so I don't know if that is playing a factor? Maybe I will just get one and bring it along just in case it goes south......

[foghorn23]

Mine is usually about a needle's width above the 14 mark on the volt meter. I had my original alt replaced (stupid-yes stupid) dealer thought it was the source of my whining front engine noise , but the volt meter reads the same with the old alt as well as the new 14.5-15 range.

 

vroten

[jhm]

SXMAX, Are you still in warranty? Get the alt replaced before it fries your battery or goes south.

[sxmax]

Not under warranty, but i ordered one and should have it yet today. I am going to check the charging system throughly.

[99GMCZ71]

My volt gauge sit just past 14 while driving

[teamjnz]

Not under warranty, but i ordered one and should have it yet today.  I am going to check the charging system throughly.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

A couple of months ago my Silverado wouldn't start so I jumped it and took it to the local Kragens and asked them to check the battery. The battery was fine so they took their hand held checker thing and ran a test on the charging system for free. Call your local parts store to see if they can check your system for you.

 

Turns out I had a bad conection at the battery cable.

 

teamjnz

[biochemist]

just above 14 V... ~14.4 as most others

[Mighty HD]

before I changed the cluster it read a pinch above 14v, now with the SS cluster it's around 14-13

[budhayes3]

before I changed the cluster it read a pinch above 14v, now with the SS cluster it's around 14-13

 

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Pretty much the same here...was always just a tick above 14, and is dead on 14 ever since I installed the Denali cluster.

[slaterx2]

14~16 is heathy. if you are all concerned about it buy a battery conditioner.