Voltage too high ??

[Jim2002Z71]

Lately my voltage has been going to 14.5-14.75 after starting and doesn't get back to 14 until about 1/2 hour of driving. I only drive the truck maybe twice a week and the volts are 12.0-12.5 before starting. Had a new Die Hard battery installed, GM battery took a dump after 4 years. Charging system checked when battery installed all checks OK...has anyone else seen this happen ? or should I be looking into a new regulator or checking for abnormal voltage draw when the truck is off. The voltage has always run in the 13.5-14.0 range since new, don't want to be burning out electronics with this high volts so I thought I would ask.

[Mr. Smith]

Lately my voltage has been going to 14.5-14.75 after starting and doesn't get back to 14 until about 1/2 hour of driving. I only drive the truck maybe twice a week and the volts are 12.0-12.5 before starting. Had a new Die Hard battery installed, GM battery took a dump after 4 years. Charging system checked when battery installed all checks OK...has anyone else seen this happen ? or should I be looking into a new regulator or checking for abnormal voltage draw when the truck is off. The voltage has always run in the 13.5-14.0 range since new, don't want to be burning out electronics with this high volts so I thought I would ask.

 

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Sounds normal to me.

[Nice rig]

ditto

[redvett]

The sitting all the time is why the battery is low and when you start truck up the charging rate is up. You may want to get a battery tender to keep battery fully charged. Modern vehicles use some current all the time to run clocks, radio settings, memory in PCM & BCM & alarm system.

[NothinButBowTies]

Mine always runs in the 14 range. All Chevy's I have ever owned have ran this.

 

While you are not driving it, do you have any accesories on? Radar Detector, GPS, etc? Sounds like you have a parasitic drag.

[Neutron]

I want to say my owner's manual actually states that if the battery is low on current, the voltmeter will actually read higher since the charging system is working harder to charge the battery as well as run everything else.

[az'03Silverado]

That's normal. The alternator output should always be in the 14's. It has to be this way to facilitate electron exchange into the battery. If the alternator output was only 12 it's voltage would match the battery's and no electrons would move to keep the battery charged. When you first start up the starter uses a lot of electrons from the battery and the fuel pump and ignition systems use plenty as well. So, the alternator will run in the mid 14's to keep electrons moving back into the battery. Perfectly normal.