Battery not charging

Oct 24, 2019
4
0
So on the way home warning light for battery came on saying that its not charging and that i should stop. Came home turned the car off and on warning light gone off should i be worried?
 

BigJase88

Jase
Apr 20, 2008
3,767
1,069
Multimeter on terminals of the battery while the engine is running. Should be around 14.4 volts. If not then alternator is goosed.

With the engine off the battery should be minimum 12.4 volts, anything below this indicates new battery time
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Multimeter on terminals of the battery while the engine is running. Should be around 14.4 volts. If not then alternator is goosed.

With the engine off the battery should be minimum 12.4 volts, anything below this indicates new battery time

Well, here is the thing, what you said about battery voltage when the engine is running is correct for a car without smart charging, for any car with smart charging, and the system working as intended, you will normally see only 12.6Volts maybe while driving under power, on the over run you could see something a lot higher than 14.4Volts as the charging system crams charge back into the battery on the over run and especially while braking.

Sort of regenerative braking to improve emissions.
 

BigJase88

Jase
Apr 20, 2008
3,767
1,069
Well, here is the thing, what you said about battery voltage when the engine is running is correct for a car without smart charging, for any car with smart charging, and the system working as intended, you will normally see only 12.6Volts maybe while driving under power, on the over run you could see something a lot higher than 14.4Volts as the charging system crams charge back into the battery on the over run and especially while braking.

Sort of regenerative braking to improve emissions.
Every day is a school day

didn’t know this
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Neither did I fully until I drove around with a DVM connected to a "cig lighter" plug in the 12Volt socket, quite large high voltage variations - I did know what it was expected to do, but seeing is believing.
 
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