Yes it is bad
! Your battery should show about 12.6 V with the ignition OFF and very slightly below that with the ignition ON. With the engine running, you should see close to 14.2 V.
Can a battery have voltage and still be bad?
If your battery is: Reading 0 volts, chances are the battery experienced a short circuit. Cannot reach higher
than 10.5 volts
when being charged, then the battery has a dead cell. Fully charged (according to the battery charger) but the voltage is 12.4 or less, the battery is sulfated.
Why is my battery reading 13 volts?
Nominal charge is 12.6 volts (half full) Fully charged is 14.2 to 14.4 volts. So if you are at 13 volts this is
a somewhat charged battery
. Put it back on the charger.
Is 13 volts enough to start a car?
The modern standard worldwide is 12V, but this parameter is changeable: The normal voltage needed to start the car begins from
12.6 volts
. At the time of exploitation, this parameter is between 13.7 to 14.7 volts.
Is 13.1 volts on a car battery good?
Without the engine running and the key off a fully charged car battery should sit at about
12.6 volts
. Lower indicates a discharged battery or possibly a gauge that doesn’t read correctly. Higher voltage usually means the gauge is off.
What are the symptoms of a failing alternator?
- Dim or Overly Bright Lights. …
- Dead Battery. …
- Slow or Malfunctioning Accessories. …
- Trouble Starting or Frequent Stalling. …
- Growling or Whining Noises. …
- Smell of Burning Rubber or Wires. …
- Battery Warning Light on Dash.
Why does my car keep dying with a new battery and alternator?
Some of the most common reasons for a car battery to die repeatedly include
loose or corroded battery connections
, persistent electrical drains, charging problems, constantly demanding more power than the alternator can provide, and even extreme weather.
Is 13.2 volts good for a battery?
Fully-charged, most car batteries will measure at least
12.6 volts
(~13.0-13.2V for OPTIMA YELLOWTOPs), but low voltage doesn’t necessarily equal a bad battery. … If the battery is below 12.6 volts, you should attempt to charge it with a battery charger.
Is 13 volts good for a 12 volt battery?
The actual resting voltage, or the voltage a battery will settle at 12-24 hours after being removed from the charger, is closer to 2.1 volts per cell, or about 6.4 volts for a 6v battery, and 12.7 volts for a 12v battery. These numbers assume 100% healthy cells, and may vary a bit lower for older batteries.
What is the correct voltage for an alternator?
A good alternator should put out between **
13.5-14.5 volts
. Stress test the alternator – Place a load on the alternator by turning on the headlights, the radio and the air conditioning. The voltage should remain high with these circuits on.
Is 13.5 volts good for a car battery?
If the
voltage stays about a volt higher than resting voltage
(e.g., about 13.5V), then the car’s charging system is functioning. But if the voltage drops (or increases) dramatically at any point, there’s a problem in the alternator or the voltage regulator.
What voltage is too low for a car battery?
What voltage is too low for a car battery? A car battery is dead if its voltage is anything
between 11.75 and 11.89 volts
. Any reading between that range means that the battery is no longer functioning and a car owner should consider a replacement.
Is 13 volts a good battery?
A fully charged battery will typically display a voltmeter reading of about
12.6 to 12.8 volts
. If your voltmeter is showing a voltage anywhere between 12.4 and 12.8, that means your battery is in good shape. Any voltage above 12.9 volts is a good indicator that your battery has excessive voltage.
Is 13.8 volts good for alternator?
With the engine running, use a voltmeter to measure voltage at the battery. … At that point, if the voltage falls between 12.6 and 13.7 volts, you need to replace your alternator.
If it’s greater than or equal to 13.8 volts
, a voltage drop test needs to be performed.
How do I know when my car battery needs replacing?
- 1) Your Battery Struggles to Combat Seasonal Challenges. …
- 2) Your Car Has Been Sitting For Too Long. …
- 3) Your Vehicle Struggles When Starting. …
- 4) Your Battery Is Older and Triggers a Dashboard Light. …
- Alternative Starting and Battery Problems.
At what voltage is a 12v battery dead?
Resting fully charged 12-volt batteries are around 12.8-12.9 volts, and flat dead ones are at
12.0 volts
, so 12.4 volts on a resting battery means it’s about 50% charged.
How do you tell if it’s your battery or alternator?
If your engine won’t turn over or takes far longer than usual, it’s time to grab the jumper cables and attempt a jump-start. If your engine
starts
and stays running but won’t start again later, it’s likely a battery problem. If your vehicle immediately stalls, it’s probably a bad alternator.
What are signs of a bad voltage regulator?
- Too High Voltage in the Battery.
- Dead Battery.
- Battery Light or Check Engine Light.
- Inconsistent Operation of Electrical Components.
- Vehicle Dies While Running.
- Dimming/Pulsing Lights.
How do I know if it’s the battery or the alternator?
An illuminated dashboard light can indicate a problem with an automobile charging system. However, a very simple way to check if the alternator is working is to run the car and disconnect the positive terminal of the battery.
If the vehicle stops running
, then you probably have a bad alternator.
What is draining my car battery when its off?
What may drain a car battery when it’s off are things such as
interior lights, door lights, or even bad relays
. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work!
Can a bad ground cause battery drain?
A bad ground
might not cause a battery to drain
, but it will prevent it from properly recharging.
Is 13.3 volts good for alternator?
For some alternators,
it’s normal to see as low as 13 volts
. For some, a constant 13.6 volts is an indication of a problem. … For some alternators, it’s normal to see as low as 13 volts. For some, a constant 13.6 volts is an indication of a problem.
Is 13.6 volts good for alternator?
A good alternator should maintain battery voltage between 13.9 and 14.8 volts (
14.2
is optimum). Even worst-case, with all accessories turned on, there should be at least 13 volts at the battery. … If voltage is under 13.6 volts, go to Step 04.
Can you overcharge a car battery?
Yes, overcharging a car battery is possible
. The vast majority of car batteries on the market are lead-acid, which can stand a certain amount of overcharging. The real problem is if the overcharging is continuous, even at low levels. This will eventually boil the battery dry and damage the internal lead plates.
Can a bad ground cause alternator failure?
Poor ground connections are an often-overlooked cause of
low
charging output and alternator failure. … Voltage drops on the positive side of the charging circuit can cause undercharging.
How do you test if the alternator is working?
Check the Alternator
A simple test to check the working of the alternator is
by running your car; and then unplugging the positive connection of the battery
. If the car stops, then you most likely have a problem with the alternator. Another simple test is to check your interior lights.
Is 13.6 a good battery voltage?
A car battery can be charged safely at high voltages as long as the battery is not fully charged. … But if you want to leave the battery on the charger to keep it topped off, a float voltage of
13.6V to 13.8V
is usually used. For more information on charging lead acid batteries look here.
What is normal charging voltage?
The “normal” charging voltage on a typical application might be
13.9 to 15.1 volts at 77 degrees
F. But at 20 degrees F. below zero, the charging voltage might jump as high as 14.9 to 15.8 volts for a short period of time. On a hot engine on a hot day, the normal charging voltage might drop to 13.5 to 14.3 volts.
Why is my alternator only putting out 12 volts?
– A reading below 12 volts
could indicate insufficient charging, low battery
, or corroded, broken, loose or frayed wires/connections. … – A reading below 13.0 volts could indicate a failed alternator or corroded, broken, loose or frayed wires/connections.
Can a car battery be bad even if it reads 12 volts?
Yes it can be bad if it’s output is 12 volts
with no load and the engine not running… Load it down and watch the voltage drop… The starter is a good load to use for measuring the output under load.. Even a new battery voltage will drop with the starter running, but the battery should easily crank the car….
