so, i don't know whats going on with this. while i'm driving, my volts (according to my voltmeter connected directly to my batt) will frequently drop down to ~12.4 for no particular reason randomly. it will shoot back to ~14.4 eventually, but only for 10 min at most. i've had my electrical checked out and it registers good in all aspects. wtf is wrong here lol. could it be the meter?
I had an 88' camaro that had a bad voltage regulator that gave me the same kind of problem. It would spike quickly then drop back down. It was blowing my headlights out. I had to replace the entire Alt cause the regulator was built in. The mechanic couldn't find the problem at first either cause it wasn't spiking all the time. I have no clue if that's what your problem is though.
is it when you give the alt. higher rpms by chance? I have a problem with mine where if i get the rpms 3500+ the power will drop to my battery floater voltage - whatever system and car is using..
It's definatley a problem with your alternator or voltmeter.Your batt will only produce about 12.5 volts by itself anyhow so for it to be spiking,there's a problem with your charging-obviously,it could be heat issues.
killa, no i can have it at w/e rpm and it will do this. however either way they both charge just like it would at 14.4 when im at a higher rpm
i'm thinking paul could be right. either that or the voltmeter like rob said. batt and alt outputs tested fine... i don't know if it could be a heat issue. this can happen even a min after i start my car. also, i experience no dimming or any sign of power loss in my car when it happens
If your voltage fluctuates that much, then it's most likely the alternator/regulator. You might also want to have the wires checked for rust. Sometimes when a car gets old, the joints start to corrode, yielding bad contact. You mentioned that your battery is losing charge fast. That's cause it's not getting charged by the alternator. Use an external charger to top up your battery and then test it.
If the battery doesnt hold the charge much.... maybe it is the battery thats dieing and giving you the problem? What kinda batt. is it and how much power does your system pull?
its an interstate batt i believe. i plan on putting in a kinetik after i take care of some other expenses first i'm pushing around 1500wrms, but i only let my voltage drop .3v max
i'm pushing around 1500wrms, but i only let my voltage drop .3v max