What Voltage Should Car Battery Be?!

Using the voltmeter to quickly assess the battery state of charge. What voltage should a car battery read?!

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[MrBusy]

Currently at 14.7-14.9 at idle w ac, lights, radio on. Running a Mesa battery and an Autotech 250amp alternator. A volt meter is a cheap great investment

[member]

Theoretically, this is true, but in reality i bought my stocked lead asid battery which is 1 year old before i install it on my V8 Mercedes back in 2022 it was showing 11.5v since the very first use and it's still showing same voltage and yet it's running like charm, even when I'm only driving that car 1 or 2 times every months!

[adriennebetts]

I just use a battery tester I got for $40 aus easy to use. I had a battery in my captiva and it is still reading 12.4 on a Multimetes but doesn't start the car. I got a tester when a got a new battery the cca dropped to half but the voltage is the same. I use old batteries that still read 12v. That battery is connected to a small solar panel and connected to my backyard snake charmer set up that still going strong 2 years later.

[handyandy]

Best test is a drop test. How your battery voltage stands up under load.

[jgeorges]

AWESOME VIDEO/INFORMATION TO WHOW WANT TO LEARN ABOUT BATTREY AUTOMOTIVE.

[danstark]

Sometimes you must take condition of your starter. Starters with years of wear: thats brushes and bearings or bushings, armature that taxes a lot of voltage out of the battery. The starter is a series wound motor. It can build a lot of torque under load with a drawback of lower revelutions. Healthy starters will work more efficiently. The battery will work less.
Then of course the grounding strap from engine's ground terminal bolt to the battery negative terminal. It always nice to have that in good condition and less failure points if reduce numerous voltage drops across barriers through indirect battery hook up. Meaning going through the chassis to complete the return start circuit.

[ErikTheVikingMechanic]

Your battery can be 12.6V but not going to have enough current CCA to crank the engine. You need sufficient Current and Voltage for it to work properly.

[fivish]

This morning with -4C my 4 year old battery which was fully charged after a long run yesterday showed 11.4V. It started just fine.

[daddyjay]

Umm noticed a Fluke meter . How about you use the Min Max feature crank the engine and see what happens . Check the Min voltage . Below 9.6 volts means that one some or all cells are not holding a full charge.

[billtrenaman]

A lead acid battery is fully charged at 13.2v the charging voltage to obtain this voltage depends on battery type and is between 13.6 and 14.2volts. The battery is considered discharged at 11.8v.

[halcon]

Now there are many types, gel, lithium, acid. Without a good charger it is difficult to charge them, and some cars have a temperature sensor in them (IBS).

[jvcid]

My fx35 was 14.0-14.2 on idle or drive never changed I’d that normal?

[andrewbancroft]

Interesting....
My friend asked for my opinion on why his car struggles to start, taking 5-10 second of really slow cranking everytime. Battery measured 11.90v, dropping way down underload, while the dashboard display going nuts. said you've just got home from work it should be at least 12.5v, looks like the battery is dying...
Lets measure my car and see what thats reading- Doors closed, key out. Verified with another meter 11.50v. Couldn't believe it. It is 8 years old but still.... Going to check it again, sometime just cant believe its still starting fine.

[chuckschillingvideos]

The state of charge is not determinative of the battery health. Internal resistance is what really matters when it comes to the health of your battery.

[mikeruizxd]

My car runs at while driving and idle at 12.6v, 2007 Chevy Tahoe. When I turn on the headlights it runs at 13.5v. it seems like when there is a additional load the voltage gets higher. I have a 2022 Chevy Express van 6.2L that runs at 14.7v running and idle and everything. Is this normal for my Tahoe to change voltage?

[vinznes]

Bro, why my battery show 10.44 when put in car, when take out, show 12.44, how to know which harness leaking

[anafez]

Hi, does producing 1.2 volt more for hydrolysis makes engine burn more fuel.

Coz if i instal HHo kit in car, at the end hydrolysis need 1.2 more volt, which makes engine to burn more fuel.

[payasa]

so i just bought a 325ci 2002 bmw coupe and after 3 days of being happy it doesnt start on me the 4th day no crank no start the dashboard lights come on and everything so i bought a multimeter checked the volts coming form the battery and it was at 7.6 volts i quickly got happy bcus i found the problem and it was simple right nope so i took the battery to auto zone and chagred it left it there for almost 4 hours picked it up and checked the volts volted at 12.4 smacked it in the back on the wires and the car started up really good the lights even came on brighter now it has been a good week and the battery is at 10 volts still starts but drops volts everytime i start it i think its the alternator but when the car is on the battery volts at 9 volts isnt it supposed to spke? idk i have a big feeling its a faulty alternator

[ip]

It's not only the voltage, at times you do have a decent vintage BUT the CCAs are not at the require level and it won't start.

[_wavyaaron_]

my battery’s voltage keeps going down i doubt it’s a bad battery it was working fine then it’s at 9 volts and my car doesn’t wanna start do i need a new battery?