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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / December 2006Battery Problems
Lately i have been having my Battery Gauge change alot, Sometimes its perfect and is at 14amps, other times its not, with nothing new running, and I've replaced the Battery AND the Alternator and still same problem, i was wondering if not having a big enough ground wire might cause this, if not the only thing else i can think of is a short somewhere? > Lately i have been having my Battery Gauge change alot, Sometimes its > perfect and is at 14amps, other times its not, with nothing new > running, and I've replaced the Battery AND the Alternator and still > same problem, i was wondering if not having a big enough ground wire > might cause this, if not the only thing else i can think of is a short > somewhere? I suspect it is in the battery charge indicator circuit itself. And doubt it is showing 14 amperes, most likely it is a voltmeter and is showing around 14 volt charging voltage. But that is just a guess. You can check the charge voltage with a decent VOM when the inboard indicator is varying. If the actual charging voltage is around 14 on the VOM and is steady, then your gauge is probably sick. Whenever my vehicles act like that, it is time to clean the main battery cable ends and the body ground strap ends. There is always one of those corroded causing an intermittent connection. Mike 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page) > Lately i have been having my Battery Gauge change alot, Sometimes its > perfect and is at 14amps, other times its not, with nothing new > running, and I've replaced the Battery AND the Alternator and still > same problem, i was wondering if not having a big enough ground wire > might cause this, if not the only thing else i can think of is a short > somewhere? Yeah I realized I said AMPS after I already posted it =P, but thnx for the input ill trying both of them and get back with y'all, thnx again > Whenever my vehicles act like that, it is time to clean the main battery > cable ends and the body ground strap ends. There is always one of those > corroded causing an intermittent connection. Always a good practice, Mike. When he said he had replace the battery and alternator, I assumed that he had cleaned the cables, but maybe not. We dont really know if his observations of the varying meter reading prompted him to change out the parts, or if he is not able to start and run reliably. We could suggest that multiple cables on a single connector, as is common with GM, are suspect areas, and that all battery cables have at least two ends...both of which need to be checked. Well I have already looked at that Hls, when I replaced it but its been awhile sense then but i have not looked at the other end so i will check that, I didn't explain myself the as good as i should of the first time on Most Fresh starts the Battery gauge is on 14 but if i have to stop and turn of the truck to do something the second time is usually when i have the problem, any little thing i turn on takes a major WHOOP out of it but there is times that on a fresh start the battery will be like that to so thats why i'm seeking help. You didn't say what make of vehicle or the year, which might help. Be sure the negative side of the battery has a good body/frame ground, check it at the time you experience the problem by placing a digital voltmeter across the negative side of the battery and an exposed point of the body. There should be very little voltage measured there...something in the order of 30-40 milliamps with accessories on. If in the order of half a volt or more, for sure that is a problem.... secure, or improve the negative side connection of the battery to the body. If okay, at the time of the problem, using a digital voltmeter, measure the voltage at the battery with engine running... it should be about 14 volts... 14.4 on a cool day. Then check the voltage between a ground and a few of the intrument panel fuses. The voltage at the fuses should be near the battery voltage... 13.8, or so, depending on accessory load. If it is mid, or low 12, there is a poor connection somewhere in one of the feeds from the battery, alternator... depending on how they are distributing the power. The other thing is, if it only happens when an indicator bulf is also activated on the instrument cluster, such as turn signal indicator... the cluster might have a bad ground as the bulb ground circuit often shared ground with the instrument guages... sometimes just the voltmeter. If there is a bad ground, the voltage drop across the ground will express itself as low voltage on the meter, since it is in series with the resistance of the bad ground. The engine ground is seperate and may be okay which will allow for proper charging measured at the battery, and engine cranking. The stacked connectors GM uses on some of it's vehicles at the positive battery terminal can produce your symptoms too, as one supplies the starter current, the other feeds power distribution (often a point of poor connection), sometimes supplies charge current.... depending on the vehicle. It's unlikely the guage itself is bad, but it happens. My Truck is a 96 Chevy Silverado 2WD > You didn't say what make of vehicle or the year, which might help. Be sure > the negative side of the battery has a good body/frame ground, check it at [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > It's unlikely the guage itself is bad, but it happens. |
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