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| | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 106 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 106 | Kind of a general question, but what exactly is the voltage gauge in my dash reading? Is it supposed to be the battery voltage? Because my dash gauge always reads about 1 volt off from when I check across the battery terminals with a voltmeter.
When my truck is running, the gauge will read one volt higher, and when the truck is not running but the key is on, the gauge will read one volt lower than across the battery terminals.
Just curious if this is normal?
System is 12 volts, if it matters.
1940 Chevy 1/2 ton, 12 volt, 350/350th
| | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: May 2001 Posts: 7,438 | A dash gauge is not always an accurate gauge. Learn what is normal for your truck then watch for variations from normal. | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | It shows, as you know, that your charging system is putting volts into the battery as you are using volts so that battery stays fully charged. One volt more when running is exactly right. You should have approx. 12.5V not running and 13.5V to 14V running. Battery full charge accross posts = 12.6V/12.7V. Higher charge rate than 14.5 no good , lower than 12.5 no good. If it runs in the "normal" range, as Cletis says, that's all you want. If you see an overcharge or undercharge, time to troubleshoot.
Last edited by bartamos; 11/01/2011 3:47 AM.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,983 Master Gabster | | Master Gabster Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,983 | When did we move from Amp gauges to volt gauges and why did we move?
~Jim
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Read "no power" in this forum.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 457 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 457 | Ammeters require heavy wiring, and manufacturers are cheap  But, seriously, they will tell you an ammeter only shows charge or discharge, and doesn't show the condition of your battery, where a voltmeter will.
1940 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup "KC"
A day without sunshine is like, well, ..... dark!
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