What should the voltage read on a 12-volt battery?
about 12.6 volts
A fully-charged 12-volt battery, allowed to “rest” for a few hours (or days) with no load being drawn from it (or charge going to it), will balance out its charge and measure about 12.6 volts between terminals. When a battery reads only 12 volts under the above conditions, it’s almost fully depleted.
When does the battery warning light come on?
May 25, 2016. The battery light or charging warning light, available on the dashboard of your car, indicates malfunctioning or poor charging of the battery. This light illuminates whenever the charging system does not charge the battery with a voltage above approximately 13.5 volts.
What is the resting voltage of a 12 volt battery?
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. In general, charging inputs raise the actual voltage on the battery above its resting voltage, and loads (drains on the battery) lower it below its resting voltage.
What does 11.7 volts mean on a battery?
People have different numbers or different types of batteries and different typical loads, so 11.7 volts on your system may mean more or less than 50% discharged, but the principle is the same – there’s a particular voltage that corresponds to different states of charge for your batteries under load.
What does it mean when your car battery light is on?
The battery light or charging warning light, available on the dashboard of your car, indicates malfunctioning or poor charging of the battery. This light illuminates whenever the charging system does not charge the battery with a voltage above approximately 12.5 volts.
Why does my car battery not read 12V?
If so, you can measure its density with a hydrometer, a few $. Maybe the terminals need to be cleaned. Maybe a battery cable has broken. Maybe the alternator isn’t working and it isn’t getting a charge. Before you buy a new battery, take it in for a test. Even Walmart auto shops do this free.
What happens if I set my Charger to 12 volts?
Equipment designed to work with 12 volts DC from a regulated power supply, on the other hand, may be more sensitive. If you set any of the charging voltages lower than recommended by your battery manufacturer, you will reduce the life of the battery, possibly by a large amount.
How many volts does a 12V battery need?
Most if not all automotive equiptment sold for 12 vdc is actually rated up to 16 vdc. Automotive use is not 12 vdc anyway it should be 12.6 vdc. The fully charged battery voltage.
May 25, 2016. The battery light or charging warning light, available on the dashboard of your car, indicates malfunctioning or poor charging of the battery. This light illuminates whenever the charging system does not charge the battery with a voltage above approximately 13.5 volts.