What should be the voltage on the car battery?

Owners of cars can not prevent to find out what should be the voltage on the battery. Normal performance allows you to talk about sufficient battery charging and its high operational capabilities. With reduced power supply parameters, there may be problems with starting the engine and the operation of the auxiliary devices necessary for comfortable operation.

Basic measuring instruments

Before talking about what should be the voltage on the battery, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic devices designed to take indicators. With their help, you can make the most accurate measurements in the normal state and under load.

1. Multimeter - a universal device for working with various electrical circuits. The instruments can be analog or digital. However, as a rule, the last ones are applied. Indications in this case are displayed on a special display, which has small dimensions.
2. Load fork. In a simple version contains a voltmeter with the possibility of measuring resistance. The body is usually made of metal. It is located on a special handle. More complex devices may contain additional elements.

Do not use the power plug too often, as the battery may deteriorate from regular measurements. In the case of a multimeter, there are no restrictions.

Indicators in the normal state

First you need to understand what should be the voltage on the car battery without the load created by additional devices and the engine at start-up. Ideally, the power supply should provide 12.6-12.8 volts. At lower rates, it is advisable not to use the battery, since lead sulfate will form on the plates, which can lead to a decrease in capacity.

Indicators under load

It is also necessary to find out what voltage should be on the battery when the engine is not charged, but under load. In this case, the operability of the power supply can be determined. When using the load fork, the voltage in any case should be above 9 volts.

If the drawdown is too high, the battery must first be recharged and retested. The indicators will not increase with the exhausted battery life.

Table for determining the charge level

Immediately after measurements made without load, you can determine the state of the battery. Knowing about what voltage the battery should give at full charge, it is easy enough to establish its capabilities in a specific situation. To do this, you can use the presented table.

Measurements with the engine wound up

When the car's engine is running, the figures slightly increase. Typically, the battery voltage fluctuates between 13.5-14.0 volts. If the charge level is too low, the indicators will increase, as the generator will operate in the amplification mode.

Although it was mentioned above, what kind of battery voltage should be with the engine running, it can be a little higher for 10-15 minutes after starting. If during this time it does not recover, then there are problems with the generator or electrical equipment.

After carrying out the measurements, it may turn out that the voltage has not increased, but has fallen somewhat. In this case, the battery simply does not have time to charge normally. For testing, it is recommended that electric consumers be gradually started up, making measurements between the instrument switch-ons. The indicators will be significantly reduced (by 0.2-0.5 volts or more) if the generator is faulty.

Rules for the operation of the battery

Even if you clearly know what should be the voltage on the battery, if you use it improperly, it will not be possible to maintain it for a long time. Therefore, you should adhere to the special rules of battery operation.

1. Before starting the engine, it is necessary to switch off power consumption devices. For one attempt it is not recommended to give a load lasting more than 5-10 seconds.
2. When driving through the city in winter, it is desirable to perform additional charging of the battery through special devices, since the engine in this case works at low speeds.
3. Check the integrity of conductive elements should be done regularly. Possible leakage of current can lead to untimely discharge of the battery. Thus, the operating voltage will be reduced.

About recharging

The power supply at the right moment should be recharged, then during operation the voltage will be optimal. However, when carrying out such an event, certain requirements must be met.

1. Charge should be carried out at a positive air temperature.
2. Fill plugs should be unscrewed and left directly in the holes before connecting to the network.
3. The device used must have a voltage of 16 volts.
4. For 20 minutes after disconnecting the charger, do not plug the plugs. The accumulated gases must completely leave the inner space.
5. The device is charged in a room with supply and exhaust ventilation.

As a conclusion

Information on what should be the voltage on the battery will help to identify problems with starting the engine and functioning of various devices without unnecessary complications. If the indicators are normal, then the causes should not be sought in the food system.

It is desirable to make measurements with the help of the aforementioned instruments. Use for these purposes, the on-board PC can not be used, since the error will be too high. This is primarily due to the peculiarities of connecting the device directly to the network.

Carry out a battery test regularly. If the car has not been operated for several days, and the measuring device shows a significant reduction in voltage, then the power source has practically reached its service life.