2011 Chevrolet Silverado voltage question

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Dafaseles

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Has anyone ever ran, knows someone who's ran, or just has good knowledge about voltage, ever ran one of these Chevy's (or something similar because GM rarely changes much) at 16-15.7 volts? I mean to the whole truck.

I have a Mechman alternator, and was wondering if I bought and installed a 1 volt booster to the alternator, would the electrical in the truck play nice with it? I'm guessing no, but it never hurts to ask those who know more.
 
That voltage is externally regulated by the ECU, or PCM, or one of control modules. It specifically runs at lower voltage (about 11v is common), so your alternator can run less often, which in turn is less drag, and gives better highway mpg.

Just guessing, but you might be able to change it with tuning. Have you asked on the GM forums?
 
That voltage is externally regulated by the ECU, or PCM, or one of control modules. It specifically runs at lower voltage (about 11v is common), so your alternator can run less often, which in turn is less drag, and gives better highway mpg.

Just guessing, but you might be able to change it with tuning. Have you asked on the GM forums?
I'm fully aware of the RVC controller on my truck, and have bypassed it. Right now, my truck sits at 15 volts cold, 14.7 after it warms up. I'm specifically asking if I bump the voltage coming from my aftermarket alternator, will the truck be ok with 16 to 15.7 volts. I know my system will be, but I'm asking about all the other electrical functions in the truck.

I haven't asked the GM forums. Figured I'd come here first. The folks on here have helped me countless times before.
 
Well, if no one knows if the truck can or cannot deal with 16 volts coming from the alternator, does anyone know how I can test it, to see if it will be ok without frying the electrical in the truck?
 
Well, if no one knows if the truck can or cannot deal with 16 volts coming from the alternator, does anyone know how I can test it, to see if it will be ok without frying the electrical in the truck?

What are you using for cells? What is the input voltage limit of your amps? You could always run an extra cell or two in series to charge high and pull your amp(s) power off there and just take a terminal off at less series cells at a known safe voltage for your factory electrical and head unit or anything else you suspect may not like over-voltage.
 
What are you using for cells? What is the input voltage limit of your amps? You could always run an extra cell or two in series to charge high and pull your amp(s) power off there and just take a terminal off at less series cells at a known safe voltage for your factory electrical and head unit or anything else you suspect may not like over-voltage.
Ying long cells. 2.3 volt. 10c rating. I'll run 2 6 cell banks. I have the SALT 4's, but I might have to scratch those and get some incriminator amps. They might not like that 16 volts. I can link you the website of the cells if you want to take a look. I haven't bought them yet. Dude that's helping me recommended them. I know you know your sh*t though. I might just end up running the stock alternator as well just for the truck. I'd like to not do that, but it is what it is.
Right now, my mechman will do 15 cold on startup, then settle around 14.7 when warm. I was just going to purchase the 1 volt booster from mechman... if any of that info matters.
That last part sounds like a really cool idea. I'm pretty green with all this, so you might have to teach me a thing or 2.... or 3.... about that. I'm sure you have things to do and might not want to deal with someone as green as me though lol, which I understand.
 
I have run my truck at 15.5v without issue. But since I don't have lithium in it currently I have it hard set at 14.8v. bypassing the factory voltage regulation is not hard. 80 bucks with I structions from brand x is what I paid price may have fluctuated a little since then
 
I have run my truck at 15.5v without issue. But since I don't have lithium in it currently I have it hard set at 14.8v. bypassing the factory voltage regulation is not hard. 80 bucks with I structions from brand x is what I paid price may have fluctuated a little since then
I have the factory voltage regulation bypassed already. Not knowing much about what I was doing, still doing a lot of learning at the time (and still learning), I bought a Mechman alternator with the 4 pin plug and the little bypass module for the 2 pin stock plug. I should have asked them to regulate the voltage at a specific voltage, but I didn't. So it does what it does I guess. They have plug and play voltage boosters varying from 1 volt, 1.5 volts, 2 volts, and I think 3 volts. So if I get the 1 volt booster, I'm assuming it'll start cold at 16 volts, then warm up down to 15.7.
I'm sure you're reading this and thinking to yourself, what a dumb *ss nube, and your not wrong to think that lol. I'm just hoping I can fix my mistakes without having to buy an all new setup. But again, it is what it is I guess.
 
Right now, my mechman will do 15 cold on startup, then settle around 14.7 when warm.
According to my source in China and the dischrage curves for those cells you're gaining little trying to charge beyond 15V. SALT amps aren't even rated to be fed over 15.5V!

Why risk smoking your amp and possibly hurting or stressing factory stuff that's only built to ever see 15.0? What are your goals here? Extra .5V will almost definitely be inaudible and even if you're chasing numbers it's likely you can get gains elsewhere with less risk/effort/trouble.

IF you're starting with an 18V amp(s) you can get creative but you'll want a proper external regulator and not just some diode in a black box arrangement.
 
According to my source in China and the dischrage curves for those cells you're gaining little trying to charge beyond 15V. SALT amps aren't even rated to be fed over 15.5V!

Why risk smoking your amp and possibly hurting or stressing factory stuff that's only built to ever see 15.0? What are your goals here? Extra .5V will almost definitely be inaudible and even if you're chasing numbers it's likely you can get gains elsewhere with less risk/effort/trouble.

IF you're starting with an 18V amp(s) you can get creative but you'll want a proper external regulator and not just some diode in a black box arrangement.
My only goal was to go LTO. It seems like 90% of what I read says LTO is the superior chemistry for car audio. I was under the impression that the high 15 volt range would be the sweet spot for an LTO bank.
I would sell the SALT amps before I smoked them. People say the go into protect at 16.2, but why risk it?
 
LTO DOD.png


It is a great chemistry for car audio because it has huge cycle life and high discharge. As you can see here your 6S is basically starting at 14.4 if you're drawing over 1.5C
 
View attachment 47055

It is a great chemistry for car audio because it has huge cycle life and high discharge. As you can see here your 6S is basically starting at 14.4 if you're drawing over 1.5C
I have spent the last 2 hours looking around the internet and youtube trying to learn more so I didn't have to ask you this question....I failed lol.
How do you read this graph? I saw a couple graphs that look very similar, with the voltage side the same, and the -20 degrees at the top, but the bottom was capacity in milliamp hours.
 
I have spent the last 2 hours looking around the internet and youtube trying to learn more so I didn't have to ask you this question....I failed lol.
How do you read this graph? I saw a couple graphs that look very similar, with the voltage side the same, and the -20 degrees at the top, but the bottom was capacity in milliamp hours.
Good catch on the -20c. You may expect better performance at summer temperatures. Still though, this is showing the voltage the cells are going to be giving you at various states of charge.

The point being that the useful part of their operating range (99%-50% charge depth) is giving you 2.4 to 2.0V per cell or thereabouts so even if you try to 100% charge them you're not seeing more than 14.8 for very long at all as you pull energy out of them.
 
Ok. I think I get it. There's really not much to be gained between charging them at say 60% and 100%. At least not on a daily system. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
So them my problem is that my alternator charges currently at 14.7 volts. That's lower than 50% isn't it? If I'm assuming correctly, 15.2-15.4 would be a very nice spot to be at for LTO. So my only option is externally regulated?
 
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