Different voltage set point for different vehicles?

[BoogerMan]

Hey guys,

I tried searching around on the net but I couldn't find an exact answer. Im sure with tons of reading about alternators and vehicle electrical systems I could maybe figure it out, but I figured one of your guys would probably be able to answer this with ease.

Why do different vehicles have different voltage set points on the alternators regulator?

For example, my 220 amp Ohio Gen alt for my 1998 Toyota T100 is set to 14.4v (it might be 14.1v, but I'm pretty sure it is 14.4v), but my 275 amp Ohio Gen alt for my 2011 Toyota Camry is set to 13.7v. I definitely trust Tom at Ohio Gen since he has been doing this for quite a while, but I'm just curious as to why my Camrys alt is set to a lower voltage than my T100s alt.

Thanks in advanced!

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[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Could be the sweet spot for your vehicle's electrical system. Only reason I'd see to run that low of a voltage

 

[BoogerMan]

Could be the sweet spot for your vehicle's electrical system. Only reason I'd see to run that low of a voltage

I knew you might have an idea. Thanks for the input man! I'm going to email Tom from Ohio Gen and see what his reasoning is as well. Im guessing it will be in line with yours //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

I think I'll spend my summer reading up on electrical stuff because what the **** else am I going to do when it is 115F outside haha. I need to figure out if I want to run my truck at 14v standard or go up to 16 or 18v...

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

I knew you might have an idea. Thanks for the input man! I'm going to email Tom from Ohio Gen and see what his reasoning is as well. Im guessing it will be in line with yours //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif
I think I'll spend my summer reading up on electrical stuff because what the **** else am I going to do when it is 115F outside haha. I need to figure out if I want to run my truck at 14v standard or go up to 16 or 18v...

I try to charge right at 15v. Any higher and you'll start damaging your 12v battery and car's electrical components.

Your stock system won't like 18v //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

there isn't a set point, there's a range, and it's dependent on the regulation of your alternator

i honestly have a hard time believing there's any reason why they're different voltages besides different parts inside the alternator or the way the manufacturer designed the voltages to be set depending on various factors, temperature, engine load, etc

as long as you're in the right range for charging the battery in its current environment, it's really inconsequential. im going to go out on a limb and say that the batteries these vehicles come with may be all of a specific type, and the idealized model in the computer will be based on that battery, hence different values.

 

[BoogerMan]

I try to charge right at 15v. Any higher and you'll start damaging your 12v battery and car's electrical components.
Your stock system won't like 18v //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Good to know. Thanks man! I'll make sure to always keep it under 15v for my car.

I'm thinking about running the audio separate from the stock electrical system in my truck since it will be strictly for competition use and won't be driven more than 10-15 times per year.

I need to stop getting ahead of myself and finish my **** car before I keep thinking about my truck lol.

there isn't a set point, there's a range, and it's dependent on the regulation of your alternator
i honestly have a hard time believing there's any reason why they're different voltages besides different parts inside the alternator or the way the manufacturer designed the voltages to be set depending on various factors, temperature, engine load, etc

as long as you're in the right range for charging the battery in its current environment, it's really inconsequential. im going to go out on a limb and say that the batteries these vehicles come with may be all of a specific type, and the idealized model in the computer will be based on that battery, hence different values.

Thanks for your input and the explanation. I appreciate that.

The reason why I said "set point" is because that is what it says on the printout that comes with the alts (I honestly know very little about this stuff as you guys can tell but I'm trying to increase my understanding and knowledge)!

That's a good point about the range being the main point and the exact number being inconsequential.

Here is the print out for my trucks alt. I guess it is 14.7v not 14.4v like I thought.

And here is the one for my Camry

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