Explorer charging question

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

My Explorer charges at about 13.8v, I don't know why it's so low. Is it supposed to be that way?

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[Slayerx 10+ year member]

I'm pretty sure some charge normally at 13.8.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

It's too low lol. My batcaps sit at 12.6-12.8, I need to charge them with a trickle charger, it's just to much for my alt right now (batcaps got a lil drained from bad upfront battery).

 

[Germ305 10+ year member]

I've heard 12+ is nominal...which i think is bullcrap...Explorers are supposed to be at 14.3-14.5 while the engine is running...i had an issue where i changed out an alternator on my exploder...was running at 12.3 while the engine was running...the gauge read so low...swapped back my old alternator and it sits in the middle where its supposed to be.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

I'm gonna get mechman to build me a custom alt that charges close to 15v.

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

FYI... battery might be bad. Mine was 13.3 and it used to be 14.4 I took battery in and it wasnt taking a charge. That caused damage to my alternator....

 

[Slayerx 10+ year member]

FYI... battery might be bad. Mine was 13.3 and it used to be 14.4 I took battery in and it wasnt taking a charge. That caused damage to my alternator....

^this

and ya, 13.8 is too low for an suv. wasn't paying attention lol.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

^this
and ya, 13.8 is too low for an suv. wasn't paying attention lol.

But my battery bank usually sits at 12.8. 2 batts sit at 12.8 or so, the other sits at 12.9. The batts are good, just idk. What I think happened is that the front battery drained my batcaps (bad battery, sitting at 12.2, won't even tell you what a load test did to it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif). My alt takes a long time to charge those batteries. It has consistently gone up since I turned my subs off, you know, just letting it charge them since they got kind of drained. I have a trickle charger that I'm about to hook up tomorrow or something to get a good good charge to. But my resting voltage is continually going up right now.

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

But my battery bank usually sits at 12.8. 2 batts sit at 12.8 or so, the other sits at 12.9. The batts are good, just idk. What I think happened is that the front battery drained my batcaps (bad battery, sitting at 12.2, won't even tell you what a load test did to it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif). My alt takes a long time to charge those batteries. It has consistently gone up since I turned my subs off, you know, just letting it charge them since they got kind of drained. I have a trickle charger that I'm about to hook up tomorrow or something to get a good good charge to. But my resting voltage is continually going up right now.

You need to get a good H/O alt if you have a battery bank. I was told that the the drained batteries act as additional loades on the alternator, making it work harder. Exactly how many batteries do you have in there... a solutoion is to put the car an a charger at night or when not in use a slow trickle charge. That is what I don even with this H/O alt I have. it saves my alt and my batteries.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

You need to get a good H/O alt if you have a battery bank. I was told that the the drained batteries act as additional loades on the alternator, making it work harder. Exactly how many batteries do you have in there... a solutoion is to put the car an a charger at night or when not in use a slow trickle charge. That is what I don even with this H/O alt I have. it saves my alt and my batteries.

I have 3 batcap 2000's. It's beast man lol. Forgive me, I'm a little tipsy right now. Like I said, they sit at 12.6-12.8, depending on what's running. Without anything running it'll stay at 12.8. You know, that's good. So what I did is turn my subs off. I was draining the already drained batteries. My alt is 130a stock, which is beast for a stock alt. It just has to have time to charge it. My buddies like demos. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I gave a couple of them tonight.

 

[Slayerx 10+ year member]

Ya you're definitely overworking your alt sounds like.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

No doubt man. Like I said, I hope to get a big *** alt from mechman. At least a 270a.

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

I have 3 batcap 2000's. It's beast man lol. Forgive me, I'm a little tipsy right now. Like I said, they sit at 12.6-12.8, depending on what's running. Without anything running it'll stay at 12.8. You know, that's good. So what I did is turn my subs off. I was draining the already drained batteries. My alt is 130a stock, which is beast for a stock alt. It just has to have time to charge it. My buddies like demos. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I gave a couple of them tonight.

gimmie 2 of them batcapps.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

gimmie 2 of them batcapps.

Lol, I love my batcaps man. I'd dare to say that they are the best, better than XS power. I really haven't dropped below 13.5 while driving on 2kw for subs, about 300w for door speakers. And that's good considering that my alt charges at 13.8v

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

Lol, I love my batcaps man. I'd dare to say that they are the best, better than XS power. I really haven't dropped below 13.5 while driving on 2kw for subs, about 300w for door speakers. And that's good considering that my alt charges at 13.8v

I bet I can make them drop below... I need 3 more Batcaps. one for under the hood and 4 in the trunk