Need help keeping voltage up

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

ya plan to do so i think the alt is like two years old max

it should be fine after 2 years but drawing so much power for that long could have hurt it. I would also dmm your grounds to see if they have a good flow of electrons.

 

[My63impala 10+ year member]

i was just thinking my alt has a built in regulator do you think that it is only set to 12v? Which would not let it go past 12v????

 

[jon_k 10+ year member]

i was just thinking my alt has a built in regulator do you think that it is only set to 12v? Which would not let it go past 12v????

Why would it be at 12v? You need at least 14.4 to get past internal battery resistance to charge if. Your batteries would both be dead if your alt only put out 12 volts.

 

[My63impala 10+ year member]

well looking at things i think the isolator is holding it back but going to get everything checked first. the if its all good then ditching the isolator

 

[My63impala 10+ year member]

ok i forgot 1 important step testing my gauge first. Can anyone explain to me how to test the gauge and see if am really getting 13v 0r 12v

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

ok i forgot 1 important step testing my gauge first. Can anyone explain to me how to test the gauge and see if am really getting 13v 0r 12v

testing your gauge? get a dmm. Pull the isolator out and see if it changes...

 

[My63impala 10+ year member]

See i found this voltage meter looks like its from the 1920s but hooked it up to my front batt and it said 13.8-9 and same on my back when the car was on. I plan to get everything tested anyways Thursday and if its all good then pulling the isolator out and running2 0 ga wire for my positive and negative for my batt's in my trunk. Does anyone know were to get some accurate digital gauges at mine right now are just autozone needle ones and also were to get 0ga wire for the best price