Volt meter...trickle charger

[Monk]

Re: Volt meter...trickle charger

I would take a hard look at your voltage regulator too. Back in the day the voltage regulator was a regular maintenance item -- they have contacts that can wear (kind of like points) and/or stick.

Well turns out the voltage regulator was the culprit.
I had a new AC Delco regulator installed two years ago.....the needle on
the volt meter would bounce around a lot........and was always
in the deep 15 zone.
Put the new regulator on......needle pegged on 14 and stayed.
Can't believe I've had this situation for two years.
Thanks to Hillbilly Sailor for the heads up on the digital battery
charger.......got one and it's all good.

[Groucho]

Re: Volt meter...trickle charger

It sure sounds like the trickle charger's not doing it's job. If it were, there'd be little/no reason for the voltmeter to go red. Is the meter just colored, or is it numbered too? Just curious. Does your car take a LOT of cranking to get started, negating the trickle charge? That will cause your scenario

Like most I use a trickle charger on my battery when car sits.
It's a Sears battery maintainer and has the float mode feature....so I'm assuming it's
not overcharging the battery.
Last weekend, I got the Nova out for a spin.....noticed the volt meter
pegged farther into the red when I first took off. As time went on
it started to come back into the green.
The next day I hooked up the battery charger and let it run for about
30 minutes....took car out and reading didn't go as far into red.......again
reading came back into green the more I drove it.
I'm thinking bad battery?
I've got a standard alternator and external voltage regulator setup.
Thoughts.......?

[Monk]

Re: Volt meter...trickle charger

It sure sounds like the trickle charger's not doing it's job. If it were, there'd be little/no reason for the voltmeter to go red. Is the meter just colored, or is it numbered too? Just curious. Does your car take a LOT of cranking to get started, negating the trickle charge? That will cause your scenario

Like most I use a trickle charger on my battery when car sits.
It's a Sears battery maintainer and has the float mode feature....so I'm assuming it's
not overcharging the battery.
Last weekend, I got the Nova out for a spin.....noticed the volt meter
pegged farther into the red when I first took off. As time went on
it started to come back into the green.
The next day I hooked up the battery charger and let it run for about
30 minutes....took car out and reading didn't go as far into red.......again
reading came back into green the more I drove it.
I'm thinking bad battery?
I've got a standard alternator and external voltage regulator setup.
Thoughts.......?

Hey Groucho........
I've got an external regulator.......seems that when
I changed it out....it was all good.

Other than that.....how's things goin for ya.........?

[Groucho]

Re: Volt meter...trickle charger

Glad it's fixed. It's going good, thanks

It sure sounds like the trickle charger's not doing it's job. If it were, there'd be little/no reason for the voltmeter to go red. Is the meter just colored, or is it numbered too? Just curious. Does your car take a LOT of cranking to get started, negating the trickle charge? That will cause your scenario

Like most I use a trickle charger on my battery when car sits.
It's a Sears battery maintainer and has the float mode feature....so I'm assuming it's
not overcharging the battery.
Last weekend, I got the Nova out for a spin.....noticed the volt meter
pegged farther into the red when I first took off. As time went on
it started to come back into the green.
The next day I hooked up the battery charger and let it run for about
30 minutes....took car out and reading didn't go as far into red.......again
reading came back into green the more I drove it.
I'm thinking bad battery?
I've got a standard alternator and external voltage regulator setup.
Thoughts.......?

Hey Groucho........
I've got an external regulator.......seems that when
I changed it out....it was all good.

Other than that.....how's things goin for ya.........?