Battery light on. Why??

[spdracr]

So I noticed my battery doesn't keep charge for long. Its a year old maybe and its still under warranty. Bought it from Walmart. Don't judge me but I like their batteries and warranties.

My Turbo timer that I use for voltage reading reads 11.9 with the car off and 14.5-14.9 with the car on. I know it should be around 13.9

Bad battery?? Or something is up with the alternator??

Alternator was installed brand new about a year and a half ago and didn't get much use since the car has been parked for the last year.

[QnzMostWanted]

seems like a bad battery, it might have a bad cell

[spdracr]

That's what I figured cuz it won't go higher than 11.9 after a full charge.

[NCamiolo]

Napa Legend batteries aren't bad, and they have warranties. Mine is a Legend 75 with a 75 month warranty.

[wetamup2k3g]

Walmart batteries ain't so bad, I bought my car with a five-year-old Walmart battery in it (it died a few months ago). I think it's only like a few battery companies anyway and they just rebrand batteries across different stores anyway.

[spdracr]

The beauty of it is that I found a loop hole. Both my cars has the sane exact battery. And when u swap batteries at Walmart they issue a new warranty receipt. So u will never have to pay for a battery ever again. Unless they correct it lol

[Galanttuner10]

Brand new battery should have a charge of 12.6. 12.4 is a battery that only has 75 percent left. If you take the reading with the car off and get anything higher turn the headlights on for 20-30 seconds to get the surface charge off the battery as a car electrical system is a 14v system, also take the reading at the battery with a multimeter as there can be a voltage drop in the line to the turbo timer depending on the resistance in that wire.

[spdracr]

There is Zero voltage drop at the Turbo timer.

I don't think I asked for what I have to do to test the battery neither did I ask what was the proper voltage for a battery.

Your post basically gave me nothing to help my situation.

[oakrdrs187]

Seen this a few times, the alternator is working a bit harder trying to maintain a battery that won't hold the charge anymore. Take to have it load tested and swapped should it be bad.

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[spdracr]

Seen this a few times, the alternator is working a bit harder trying to maintain a battery that won't hold the charge anymore. Take to have it load tested and swapped should it be bad.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Only way to load test it is to go to the local parts store. But Walmart swaps then without testing them or questioning whether they r good or not. So I might just go and get a new one anyway.

[Galanttuner10]

I was telling you the voltage you should see is 12.4-12.6 for a good battery and too check it at the battery not the turbo timer as it may not be accurate. Just got my electrical ASE but what would I know right?

[spdracr]

I was telling you the voltage you should see is 12.4-12.6 for a good battery and too check it at the battery not the turbo timer as it may not be accurate. Just got my electrical ASE but what would I know right?

First of all don't get butt hurt cuz I didn't insult your knowledge or certification

Second of all I am not a noob to come here asking questions without already doing proper testing. My multimeter was sitting in my trunk next to my battery. And the voltage back there is identical to the Turbo timer.

Third of all I know what the proper voltage of a battery should be. And as I stated my battery sits at 11.9 after a full charge which is as most of us know isn't proper voltage. My question was very clear. I appreciate your effort but your post didn't help me at all.

[Galanttuner10]

The voltage is a little high with the car on, battery light usually comes on for any part of the charging system. Also you said the battery is in the trunk correct? What gauge wire did you use? Check to see voltage at the starter and see if it matches what is at the battery and if it matches the battery.

[spdracr]

Almost 15 volts isn't a little high. Its definitely too high. I used a 2ga and this set up has been fine for two years.

[Galanttuner10]

Voltage increases when resistance increases. It could be meeting resistance somewhere in the circuit. Could be from the battery but if a new battery does the same thing it could be somewhere else. Hopefully it is the battery

[spdracr]

I will find out soon.

[oakrdrs187]

^^ That I didn't know. Do they at least have smart chargers for batteries that don't need replacement, those will also tell you if its holding the charge and give a good or bad reading.

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[Corey2kG]

Alternator?

[Galanttuner10]

Alternator?

Could be if a diode let go inside it. Alternators are 3 stage and shouldn't be pumping out that high of voltage all the time. The battery is essentially a shock absorber for the excess voltage the alternator can put out because if the voltage spikes from the alternator it will fry many electrical components. The thing about electrical is anything can go at any point no matter the age.

[GWAPS]

Get a interstate battery & call it a evening G.