Are these battery numbers normal?

[Safety Guy]

My older Odyssey just wasn't cutting it, so I installed my Optima Red Top in the back of Luxstiva, and I used my electrical meter to check out the volts and amps:

Not running: battery tests at around 12.8 V.

Running: battery tests at about 14.1 V and .17 Amps.

This is the first time I've checked a car's numbers, so I don't know if this is normal. I don't want to ruin my $120 Optima!

In case it matters, my battery cable to the front is 6 ga. So is the short negative cable.

Karl

[jglutz]

The voltageumbers are good. Please describe how you made your amperage measurments?

[Safety Guy]

I have a Craftsman multimeter and you turn the dial to what you want to measure.

It has mA and Amps, AC/DC. That last one is what I put it on while touching neg and pos battery terminals while running.

Here's a pic of what it looks like:

http://poeth.com/Photos/SMD2.jpg

I set it on the last amps labelled "AC/DC."

Also, I made the picture a link since it was so HUGE!

Karl

[Safety Guy]

Edited above to link.

Karl

[FB71]

ok, you're using the meter incorrectly to measure amps. The meter must be in series with the battery. First, you would need to move the red lead to the 20A jack on the meter. Then set the meter to AC/DC Amps. With the engine running, connect the red probe to the battery + terminal, and the black probe to the +clamp. With the probes connected and engine running, disconnect the clamp from the post. The value on the display is now your charging system amperage. BUT, BE WARNED!!!! Charging system amperage can easily exceed 20A!!!! Even just idling, with now accessories on (headlamps, fan, etc) the battery can demand more than 20A from the alternator. If it exceeds the meter's rating, it will let the magic smoke out of the meter!!! (blow its internal fuse) The best way to check charging system amperage is with an inductive probe. Any McParts can wheel their battery/charging system checker out to the car, and check you system amperage for free. Now, normal charging system voltage, measured at 1500-2000rpm, is 13.8v to 14.4v. If your reading was taken at idle, check it once more at 1500-200 rpm to make sure it doesn't exceed 14.4, but chances are it won't. Sounds like you system is most likely fine.

Battery cable gauge should be fine, and 12.8v open circuit voltage is perfect (anything above 12.65v is considered 100% charge)

[jglutz]

^^Perfect...thats why i asked.

Wonder if the meter survived....measuring current accross the battery terminals is a direct short....hopefully the mA/Amp selection on the meter is fuse protected

[Safety Guy]

Thanks guys!

I only used the meter on "amps" to touch both terminals just like I measured the volts. No wonder it didn't make sense.

I'll get the amps checked at a parts store tomorrow or the next day. Meanwhile, my car no longer has starting problems. I needed more CCA! And I got 'em!

Karl

[packrat427]

Thanks guys!

I only used the meter on "amps" to touch both terminals just like I measured the volts. No wonder it didn't make sense.
I'll get the amps checked at a parts store tomorrow or the next day. Meanwhile, my car no longer has starting problems. I needed more CCA! And I got 'em!
Karl

A giant battery with energy to supply 500 to 600 households for six or seven hours is scheduled to be online in Columbus Ohio, just in time to help Appalachian Power meet summer peak demand, and Karl's Festiva


Nourai is program manager for distributed energy resources at Ohio's corporate parent, American Electric Power. He's leading a team that is finishing the installation of a 77-ton battery at a substation at the intersection of Seventh Avenue and 37th Street, behind the Mountain Mission Thrift Store.

The 1.2-megawatt battery will discharge energy directly into the electric grid during afternoons, when demand peaks. It will be charged at night when demand is low in Karl's garage .


:laughing3: :laughing3: :toothy10: :laughing5: :laughing6:

[jglutz]

Karl, the meter should have come instructions explaining the usage with a couple of illustrations explaning the proper usgae.

20 years ago...I bought form Sears...what they called an enging analyzer...$80 back then...propalbly <$50 today. Anyway, it measures volts, RPM, Dwel ($10 to ff.com for anyone under 25 who can tell me what that is), point resitant and High DC amps. It comes with a little bar (shunt) used to measure amps in a charging circuit. It is flawless in determing charging circuit problems...they still sell them today. The tool you displayed will help to trace a leakage but not isolate a charging problem...it's a great tool to have...but not for this problem. Sorry.

[Safety Guy]

I need to take a class in this stuff. I'm weak "electrically." Most of the other stuff involving mechanical messing around I can learn OTJ. All that really comes down to is learning when to use the BFH and when not to!

Are there any really good auto electrical books out there that would describe this stuff so that a math challenged sociology nerd could understand it?

Karl

[FB71]

The Idiot's Guide For Dummies?

[batstiva]

:sign5: :laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3:

[FB71]

I need to take a class in this stuff. I'm weak "electrically." Most of the other stuff involving mechanical messing around I can learn OTJ. All that really comes down to is learning when to use the BFH and when not to!

Are there any really good auto electrical books out there that would describe this stuff so that a math challenged sociology nerd could understand it?

Karl

seriously though, here's a great website I found to help you learn electricity, logic, semiconductors, passive components, etc....

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/l_sitemap.html

[austyfrosty]

[quote="jglutz"] Dwel ($10 to ff.com for anyone under 25 who can tell me what that is)quote]


are you talking about the dwell time of the coil? thats the time when the coil is recharging if im notmistaking to fire again

[FB71]

hey Joe! We got a winner!!!