Voltmeter (on TJ gauge) has started creeping up from below 14 volts ( 13.8 ? ) and now reads consistently around 14.1 Battery is around 4 years old, but always birls the engine round quickly. Is this most likely to be an early warning of battery failure, alternator failure or voltage regulator ( is that in the management system or the alternator ) ?
Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
The regulator is in the computer and is really expensive so hopefully that isn't it. They have a thermostat under the battery that has some charging control I have read so maybe it is just reflecting winter time?
Other than that, when I see mine crawling up, it always means it is time to clean my battery cables or to change my fan belt. I find it will put out a higher voltage when trying to cross compromised connections. Mine will climb right up to 15V before it gets bad enough to affect starting.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'sDave Milne wrote:
We have had colder weather, so perhaps that is it. I'll clean and slap some vaseline on the connectors . Cheers,
Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
I'd much rather have an ammeter than a voltmeter as you say.
Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
Damn, you mean thats a voltmeter and not an amp gauge on my 2k-tj?
Joe Carroll
2K-TJThere are some simple truths...And the dogs know what they are." Joseph Duemer
You should understood that newer CJs that came with alternators also came with voltmeters, not amp meters. Vehicles with alternators use voltmeters, vehicles with generators use amp meters. It's all in how generators vs. alternators work and that an amp meter (ammeter) is not as useful for determining the condition of the battery as a volt meter is in an alternator equipped vehicle. Just like a volt meter doesn't help much in a generator-equipped vehicle.
Why are alternators better than generators? Because they can charge a battery even when the engine is idling, older generators need the rpms to be higher for that to happen.
Bill, your senseless c> Real Jeeps come stock with Amp gauges, like ALL Hod Rodders have,
Ok, I just assumed that since it was showing a positive or negative 14 it was an amp meter. I'm old but I'm still learning... Actually I pulled up this link and it helped also..
Joe Carroll
2K-TJThere are some simple truths...And the dogs know what they are." Joseph Duemer
Dave Milne did pass the time by typing:
14.1 is right in spec. Terminals might be a bid dodgy, clean em and check the chassis ground too.Alternator specs (C V)
-40 to -6.7 14.5 to 15.0
-6.7 to 26.7 13.87 to 15.0
26.7 to 60 13.25 to 14.37 60 to 71.1 13.25 to 13.75cheers Doug !
Dave Milne did pass the time by typing:
Not a problem. I just got through resurecting the battery in my ZJ. Several quick charges with a real slow charge. My problem was it didn't go up to 14v when charging.
One thing to remember is never disconnect the battery with the engine running. It's hell on the regulator/ECU.
I don't disconnect the battery unless the ign is switched off actually, for just that reason.
Dave Milne, Scotland '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
L.W. ("ßill") Hughes III did pass the time by typing:
Worse than that with the new systems. It literally fries the computer since in their blithering genius, they put the regulator in there. All to save a few seconds on the assembly line.
There have been a lot of vehicles (not just Jeeps) that have had ammeters with alternators. Chrysler used them for years after alternators came out.
Both can be useful, the more information about what is going on with your vehicle the better off you are... and either one is better than an idiot light!
Jeff DeWitt
Jerry Bransford wrote:
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