New battery voltage 12.2 V
04-05-2023, 09:48 PM
#11
You're heading in to the round and round part of the learning process. You might have a high current load on the battery when your meter shows 12.2. Ford's BMS can drop charging current to zero under certain conditions.
What did the old battery show? Are you trying to decide if your old battery was actually okay or if your new battery is not okay?
Get a real meter and measure voltage at the battery terminals, at least. You're looking at a gimmicky power port voltmeter. Pretty good odds that it reads wrong, if it was cheap. Good luck. Batteries and electricity are fun. Not kidding, especially with today's charging systems. Lots of ways to get misdirected if you're working from old school charging knowledge.
What did the old battery show? Are you trying to decide if your old battery was actually okay or if your new battery is not okay?
Get a real meter and measure voltage at the battery terminals, at least. You're looking at a gimmicky power port voltmeter. Pretty good odds that it reads wrong, if it was cheap. Good luck. Batteries and electricity are fun. Not kidding, especially with today's charging systems. Lots of ways to get misdirected if you're working from old school charging knowledge.
"I got a plug in volt meter to put into the 12 volt outlet in their cab and checking voltage before starting consistently shows 12.15-12.25. I checked between the + and - posts today 24 hours since the truck was started and saw 12.18V with a Klein multimeter."
The old battery showed 12.65 when new and I had it replaced when it consistently showed 12.25-12.3 and the load tester showed about 40% of CCA rated capacity.
04-05-2023, 09:57 PM
#12
Senior Member
Guess I glossed over that part. When did this load tester come in to the picture? You didn't mention it in the first post. You have a load tester and a hand-held meter and a meter to look at while driving (nothing reported there though, what is charging voltage?).
Looks like you're picking up some new knowledge. Nothing wrong with that. But you're not reporting the critical stuff, like what you're charging system is doing. You also left out how long you drove after starting. "since the truck was started", below. Starting removes charge, driving adds it.
Anyway, it really is an interesting topic. Not clear what you are trying to get from your thread though. What kind of battery did you get? "Ford" would be Motorcraft.
"I checked between the + and - posts today 24 hours since the truck was started and saw 12.18V with a Klein multimeter."
Looks like you're picking up some new knowledge. Nothing wrong with that. But you're not reporting the critical stuff, like what you're charging system is doing. You also left out how long you drove after starting. "since the truck was started", below. Starting removes charge, driving adds it.
Anyway, it really is an interesting topic. Not clear what you are trying to get from your thread though. What kind of battery did you get? "Ford" would be Motorcraft.
"I checked between the + and - posts today 24 hours since the truck was started and saw 12.18V with a Klein multimeter."
04-05-2023, 10:14 PM
#13
If you do this and it holds charge (and passes load testing), then you know that whatever you are seeing isn’t due to battery.
04-05-2023, 10:32 PM
#14
Senior Member
Check the output of the alternator.
04-09-2023, 09:31 AM
#15
I used a small, handheld battery tester. Voltage was 12.19 after the engine sat for 12 hrs since being run. Battery developed 45% of CCA rating, but starting seems to be fine with no hesitation cranking. The agreement between my $80 multimeter and $15 dollar plug in voltage meter is +/- 0.04 V.
04-09-2023, 12:33 PM
#16
Senior Member
I don't see that you've charged the battery. The amp rating is a measure of the capacity of the battery. If you're taking short drives you might never get the battery up to full charge. A bigger battery takes more charging (driving) time. Give the battery a full charge and see what you find.
04-09-2023, 12:36 PM
#17
I don't see that you've charged the battery. The amp rating is a measure of the capacity of the battery. If you're taking short drives you might never get the battery up to full charge. A bigger battery takes more charging (driving) time. Give the battery a full charge and see what you find.
04-09-2023, 01:27 PM
#18
Senior Member
04-09-2023, 01:33 PM
#19
I used a small, handheld battery tester. Voltage was 12.19 after the engine sat for 12 hrs since being run. Battery developed 45% of CCA rating, but starting seems to be fine with no hesitation cranking. The agreement between my $80 multimeter and $15 dollar plug in voltage meter is +/- 0.04 V.
04-09-2023, 01:39 PM
#20
Senior Member
Thought you were getting a real tester. You can calculate state of charge from voltage. But it doesn't actually test the battery. It just calculates its state of charge.
There's a lot out there about load testers. Might be that the Ford shop used one. There are cheap ones and expensive ones.
There's a lot out there about load testers. Might be that the Ford shop used one. There are cheap ones and expensive ones.