Stock charging voltage

[Gator Alum]

I've done some reading and this whole generator/charger thing seems fun to attempt to diagnose.

I have a stock 235 with stock charging system (as far as I know). I'm having a battery drain issue. I checked the voltage at the battery terminals when the truck is running and I'm only seeing like 13.4. I check the BAT terminal on the voltage regulator to ground and it's like 14.5.

Should the voltage at the battery not also be around 14.5??
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[va4cqd]

voltage drop in the system. 13.4 volts will still charge the battery

[fdwrench]

Hi,
If it is the stock charging system it may be loosing a volt going through the ammeter. Bad connection, faulty ammeter.
Ed

[mr48chev]

If it is a 12 volt system 14.2 is considered ideal full charging voltage.

The generator or alternator has to put out enough amps to power what ever accessories you have on the truck. A stock truck with the old T-3 headlights and a stock am radio and not much else doesn't use a lot of amps but if you have Halogen lights, a butt kicking sound system with an amp and AC you need enough alternator to keep up with it.

If it still has a generator, generators are famous for not keeping up with the demands of a system with more accessories on it at low speeds. works ok on the freeway but end up in slow traffic on cruise night for a while where you are idling more than having any engine speed and it starts draining the battery.

Do yourself a favor though and take your volt meter and check across the top of the battery case. Connect the + lead to the + post and touch the - lead to different spots on the top of the battery to see if you are loosing voltage across the top of the battery. Dirty or moist batteries can loose enough power across the tops to go dead in a few hours. You should show no voltage on top of the battery case and if you show some pull the battery out and clean it up good and dry it off before putting it back and that should help the issue.

[Gator Alum]

Thanks all for chipping in, esp mr48chev. I figured it was the same as modern cars but I'm new to the whole generator thing. I'm thinking it's simply because I've only been using it for short cruise trips and it isn't really getting enough charge. I'll have my buddy help me check it with me getting on the gas a little.
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[mknittle]

I gave up on genorators a long time ago.