Quote:
Originally Posted by Retlaw
Agreed Ian, but as the battery nears its capacity, the regulator turns the output down, if the battery is nearly full, then the voltage will drop to arround 13 volts, on a flat battery I've seen the meter hovering near the 14.8 volt mark, its the voltage that overcomes the battery's initial resistance.
Retlaw.
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Not on most cars is does not. Only on stupidly expensive alternators like on mine with external "smart charge" (read expensive, I know I changed it a few weeks back because the slip rings had worn away
) controllers that might do that.
The voltage regulator on a car alternator tries to maintain a constant 14 - 14.5 Volts. In fact when the battery is low and you are pulling heavy current from lights, heated windows etc and the car is only at low revs you will find the voltage lower that it should be.
When the battery is fully charged the alternator will still maintain the same 14 to 14.5v. Stick your voltmeter on and see.