A battery with a 14V is a suitable voltage for a battery, especially when the engine is running. Typically, a 12V voltage will read around 14V battery as it is the normal battery voltage when car is running.
Professionals have compiled this article to educate our readers about is 14v good for car battery and battery maintenance for car owners.
We look at some of the most critical questions about your car’s battery, including how to test 12v battery with multimeter, what volts indicate a bad battery and more.
Is 14V Good For Car Battery?
A 14V car battery is suitable for a battery if you make use of a 12V battery. The standard battery used by most cars is a 12V battery. When running your vehicle, the battery’s voltage should range between 13.5 and 14.5. If you are looking forwhat is a healthy car battery voltage, it depends on what type of battery you are using and what condition the battery is in.
How Many Volts is a Car Battery?
When we talk of a car battery, we often refer to the 12v battery. A standard or new good battery voltage is 12.6 when the car battery voltage at rest. The battery voltage when running can go up between 13.5V to 14.5V. It is because the battery is being charged by the alternator, which boosts the battery to be able to power the electrical components without draining.
The standard volt for a car is 12.6 volts to start the engine, and the least volt a car battery requires is 11.8v. However, your car battery function is beyond starting the vehicle. It also powers most of the electrical system.
There are a lot of electrical components in your vehicle. Some of them include air conditioning, heater, lights, and more. To power these electrical components in your vehicle, you will need good quality battery to sustain them without getting drained quickly.
A battery between 13.5 and 14.5 volts should be perfect for many vehicles when running. It will be able to start your vehicle and also sustain the electrical component of your vehicle.
How to Test Car Battery With Multimeter?
There are different ways to test your battery, but the most common way is by using a multimeter. It is easy to use and quite a standard electrical tool.
A multimeter is a standard instrument to measure electrical current, voltage, and resistance. If you have this tool or you can lay your hands on one, below are easy-to-follow steps to test car battery with multimeter.
Steps
1. Turn off your engine if on, and proceed to open the hood.
2. Disconnect the battery circuit.
3. Set the multimeter to DC voltage (for car batteries because they generate DC power). You can do this by turning the knob off on the multimeter. Ensure the dial is set to a higher range than the specified battery voltage. For instance, if you use a 9V battery, you can set it to a range of 15 – 20V.
4. The multimeter comes with two probes which are red and black. You will need to connect the red probe to the VΩmA port and the black one to the COM port.
5. Once the probes are connected to the ports, connect the other ends to the battery terminal. The red probe is connected to the positive terminal and the black to the negative.
6. If you use a 12V battery and the multimeter reads around the specified volt on the battery, then the battery is still functional.
7. If the battery shows a lower value, you may have a damaged battery or faulty terminals. The battery dies if the value read exceeds half of the specified battery voltage.
IS 14 Volts Enough To Start a Car?
14v is more than enough to start your vehicle. However, the resting voltage of car battery may not read 14V; instead, it will be around 12.6V. A fully charged resting battery will read between 12.6 and 12.8 volts, sufficient to start the vehicle.
As we have mentioned earlier, the standard volt for starting a vehicle is 12.6 volts. You need at least 11.8 volts of battery charge to start your vehicle. Anything below this will give you a hard start, or your vehicle will not start entirely.
However, 10.8 volts may be sufficient to activate the car. But this is considered low by all standards.
What Voltage Indicates a Bad Battery?
When the battery is resting, it may have a weak resting if the bad battery voltage reads any figure less than 12V. If the car battery charge voltage when the engine is running reads less than 12.4 volts, you have a bad battery that might be sulfated.
Sulfated means that a significant build-up of sulfur in the battery weakens the cell and its ability to hold a charge.
How Long Will a 12V Battery Last Without Charging?
A properly functioning 12V battery would last for 2 weeks without any charge. A fully charged battery, under normal working conditions and left inactive for at least 2 weeks should still be able to start your vehicle without any problem.
Some 12V batteries can last longer; this depends on many factors, including the environment.
If you intend to drive your vehicle for a short time, turn on the engine and allow the vehicle to idle at least once a week. If your battery is left for too long without charge, it could be detrimental to your vehicle battery, cause a dead battery, and encourage the build-up of sulfur.
Can You Overcharge a 12 Volt Car Battery?
It is possible to overcharge your battery. However, this cannot be done by driving the vehicle, but only when you use charging tools to charge your battery.
Batteries used in older vehicles were the easiest to overcharge because the battery was continuously received high voltage from the charger. Drivers needed to monitor their batteries when charging continuously.
In modern times, battery chargers have become more competent, and the charger will automatically stop charging when the battery is full.
It is because the charge reads the battery’s voltage as it is being charged. Once the battery hits a particular voltage, the battery will stop charging.
Regardless of the smart feature in these chargers, this does not stop some batteries from overcharging. The reason for this is due to the following.
1. The wrong amp setting on the charger, which is too high for the battery.
2. Using a trickle charger and forgetting to keep tabs on the charging.
3. Damaged battery and alternator
4. Faulty battery charger
Conclusion
Batteries are a necessary accessory for your car, and understanding how they work will help you to maintain a healthy battery.
A typical health battery will have a voltage above 12V to function correctly. A volt lower than 12V indicates a bad battery that needs to be charged or changed urgently.
It is usual for your battery voltage to climb to as high as 13.5 – 14.4V when the engine is running.