The battery of the vehicle is a very crucial thing. Through the power of the battery provided by the engine the vehicle runs. Battery gauge drops while driving your vehicle are not a good sign for you.
Because the battery gauge shows the proper condition of your battery. Only when the battery gauge drops. It indicates your battery is malfunctioning.
What Is A Battery Gauge?
Another name of the battery gauge (battery indicator) is the voltage gauge. The function of the battery gauge is to measure the voltage of the battery. You will find out the number 12 in some gauges. It is related to the voltage. Whenever the needle will be in the middle position, you can take it as everything in your vehicle is going well.
Battery Gauge Drops While Driving Reasons
There are so many reasons to drop battery gauge which you have not even heard of earlier. Some of the most common reasons of dropping battery gauge are:
A Bad Alternator
The alternator is a generator run by electricity. It will charge the battery to provide enough power to the car’s electronic system. When the alternator of your car is overcharged or in a bad condition, there may arise a lot of issues.
Can a bad battery cause voltage fluctuations? Yes, they can when the alternator has less charge or can’t provide power. Check the alternator and if it is old or problematic change it as early as possible. The alternator voltage while driving may be below.
Old Battery
The battery of your car may be worse when you have used it for so many days. After 4 to 6 years they don’t function well. An old car battery will not maintain the voltage properly. The acid of the battery may leak too.
Abandoned Car
You may have left your car in your garage for so many days. You should supply enough power to your car for its good service. Thus they will serve you the best.
Internal Loose Wire
Your vehicle may have loose connections of wires inside of it. When the car has got loose connections, lose the power to maintain the voltage of the battery. Thus the battery gauge drops while driving. They can also affect the alternator.
Battery Corrosion
The corrosion of batteries may even damage your car battery. Corrosion does not allow the battery to produce the required amount of power to run the car. The battery voltage drops when stopping your car. So, clean your battery frequently.
Why Battery Gauge Fluctuates At Idle
Battery voltage drops while idling. Check your car’s capacity of voltage and the alternator too. Both the defective alternator and battery are the main reason for fluctuating car battery gauge at idle. Some other reasons are:
- Corroded wires
- Malfunction of the alternator
- Drive belt
Why Battery Voltage Drops When Accelerating
Alternator voltage drops when accelerating. When there is being drawn more current by something else during acceleration. You need to specify which part is responsible for drawing the extra current.
What Should I Do If Battery Voltage Drops When Accelerating
The battery gauge goes down when accelerating. You need to do the following thing when you want the solution:
- Measurement of the Battery voltage
- Turning off all other components while accelerating
- Check your car alternator regularly
Why Battery Gauge Drops When AC is On
The battery gauge goes down when AC is on. The reason behind going down is the alternator. When the alternator is one-wired it can not draw high amps to run the AC. Your alternator needs 14 to 15 volts to run AC on the car.
Is It Normal For The Battery Gauge To Fluctuate?
The fluctuation of the battery voltage is a very common issue. When you are utilizing different kinds of accessories it will happen of course.
But the problem happens when the voltage of the battery has gone very high and low suddenly. You can avert this situation if you give enough time to check the battery voltage.
FAQ
Can A Bad Battery Cause Voltage Drop?
When a battery is charged, it can not exceed 10.5 volts. The battery contains a dead cell in that situation. When the voltage is equal to 12.4 or less than that, the battery is taken as sulfated.
What Happens When Battery Voltage Drops?
The voltage drops whenever you use the battery. But in many cases, because of the internal resistance, the battery may not be used earlier than being dead.
It may happen even before the voltage is reduced. When a battery functions, the voltage of the open circuit may fall where the internal resistance will go higher.
How Can I Tell If My Alternator Is Bad?
You will know in which situations your alternator is not working properly:
1. The brightness of the light will be higher or dim
2. The dead situation of the battery
3. Functions of the accessories are bad or slow
4. Facing problems to start the car
5. Noises like whining and growling
6. The odd smell of burning things like wires or rubber
7. You will see the light of battery warning on the dashboard
Does AutoZone Check Your Alternator?
In the USA all the AutoZone will check your alternator, battery, or starter without any charge.
How Do You Fix Voltage Drop?
To fix voltage drops you can take the following steps:
1. Decrease the temperature of the conductor
2. Decrease the length of the conductor
3. Increasing the size or quantity of the conductors
4. To reduce the power load
Final Thoughts
Battery gauge plays an essential part to drive your favorite car. But the battery gauge drops while driving may interrupt your journey. There are chances to fall in any accidents too.
We have already discussed the issues and how you can prevent them. Manage some time to read thoroughly. You may thus avoid any sudden accidents during your journey. Happy car riding all time!
