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What should my battery voltage be while driving?
I’m a little worried about my car’s battery, and I don’t think it should be performing as well as it should be. What should my battery voltage typically be while I’m driving?
Joshua Levy · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Fully charged batteries
should produce between 13.7 and 14.7 volts while you’re driving. But it can be a little complicated to calculate the ideal voltage in your car. Luckily, you can use the following method to estimate your battery output:Park your car and turn on the headlights. Using the brightness, you can typically estimate your battery’s health. Here are the different brightness levels you might see and what they mean for your car:
- Dim lights: This typically means the battery life is low, and there isn’t enough output to power your lights completely.
- Get brighter when you rev the engine: This could mean your alternator is producing some power, but not enough to power the lights at idle.
- Normal brightness: This means that your battery is working as it should and the voltage is just right.
While the above test is only an estimate, you could also use a multimeter to check your battery output. While that may seem a bit more technical, a multimeter can help you get a much more accurate assessment of your battery output.
Since you’re already taking the time to learn more about your battery, take another minute to save on car insurance with
Jerry
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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