12.09 volts on battery, is it finished?

[Mjfan12]

This is about my motorcycle battery but same principles. It's a lead acid battery where you fill it with distilled water.

I have been cleaning the carbs for the past month! (put in a few hours but I'm a lazy sob and just wasted a lot of time)

so the battery has been out of the bike sitting on a piece of wood in my garage for the last month.

I checked it today and it says only 12.09 volts so it's discharged probably, but is it a lost cause or can it be saved?

I just need it to last another month and a half if I can ride with it because I can get another battery next spring, I rather not spend $70 now and than have to maintain it all winter.

I'll take it to autozone tomorrow to have them try to charge it.

[wed3k]

technically, it should never dip below 12.3-12.4 how long has it sat liek that?

[Mjfan12]

about a month but I also started the bike a few times and it stalled (fuel isse, thats why the carb cleaning) so the battery didnt have the time to recharge after the stress.

it's probably dead, I may have to ghetto push start it to ride for a little bit, lol.

[H22Artman]

its a common misconception that alternators of our era double as battery chargers.
THEY DO NOT.
long ago it was the case. no longer.
they maintain a minimum level neccesary to start and operate the vehicle.

if your battery is low on charge but not on health then a simple recharge should bring it back to normal levels.

[wed3k]

about a month but I also started the bike a few times and it stalled (fuel isse, thats why the carb cleaning) so the battery didnt have the time to recharge after the stress.

it's probably dead, I may have to ghetto push start it to ride for a little bit, lol.

it'll be alright.

[Ghostyman]

its a common misconception that alternators of our era double as battery chargers.
THEY DO NOT.
long ago it was the case. no longer.
they maintain a minimum level neccesary to start and operate the vehicle.

Please explain what you mean.

When I hook a healthy battery with a low charge to a running alternator, the battery will get charged.

If alternators don't charge batteries, how do batteries ever get recharged? It's not like one charge will last for 5 years of starting the car.

[wed3k]

Please explain what you mean.

When I hook a healthy battery with a low charge to a running alternator, the battery will get charged.

If alternators don't charge batteries, how do batteries ever get recharged? It's not like one charge will last for 5 years of starting the car.

on a fully charged battery, the vehicle should only be running off the alternator. that way it doesnt tear up the battery.

[Ghostyman]

on a fully charged battery, the vehicle should only be running off the alternator. that way it doesnt tear up the battery.

A battery that isn't fully charged will be charged by the alternator, right? If I listen to the stereo for an hour and then start the car, the alternator will charge the battery.

I'm not sure why there is a debate about this? Does anyone want to step up and say that the alternator doesn't charge the battery?

EDIT: I believe that on most cars, the battery is always getting a charge from the alternator. The battery is kind of like a buffer for the electrical system -- similar to how a capacitor works in an audio setup -- it provides extra juice if you demand more amps than the alternator can produce at that time. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[wed3k]

A battery that isn't fully charged will be charged by the alternator, right? If I listen to the stereo for an hour and then start the car, the alternator will charge the battery.

I'm not sure why there is a debate about this? Does anyone want to step up and say that the alternator doesn't charge the battery?

i thought it was the turbo incapulator inside the transmission that charges the battery

the alternator powers the clock and cigarette lighter

[Ghostyman]

LOL, we're joking now right?

[wed3k]

LOL, we're joking now right?

i just bought a optima red top off a member and it read around 12.09, plopped it in my car fired it up and had it idle for about 3 minutes. shut it off and tested the voltage and it immediately came back up to 12.41.

i should check it now, it should be fully charged.

[Ghostyman]

Yep, the battery will usually be in the 12 VDC range when the car isn't running. Try testing the voltage with the car running and you should get at least 13VDC. That's also an easy way to check if the alternator is working -- if you read the same voltage with the car on and off, you aren't getting a charge from the alt.

[wed3k]

Yep, the battery will usually be in the 12 VDC range when the car isn't running. Try testing the voltage with the car running and you should get at least 13VDC. That's also an easy way to check if the alternator is working -- if you read the same voltage with the car on and off, you aren't getting a charge from the alt.

i know how to do a voltage check.

[Night Wolf]

question how many volts are there in each cell?

[tn_accords]

question how many volts are there in each cell?

around 2.3 volts