[arpad_m]

Hi Christopher, the Camaro has a dual mode battery gauge that shows alternator (charging) voltage when the battery is being recharged at various voltage levels, and battery voltage when the alternator is not charging. Thus the display can vary from mid-11s to mid/high 14s, all normal.

If you see something outside this range, or the gauge always shows 14V+, never dipping down to 12.6-12.7 V indicating a fully charged battery, you may indeed have an issue.

One of my small peeves is how difficult the gauge is to read, if the display range went from 10 to 18V instead of 9 to 19V, it would be trivial to find out the voltage, but as it stands, ticks are 1.25V apart, so one has to do some mental gymnastics to even read the gauge...

[cengell]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Hi Christopher, the Camaro has a dual mode battery gauge that shows alternator (charging) voltage when the battery is being recharged at various voltage levels, and battery voltage when the alternator is not charging. Thus the display can vary from mid-11s to mid/high 14s, all normal.

If you see something outside this range, or the gauge always shows 14V+, never dipping down to 12.6-12.7 V indicating a fully charged battery, you may indeed have an issue.

One of my small peeves is how difficult the gauge is to read, if the display range went from 10 to 18V instead of 9 to 19V, it would be trivial to find out the voltage, but as it stands, ticks are 1.25V apart, so one has to do some mental gymnastics to even read the gauge...

So thank you for your reply! So 11.5v to 14.1 on my digital volt meter that plugs into the cigarette lighter plug volt meter is normal? Today when I put my digital volt meter when the car sat over night I got at the engine compartment 12.38-12.41, which is good since getting home last night.

I would agree 100% as if it was too low or too high I would expect the error code on my OBD2 should show up?

It's just odd that I have never seen the display gauge show such a low voltage of 11.5 ish, like you said it's hard to read so this is why I got this as it's way better!

So I was thinking a bad cell but you say this is normal, great, just never seen the gauge this low?

Thanks
Christopher

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by cengell

So thank you for your reply! So 11.5v to 14.1 on my digital volt meter that plugs into the cigarette lighter plug volt meter is normal? Today when I put my digital volt meter when the car sat over night I got at the engine compartment 12.38-12.41, which is good since getting home last night.

I would agree 100% as if it was too low or too high I would expect the error code on my OBD2 should show up?

It's just odd that I have never seen the display gauge show such a low voltage of 11.5 ish, like you said it's hard to read so this is why I got this as it's way better!

So I was thinking a bad cell but you say this is normal, great, just never seen the gauge this low?

Thanks
Christopher

Nah, I think you're good. Mine goes down to mid or high 11s sometimes, has been doing it since new, and I never had an issue with the battery.

I replaced my original 2018 ACDelco unit after a little less than 5 years when my battery tester started showing a tangible drop in CCA, but even then the car always started and no codes were thrown.

Yes, if you have frequent low voltage BCM or ECM codes, that may indicate a battery issue, but we'd need to know specifics if that happens. Again, if the car cranks normally and electronics work fine, you have no reason to worry.

Oh, one other thing you may want to look into if you get sluggish warm/hot starts is adding a new ground strap, see the most relevant discussion here: https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showt...=586153&page=2 (see post #71, for example)

[cengell]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Nah, I think you're good. Mine goes down to mid or high 11s sometimes, has been doing it since new, and I never had an issue with the battery.

I replaced my original 2018 ACDelco unit after a little less than 5 years when my battery tester started showing a tangible drop in CCA, but even then the car always started and no codes were thrown.

Yes, if you have frequent low voltage BCM or ECM codes, that may indicate a battery issue, but we'd need to know specifics if that happens. Again, if the car cranks normally and electronics work fine, you have no reason to worry.

Oh, one other thing you may want to look into if you get sluggish warm/hot starts is adding a new ground strap, see the most relevant discussion here: https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showt...=586153&page=2 (see post #71, for example)

Funny, is adding a ground strap, already did that end of the year...

Update if I get more info..

Thanks
Christopher

[Matt1LE]

Originally Posted by Shaunsmb

This low?

Mine does that at times...

[CalgaryZL1]

In general just remember like arpad_m stated, the Camaro has a dual mode battery gauge that shows alternator (charging) voltage when the battery is being recharged at various voltage levels, and battery voltage when the alternator is not charging. Thus the display can vary from mid-11s to mid/high 14s, all normal. So basically it’s gonna look like it’s all over the board at times. Only when it is incredibly high or low above or below the 12 V system normals should you be concerned. Ie 10’s to low 15’s. When alternators break, they break two ways. They either stop charging or they overcharge.

[cengell]

Originally Posted by CalgaryZL1

In general just remember like arpad_m stated, the Camaro has a dual mode battery gauge that shows alternator (charging) voltage when the battery is being recharged at various voltage levels, and battery voltage when the alternator is not charging. Thus the display can vary from mid-11s to mid/high 14s, all normal. So basically it’s gonna look like it’s all over the board at times. Only when it is incredibly high or low above or below the 12 V system normals should you be concerned. Ie 10’s to low 15’s. When alternators break, they break two ways. They either stop charging or they overcharge.

Very good to know! Thank both of you! It's just odd that I have never seen it below about 12 ish volts, and if it helps this had lasted for about 1.5 to 2 hr driving and sometimes when I downshift which I have been doing for the last few years it sometimes will move the gauge form 11.5 to 14 then back down to 11.5 per me digital meter and display.

I feel this is a new condition and tomorrow I will check the battery clamps and confirm no corrosion and they are tight.

So if it's not the Alternator as it would over charge or stop charging and stop charging at 11.5v, 11.6v to is stop charging for miles.

But is there other boards or does the HMI have anything to do with the charging as 3-4 months ago I replaced my HMI with a used Buick HMI and reprogramed it as I let the car sit for a month and the OEM Delco battery was dead and the car would not start so I put my AGM charger and recharged the battery and then the HMI stopped working.... Replaced the battery also and that's what is in my 2017 Camaro now, and I am sure seeing the display and volt meter I have for a while not see the display drop, just odd is my gut feeling...

Is there somewhere I can do more research on what arpad_m was talking about the dual charging, this now has me very interested!

Thank you both!!

Christopher

[CalgaryZL1]

Originally Posted by cengell

Very good to know! Thank both of you! It's just odd that I have never seen it below about 12 ish volts, and if it helps this had lasted for about 1.5 to 2 hr driving and sometimes when I downshift which I have been doing for the last few years it sometimes will move the gauge form 11.5 to 14 then back down to 11.5 per me digital meter and display.

I feel this is a new condition and tomorrow I will check the battery clamps and confirm no corrosion and they are tight.

So if it's not the Alternator as it would over charge or stop charging and stop charging at 11.5v, 11.6v to is stop charging for miles.

But is there other boards or does the HMI have anything to do with the charging as 3-4 months ago I replaced my HMI with a used Buick HMI and reprogramed it as I let the car sit for a month and the OEM Delco battery was dead and the car would not start so I put my AGM charger and recharged the battery and then the HMI stopped working.... Replaced the battery also and that's what is in my 2017 Camaro now, and I am sure seeing the display and volt meter I have for a while not see the display drop, just odd is my gut feeling...

Is there somewhere I can do more research on what arpad_m was talking about the dual charging, this now has me very interested!

Thank you both!!

Christopher

You are driving a computer, do you close up your laptop and unplug it for six months or two weeks or two days? Your Camaro is a computer, treat it like a computer! that’s about all I can say. If you drive it every day, you’re set, if you don’t drive it every day, get a battery tender to babysit your battery which will babysit the computers, which will babysit the car so you can simply push the button on your fob and get in it and push the button on the dash and it will start and make your life as easy as your laptop!

[arpad_m]

CalgaryZL1 is right. The car's subsystems continuously draws a small, but steady overall amperage from the battery, so if you plan not to drive it for 4+ weeks, you should consider a trickle charger. You can hook it up to the underhood terminals at the fuse box, no need to open up the battery compartment and (struggle to) connect it to the positive stud.

FYI I purchased this excellent unit that is no longer being made, but here is a similar one.

Also, if you don't use a trickle charger and leave the car parked for several weeks, the battery can deplete to a level that then requires a long drive to reach a complete charge with the Camaro's very conservative alternator, which may well be why you don't always see the voltage gauge drop to 12.6-12.7 V eventually.

[cengell]

Thanks all, I will keep an eye on it! I think these alternators are 80-100 AMP output. I do have a high drain car audio system upgrade, so I can suck 15-20 amps with my system while driving!

Thanks again
Christopher