bad voltage power issues

[gotgrip666]

last year my alternator went and i decided to get the 90 amp one, i just got my car back from the shop and my voltage is reading 14volts witch is to high and messes with my idle, and eventually is killing my batery and alternator, cause today i went out to my car and it was reading 11.5 and dropping. so my question here is should i just get the stock amp alternator?

 

[Colt4G63 also]

14v is not too high, it's perfect. 11.2 is too low, your alternator didn't last long. Can't you get it warrantied?

I would consider 13.5 - 14.5 volts acceptable while running and you should have about 12.6 with the engine off / no electrical loads.

 

[gotgrip666]

i just went out and got a new battery cause it was sitting for 6 months and i noticed a liquid in the bottom of the tray

 

[1LE]

14v is not too high, it's perfect. 11.2 is too low, your alternator didn't last long. Can't you get it warrantied?

I would consider 13.5 - 14.5 volts acceptable while running and you should have about 12.6 with the engine off / no electrical loads.

My alternator used to vary between 13.3-13.9 (higher if the car had been sitting long/battery needed charging apparently). When it started reading 14+ (as little as 14.1), the car started freaking out with all the dash lights flashing on/off, etc. I always used to assume that anything between 13-15 would be OK, but these cars seem VERY sensitive to it.

Note, my problem is also with a larger 90amp alternator, a Bosch unit about 9-10 months old. Going to warranty it this time, but if it happens again in less than a year, I'm going back to a stock factory unit.

 

[Defiant]

An alternator's amperage rating won't affect the voltage it puts out, just how many things it can supply voltage to.

 

[luv2rallye]

My alternator used to vary between 13.3-13.9 (higher if the car had been sitting long/battery needed charging apparently). When it started reading 14+ (as little as 14.1), the car started freaking out with all the dash lights flashing on/off, etc. I always used to assume that anything between 13-15 would be OK, but these cars seem VERY sensitive to it.

NOT SO!! Normal alternator voltage is 14.4V and it can reach 16V without damaging anything as all circuits are designed to work with this. Actually automotive circuits are designed to work as high as 16V-20V but that voltage will fry your battery. 1LE probably had a bad alternator that was producing high voltage spikes that don't show up on a multimeter since they were too short in duration and the meter just reads average voltage.