Battery Voltage After Starting Engine
 

I just checked the battery voltage on my 2016 Camry LE immediately after starting the engine. The initial reading was 14.18 volts which then drifted down to 14.10 and 14.07 within a few minutes. The car was then driven six miles and the battery voltage measured 13.60 volts. Are these readings within the normal range? Measurements were taken at idle rpm and the outside air temperature was about 65 degrees.

Thanks for any information.

Voltages are within range.

The voltage will drop as the battery charges. Also varies with air temp and load.

Thanks for the reply.

My car battery is recovering from an interesting situation. The battery apparently became discharged over time as a result of infrequent use and not driving long enough to fully charge the battery. Parasitic drain in a vehicle can be 25 ma or higher which can have significant effect after a week or more.

Ten days ago after a jump start and thirty minute drive at low rpm, the specific gravity still showed the battery as nearly empty. I wondered if the battery had been damaged by the often discussed sulfation problem.

A 2 amp battery charger/maintainer has been connected since then and the specific gravity reading has actually moved from red to yellow and now just into the green region. The interesting thing is that the 2 amp charge ended during the first day. The battery seems to be charging very slowly in the maintain mode with a voltage reading of 13.67 volts.

30 minutes may not be enough time. Typically an alternator starts to generate full output between 2000 and 3000 engine RPM.

The trickle charger will do the job. Or fully charge then battery then disconnect it.

The battery if disconnected will still discharge at around 3%/month. However have done this with cars not driven for 6 months and the engine still starts.