How to Check Your Cars Battery and Alternator Voltage

Think you have a low battery or bad Alternator? Here is a way to test both systems in one step.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• You will need to go to Radio Shack or wall-mart and purchase a small volt meter , a cigarette style plug, like you use for your cell phone charger and two small electrical but connectors.If you have a

1. first take the cell phone charger and cut the wire with the scissor about a foot up from the lighter

2. second, on the end you cut,strip off about 1/2 inch or so down to bare wire using the scissor

3. third , connect but connectors to the bare wires and with pliers squeeze down on the connector

4. your are ready to test, with the key off ,plug into the lighter, turn the meter on and set it to read 20 volts , stick one lead into one but connector and the other led into the other but connector. it does not matter which one you stick where.

5. read the numbers on the meter, it should read 12.4 - 12.6
   if it is lower the batter needs to be replaced, if it is way higher the battery has 2 cells shorted together and it needs to be replaced

6. next leave every thing connected and start the car .turn off all accessory. the numbers should be 13.6 - 14.5 if they are 12.6 or lower you need an alternator if they are highe than 15 you need an alternator

Tips & Warnings

• be careful with the scissor not to cut your self