Starting voltage

My five year Optima Red Top has been flawless. Truck has the alternator + .5volt tune on OTT since day one. When I push the start button after sitting all night this display in the 12v port reads anywhere from 11.7-12.1v until the truck fires. It literally takes a second to turn over then displays 14.2v.
Knowing enuf about running an offgrid fish camp in Baja it seems like 12.2 or less is only around 25% charge. 11.7 should be dead!
Am I on borrowed time with this battery or MORE IMPORTANTLY how does the push to start act when you get a battery that is ready to die? Does it labor to start like the old school cars 25 years ago?
Next trip in two weeks and don’t need the hassle of a dead battery! LOL

 

I could be wrong but i would think that whether it is push to start or turn key, a dying battery would still show the same symptoms.
Keep a NOCO on hand and/or maybe a new battery that's ready to swap out?

 

Makes sense, I guess. Looking for someone who has experienced a dying battery and can confirm symptoms. NOCO sounds interesting! How many jumps on a full charge?

 

I haven't had to use mine yet but the web says a

$92 NOCO GB40 : 1000A UltraSafe Jump Starter – 12V Lithium Battery Booster Pack, Portable Jump Box, Power Bank & Jumper Cables - for 6.0L Gas and 3.0L Diesel Engines

NOCO GB40 can do 20 jumps from a full charge.

 

My factory battery developed a bad cell at 33 months into my warranty. It would labor to start and eventually not turn over and just click.

Toyota gave me a free new TrueStart battery which is coming up on 7 years. I know I could just buy a new battery but want to see when it dies. I do carry my jump box in my truck at all time. I am old school so I like lead acid and know it will fire up my truck when needed.

$129 Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry JNC660 1700 Peak Amp 12 Volt Jump Starter , Blue

https://www.amazon.com/Clore-Automotive-Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6?th=1

 

I think that seems high. I have 3 of them, and not had to use it on my Tacoma but have on 4Runner and Outback, and use the Tacoma one on a SxS for 5-6 times. I don’t remember how low the indicator got but I do try and timber to charge them every six months.

I think they are a good buy.

 

Thanks lads.

 

The 14.4 voltage you see is the input from the alternator to recharge the battery. It would be what the voltage dips to upon turning over that would interest me. … hanging system working. Battery

 

Yes, 14.1V to 14.4V is what I see when alternator is charging the battery.

 

If your starts sound labored at all, I would replace the battery. That is the tell-tale sign of a weak battery. Also, you could put a good meter on the battery with a min/max setting and record the lowest voltage on start.

 

I just did this load test procedure for the battery in my wife's Camry. It should pull down to no less than 9.6 volts when starting (although that value might be different for a Optima battery). Anything below that load test value indicates a battery getting weak.

 

11.7V while cranking is good. 11.7V sitting static is bad. Your starter will pull about 300A when cranking so you will drop a little voltage until it fires. Also, the alternator should put out 14.1V from the factory so I would say you don't have the 14.7V AGM tune.

 

I have a battery analyzer that connects to the battery posts. You enter the CCA and a few other parameters, then (attempt) to start the truck. It recommend a battery replacement for me when I observed slow cranking. I fooled it once or twice when I put a battery charger on it for a while, and told it so.... But if I didn't keep on maintaining the charge (I don't drive often), the result was a slow crank and a recommendation to replace the battery. So I did.

 

That same device used to show 13.6-13.7 while charging from the alternator. Are you saying yours shows 14.7?

 

I just realized starting voltage down below 12v isn’t the same a resting voltage. I think I’m good until the starter starts gagging.

 

Tuner dude said 14.2-14.5 depending on coolant temp is what I should see. 14.3 is the highest I’ve noticed so its right there.

 

My understanding with Optima batteries is that they will last the longest if you maintain a full charge. They make their own battery charger and you are supposed to periodically charge it back up... It will also analyze the status of your battery. My old '02 Tacoma had a 8 year old yellow top battery in it when I sold it and it was still strong.

 

Factory voltage hovers between 13.8-13.9V (a bit weak even for FLA batteries, IMO). AGM tune is closer to 14.4V.

It's common for those little chinese voltmeter thingies to be up to a couple tenths of a volt off.

 

I’m using a Fluke 87. Always been 14.1 right after startup every time I’ve checked it. Dometic fridge shows the same. Drifts down to 14.0 after running down the highway.

 

Another vote for keeping a

$92 Noco GB40 : 1000A UltraSafe Jump Starter – 12V Lithium Battery Booster Pack, Portable Jump Box, Power Bank & Jumper Cables - for 6.0L Gas and 3.0L Diesel Engines

Noco GB40 boost pack in the truck. Walmart's Everstart 24F agm's have a 4 year free replacement warranty and are under $200. 5 years is a good run for a battery, I'd replace it.