Weak charging system? Solved

Volts do not move. It is just a potential for current flow.

As long as he doesn't have any huge current draws on the system he doesn't need any type of upgrade.

 

0.120 milliamp is good because that equals 0.00012 amperes. and when you pulled the USB Fuse and it dropped to 0.07 milliamps that is 0.00007 amperes. This is probably the clock and stereo. Your USB is not pulling any significant amount.

What Bamatoy told you is correct, you are fine in that regard 13.3 is perfectly normal. Bamatoy knows his stuff, no reason to question his answer.

 

Ohms law, I know. Electronics tech for > 40 years.

Unless you are packing a huge stereo amplifier stock wiring is just fine. Big three is a placebo IMO. Rarely is a wiring size upgrade needed.

We can just agree to disagree.

 

No. No I do not. Talk to BamaToy if you like.

 

Thank you. I think the battery I have is just not the best. Next time I park it long term I will just put a battery tender on it.

Thanks to everyone for your help/

 

if you had it on mA and it read .120 that is essentially nothing. 1mA will drain a battery in about 40,000 hours. You are pulling just over .1mA, which will extend that to 400,000 hours. I don't think that is a problem. If you want to confirm, and have a resistor anywhere around, connect the resistor in parallel with the mA meter and connect a probe to the battery +, other probe to the resistor, and the other end of the resistor to battery -.

Ohm's law says current = volts / resistance. Since we know that volts will be about 12.5, if you can dig up a 100 ohm resistor, current should be 12.5 / 100 = .125a, or 125 mA. NOT .125 mA. That would let you verify that the meter is reading what you think.

If you set it to read amps, you should get .125A, same as 125 mA.

 

Oh, so I should just throw Ohms Law out the window.

Or maybe you could educate yourself on what really goes on with electrical circuits and how they work.

How did you measure these miraculous improvements over stock cables?

What do you think regulates / determines the current draw on the battery?

How did your previous wiring fail with the stock wiring, what caused it, be specific?

How can Tacomas and 4Runners last for hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles with defective wiring?

 

there is absolutely no truth that the wiring system (charging system does not ) have the capacity to run a normal vehicle. Like JimmyH says that parasitic load is nothing. I have a 1998 corvette that has a parasitic load of 35ma because of the security system, and the battery lasts for weeks.
Its like the monster speaker wires nonsense.

 

This is actually a pretty strange discussion. An 8 gauge wire can carry OVER 150 amps at 12v. And it climbs quickly. 12ga wire can carry 60amps at 12vdc continuously. 10ga jumps this to 100a. 8ga to 150. It is not linear because it is proportional to the cross-section of the wire. 6ga wire goes over 200 amps. The stock wiring will carry most anything you can put through it. A starter can draw 300 amps and that won't melt the cable. If the motor locks or can't turn over (say a manual transmission in low gear) that starter can draw over 500 amps.

Obviously the cable to the starter and from battery to ground are up to this task easily. I think worrying about the cables is a waste.

 

My original intent of asking this question was to understand why my battery died after sitting for 8 days.
The topic has now turned to how big should the wires be. Which is irrelevant to what I had originally asked.
I completely understand that the wire size has nothing to do with my issue.

This idea that the size of the cables caused my battery drain is funny.
Comparable to this.

http://gizmodo.com/363154/audiophile-deathmatch-monster-cables-vs-a-coat-hanger

 

I think RobertH has a good idea pull fuses till it drops then you will get an idea where the drain is coming from. Sometimes a alternator can have a slight leak on a diode that can also show up as a draw.

 

You also have voltage losses even with your massive upgrade. Every electrical circuit has voltage drops esp at every mechanical connection. Remember Ohms Law said it was true.

I said in my first post about this:

"As long as he doesn't have any huge current draws on the system he doesn't need any type of upgrade." and " Unless you are packing a huge stereo amplifier stock wiring is just fine. Big three is a placebo IMO. Rarely is a wiring size upgrade needed."

When you say you found out the hard way, tell us what happened? I see you never answered my questions above.

 

OP, sorry about the thread jack.

 

I see you still ignore my simple questions. and from the bolded above I see why. You have no clue about electrical principles and Ohms Law. You do have voltage drops regardless.

I am also done I think my point was made, and confirmed.

 

This my last comment as I couldn't let this go.

1.) I don't have to prove anything. It was done years ago and is published as Ohms Law. Look it up it's enlightening.

2.) I have been an Automation Electronics Technician for greater than 40 years.

3.) 22 of those years is in the automotive manufacturing industry.

I have some idea what I am talking about.

Yes, that does in fact trump your measly few hours researching "the big 3".

 

Its all good.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-is-now-available.318682/page-12#post-9429024

"So a 200A unit would be ok with the factory wiring"

 

A have to LoL at E dick.

And both of you are right. A big amp draw needs bigger wire. And no matter what there is always a loss thru wiring, no matter what.

 

Yes it is called resistance

 

Why is this even a thread? You're getting 13.2v at idle with full load plus extra accessories.. What is your concern? Judging by the given info, everything is 100%. End of thread.. I don't claim to be an expert but I am a motorcycle technician and am speaking from experience, not misinformed internet here say.

 

Yes you "could" install a 200 amp alternator into the stock truck and be just fine. As long as you properly design and wire your add on loads and fusing.

My biggest question is why do you want to?