EVIC Displayed Voltage

[WranglerMan]

As I contiune to research the duel battery system on the JL I am curious how many of you are using programmers like the Tazer and how many are not running one.

I have read that a lot of you are seeing 14+ all the time and ppl like me see it float from 12.8 to 14+ and some are running programmers and some are not so I trying to get an idea on voltages.

I have been told several times by an FCA tech that swinging voltages are very normal and seeing a constant 14+ is not but those that are seeing the 14+ don’t seem to have any issues and some are using a programmer and some are not so that’s why I thought a poll would give us all a better idea.

From my understanding and research the JL utilizes a sort of smart charging system and if the batteries are low the alternator will throw a higher charge to the batteries and this is monitored thru the IBS and it only allows the alterantor to charge what is needed so if the battery is only slightly low it will trickle charge towards the battery and the closer to being fully charged the less charge it will send and of course the lower the batteries are the more of a charge is sent.

In my case the starting EVIC displayed voltage is around 13.0-13.5 and after about 30-45 mins of driving it drops to 12.7-12.9 and pretty much stays there while running down the road or idle without allowing ESS to kick in which case it displays the actual ESS battery voltage, the only time I see my EVIC voltage go over 14 is on deceleration or braking and again I was advised that this is how it’s supposed to be so that got me thinking on why a lot of you are seeing 14+ all the time and have no issues

The reasoning by design is if the battery is charged just to the minimum and a minimum voltage is sent via the alternator this will increase battery life and the voltage ramping up to a higher voltage during slow downs put less load on the engine and is supposed to help performance and mileage.

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[Jebiruph]

I talked to an FCA tech that told me 14.8 is a problem, anything under is fine.

 

[WranglerMan]

I talked to an FCA tech that told me 14.8 is a problem, anything under is fine.

Like anything under ?

 

[Jebiruph]

Like anything under ?

I told them I was always over 14 and typically at 14.7, he said 14.7 is fine, 14.8 is a problem.

 

[Moto_21]

I told them I was always over 14 and typically at 14.7, he said 14.7 is fine, 14.8 is a problem.

Mine runs the same, makes me wonder if battery is not good enough to keep the charge at a decent level, especially if its supposed to be a smart charge system. I think i might need to replace mine

 

[WranglerMan]

Mine runs the same, makes me wonder if battery is not good enough to keep the charge at a decent level, especially if its supposed to be a smart charge system. I think i might need to replace mine

Well mine over the period of a few months slowly rose to over 14.2-14.6 and in the ESS message window it said ESS not ready battery charging and it stayed that way so when I went in for some other service I told them about it and after checking the battery with a GR8 battery tester and it failed so they replaced the main battery and now it runs anywhere from 12.8-13.7, normally starts off in the high 13’s on a cold start then drops to 12.8-13.2 and pretty much stays there

I have been doing daily voltage checks and the main and ESS batteries are running in the 12.55-12.65 range after it’s been sitting all day or night

 

[Moto_21]

Well mine over the period of a few months slowly rose to over 14.2-14.6 and in the ESS message window it said ESS not ready battery charging and it stayed that way so when I went in for some other service I told them about it and after checking the battery with a GR8 battery tester and it failed so they replaced the main battery and now it runs anywhere from 12.8-13.7, normally starts off in the high 13’s on a cold start then drops to 12.8-13.2 and pretty much stays there

I have been doing daily voltage checks and the main and ESS batteries are running in the 12.55-12.65 range after it’s been sitting all day or night

Yeah I guess I will have to take mine in then, thats the issue Im having.
Side note then: Does anyone know which battery or has anyone replaced the battery with a better AGM one yet? Besides Odyssey's dual kit. Im curious if its a better option to just buy a better battery myself. Plus I have not found a dealership I trust to do work in socal. Last one told me that he would not do my oil change because it can go over 10,000 miles. I laughed and left. Sorry side tracked.

 

[WranglerMan]

@Moto_21 if you have the Jeep Wave thing you get two oil changes a year for free whether you use them or not and the end of the two years there gone, I will get my 4 oil changes and stand on there neck if they put in the wrong amount or wrong type but once there done I’m done with the service folks unless it’s a warranty issue

 

[redelses]

Mine was sitting at 14.3-14.4 all the time, and then ESS stopped working. Both batteries were bad and replaced. Now with the new batteries, when I turn on the ACC the voltage reads 12.2-12.5, when I start it reads 13.9-14.2, and then over about 30 minutes will drop to about 12.9-13.2 with swings up to 14 when decelerating/braking. Not sure why it reads at 14 when I first start up, but I guess it's just making sure everything is charged before going back to normal voltages?

 

[WranglerMan]

Mine was sitting at 14.3-14.4 all the time, and then ESS stopped working. Both batteries were bad and replaced. Now with the new batteries, when I turn on the ACC the voltage reads 12.2-12.5, when I start it reads 13.9-14.2, and then over about 30 minutes will drop to about 12.9-13.2 with swings up to 14 when decelerating/braking. Not sure why it reads at 14 when I first start up, but I guess it's just making sure everything is charged before going back to normal voltages?

Mine reads 13.2-13.5 on a cold startup like not temp cold like sitting all night or day so the first start of the day but within 30-45 mins of driving it drops to 12.8-13.2 like yours and pretty much stays there unless braking or just letting off the gas and I was told by several FCA techs this was very normal for the JL.

Mine did the above when I first got it but withing a few months spiked to over 14 and stayed there but after they checked the batteries the main was bad and now that it’s been replaced it’s back to doing what it did when I first got it and I have a programmer installed

 

[mwilk012]

When it reads 14+, your alternator is running, trying to charge the battery. Programmers have nothing to do with it.

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