wire question

[123kid]

Noticed on the positive wire 12 awg connection at my battery one copper strand was cut short not making contact.My radios voltage with car started 13.8 and above with car off about 12 v....is it something i should obsess over? Its a bitch getting that nut loose had a garage do it today its just one strand i cut short that doesnt make contact.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Nothing to worry about. It is just one strand and it is really only missing over the short length from the end to the connector, not the entire length of the wire. Figure what one strand of wire that size over what...an inch or so in length is and you end up with no difference at all.

 

[Ratfink]

The reason your voltage is 13.8 with it running is because your alternator is charging and most newer ones charge at 13.8-14.3 and when your alt isn't charging the battery's come back to 12v

 

[Lil'Yeshua]

Auto battery voltage chart

 

[Lil'Yeshua]

I wonder if there's something to transform battery supply voltage for a transceiver w/engine off up to 13.8 volts.
The big 1 gauge cables run my stereo system plus my transceiver is powered off those as well. Needs cleaned. :O

 

[buickid]

You can get/build a boost converter, but to get that higher voltage output than input, its going to draw more amperage. There is an efficiency loss as well, however slight that may be. That battery doesn't look like a AGM cell, so first step I would say is to grab a quality AGM battery. Diehard Platinum batteries from Sears are rebranded Odysseys, priced a little lower. Very good batteries. Keep them charged and they'll last you a long long time.

 

[Lil'Yeshua]

You can get/build a boost converter, but to get that higher voltage output than input, its going to draw more amperage. There is an efficiency loss as well, however slight that may be. That battery doesn't look like a AGM cell, so first step I would say is to grab a quality AGM battery. Diehard Platinum batteries from Sears are rebranded Odysseys, priced a little lower. Very good batteries. Keep them charged and they'll last you a long long time.

AGM? Please explain.
I thought about getting some type of Solar charger so so that I can sit in my mobile at times without starting the engine to recharge the battery. I guess I like the 14.2 volts. It makes my transceiver to have the most output. Maybe a deep cycle gel cell battery. Concerning my sound system, it draws 2-3 amps just idling and peaks so far around 52 amps on those bass hits. All that from a 83 amp alternator.
P.S. maybe some kind of portable that hikers use

 

[9C1Driver]

Noticed on the positive wire 12 awg connection at my battery one copper strand was cut short not making contact.My radios voltage with car started 13.8 and above with car off about 12 v....is it something i should obsess over? Its a bitch getting that nut loose had a garage do it today its just one strand i cut short that doesnt make contact.

That's the way it works with a car battery. If you used a voltage tester at the cig lighter plug and turned the car off you would see the same thing.

The thing to watch for is using too light of a gage wire on a long run inside your car. With the car running use the same tester at the radio when you key up, if you see a large drop in voltage you need heavier gage wire.