You either have a bad battery or yes the voltage regulator is going.

And yes, when you overcharge, the charge is shredding off the hydrogen from the HCl in the batter, which can cause an explosion.

https://www.google.com/#q=what+shoul...of+12v+battery


What is the maximum charging voltage for a 12 volt battery?
The battery voltage should not exceed 13.8 volts for long periods and 14.4 volts for short periods (8 hours maximum).

 

anything built in the last 10 years uses ecm controlled charging systems with battery temp sensors. the purpose, to prevent overcharging. Having a bad battery may put the system into a sulfation mode. Replace the battery before doing any charging system diagnosis.
My ecm controlled system regularly is at 14.8 and i have seen for short periods 15.2. All depends on what mode the charging system is in.

H2S04 is the acid used in lead acid batteries not HCl.

 

That's interesting Primem, ... Truthfully, whenever I needed a Battery in the past, I always "Trusted" the Auto parts guys to give me the correct battery. I "Googled" AGM Batteries, & just received a Lil' Education about the "Mat Batteries" vs. the "Gel Batteries". It looks like there are "camps" for & against both Batteries, just as there are those that Republicans & Democrats. SMH. I need a Battery that will hold a cranking charge in the Wee Hours when it's so cold that if you sneeze, it'll freeze in your beard, ... That way, if I get a "No Heat"/ "No Refrigeration"/ "No Electric" Service Call, & I tell them that I'm coming, .... I then do not have to call them back & tell them that I have to "Get a jump first". I also need high capacity for any equipment that would be added to the Van for my work. I'm getting an EDUCATION here & I thank all of you for helping me out.

 

Funair02, I checked that link out, & it's a broad Google search for Batteries. I did read this PDF >>> http://www.operatingtech.com/lib/pdf...20Charging.pdf

 

That seems a bit high as normal charging range for a 12v battery is 13.8-14.2 volts. In my experience a higher than normal charging rate, assuming the ECM is okay, is a weak engine block to body ground. Just a heads up here, you might want to check it just in case.

 

I'm in the same boat as you (electrician). I've always bought my batteries over at Costco and never had an issue with them. I also own a battery jump pack just in case which I keep in the house so it stays warm. With the jump pack I know if it is so cold out where the battery might have an issue I can connect the jump pack and be running in 2-minutes.

 

There is no voltage drop at the insulated or grd circuits so the battery cables are fine.
the ecm has multiple charge modes; go right up to 15.5 as per the operation description in service information...sulfation mode...it has never entered that mode. the battery is 6 years old so it ain't fryin.

the new models with stop/start features are using an agm battery. Says right on the battery not to exceed 14.4. these vehicle use intelligent battery sensors to protect the battery

 

Greetings Ya'll, What is the difference between a "PCM" & "ECM"? Unless I've misunderstood the Haynes manual, I have a "PCM", .... If that is the case, would I still have this sensor Primem, & where would I find it? In fact, can it be tested to determine whether it is at fault? Alloro, "(Electrician)" , ... That is "Shocking News" Brother, Lol! I'm kidding. I'm mainly Residential, Agricultural, & Mobile homes, with a little 3-Phase now & then. It got to the point where I'd lose bids on new furnaces/ Central Air, because I refused to install additional electrical circuits in 60 Amp/ fused boxes that were already overloaded, or in panels that were overloaded. I'd advise them to hire an Electrician, & by the time he got done with them, they ran out of $$$$. Now, I can do the Upgrade/ Repair necessary to allow the installation of HVAC. That is, as long as I can get there with my Van. Searching through the Hayne Manual I just found the "Voltage Regulator" page 5-17 - Item #18, ...... It states that the regulator is contained within the PCM, & that if it's bad, then the computer must be replaced. This is turning in to a really "Crappy Diaper". Are there any Diagnostics that can be performed to determine if the PCM is at fault, & also causing the hesitation/ surging & infrequent back firing through the throttle body??

 

I have always used a good old Group 27 battery, that is a battery that is as large as the tray is on my 2001... I usually buy my batteries (flooded cel) at Sams or Walmart and look at the date code to get a fresh one. The group 27 has more capacity than a group 24 found in smaller cars... NOT more voltage, but more amps for a longer period of cranking... look for the number CCA (cold cranking amps) on the batttery to compare capacity.

On my 2001 there is a temp sensor on the bottom of the battery tray that is supposed to keep battery temps in check... temps that get the battery hot from overcharging.

David, you may have a bad connection, a bad ground, a bad sensor, or the engine needs some TLC in the form of cleaning the IAC, throttle body, etc. You may also need a new PCM.

Some manuals call the car/engine computer a PCM and some call it an ECM... on this forum and others the terms are used interchangeably... As I recall you have a 2000, 01 or 2002... the Dodge manual calls the underhood computer a PCM for those years...

Do as everyone has suggested and get your self a new battery... at an auto parts store or a big box store. If at an auto parts store, you can have the man load test the battery first to make sure it can supply lots of amps at full 12.6 volts that a wet cell should produce under a heavy load. ONLY after putting in a known good cell will you be able to have confidence that you can start on a cold morning. Again I say look for a group 27 battery... bigger than car batteries which are group 24. I have used a group 27 in all my Dodge vans since 1985 and have never had a starting problem in the winter.

BTW... if your battery has ever been discharged heavily, and you charged it back up again, well it may work, but rarely do batteries recover fully from deep discharges... you almost always lose some capacity of the battery.

Sorry for lengthy post... but I like to try to explain things sufficiently.

 

Rsdata,

Thank you Brother!

And No Sir, I do not consider your posts to be "lengthy", at all, ... In fact, as in all that I do, I'm very "Analytical" in the search for Data, & you have provided it.

You are correct, ... The Van is a 2000 318 CID EFI, with approximately 140,389 miles.

At this point, I've been lucky, for all that I've had are Service Calls to run, & I've been able to run them in my Wife's car, but she's not happy, as she has a right to. But, If God Almighty is willing, then in in about a week, I'll be involved in at Least three Installations, that are Absolutely going to require the usage of my Van.

I just got off the phone with Smythes Auto Supply, & they said the same thing about the group 27 .....^5's Rsdata.