Voltage????

Just had someone come look at the jeep and i have an odd question

With the engine running it ran at about 12 volts......Now when i turned the air conditioning and lights on, it dropped 1 volt........why did it drop? is there a bad connection?

98 xj stock motor

Looking at the gauge? Anytime an accessory is turned on the voltage will drop, its normal

First off you have to use a volt meter and test voltage at the battery terminals. You really can't trust the in dash volt meter. My in dash gauge reads well bellow 12 volts mostly, at the battery terminals is measures 13.2 volts, even a little higher when I first start up in the morning.

If you are getting twelve volts at the battery terminals, something is wrong. Alternator has a weak diode, battery has a bad cell, your battery terminals or grounds are corroded, the voltage regulator in the PCM is iffy or the temperature sensor in the bottom of your battery tray is toast. You may or may not have a temperature sensor in the bottom of the battery tray, some years do, some years don't, even the same model year may or may not have one.

well the alternator was just replaced, battery has been there for awhile......and it was checked with a volt meter

Back to original question, yes its normal for voltage to drop when loads are put on it

very well, thanks

No prob