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Old 03-25-2019, 08:19 PM   #16 (permalink)
britttolbert
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gone-ot View Post
...they're also touting their Regulated Voltage Control (RVC) system that is effectively an "on-demand only" field regulator system that holds battery voltage at ~ 12.3VDC instead of 14.7VDC all the time.

...instead, it only pumps the voltage up to 14.7VDC right after a heavy load (starting) then backs off to ~12.3VDC while cruising; but, goes back UP in alternator output voltage (if needed) during decelerations and breakings.

...good news for lamps and light bulbs, but not so good on batterys themselves.
After 8 years of owning a cruze with this system it has been so so on the bubs, it eats about 1-2 headlights per year but no other bulbs. Insofar as the battery, the OEM battery lasted 6 years. I too feared that the alternator would be hard on batteries but 6 years out of a battery these days isn't bad.
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