Voltage question

[crackajacka]

i have a 86 gmc with everything almost stock, well i finally broke down and bought a optima DT34/78 deep cycle battery because i have added an some sub's. ok my question is with my old battery(which was broke and leaking acid) i could add water and charge it for an hour and put it back in and my volt gauge would read 13. when i bought my new battery i charged it for 8 hours at 10 amps on a auto charger, it said it was fully charged so i put it in my truck and now my volt meter reads 11-12 volts. Is this ok for this type of battery or is something wrong??? id appreciate suggestions.

thanks

[PHOENIX]

I have a red top optima.
With the engine off and the key on it reads right around 12v.
With the engine on and no accessories running (lights, fan, sterio) it reads 14v.
With the engine running and all accessories running it doesnt goes below 11v, but typically sits on 12v+ at idle, around 13v+ when driving.

I have a checker lifetime 94amp alternator.

Why did you charge the battery before install?

One thing to ALWAYS check when replacing a battery is the battery cables and connections. I always replace the cables and clamps when I replace a battery. Often battery cables will corrode on the inside with no visual signs on the outside. This may be causing you to loose a little power.

Hope that helps.