Inliners International Forums General Discussion Electrical Am I gonna hurt my Optima battery?

Hello everyone, hope your 2016 is treating you all well. Mine started off with a roar, or rather, a lack there of.

1969 c10 with a 292.

She started just fine at home, usual case of morning sickness, choke her a little and nothin outta the ordinary. Still seeing a reading of high 12's to 14 volts on the gauge while shes sitting there at idle, and around 13-14 volts while shes driving. Decided the almost 7 year old walmart lead acid battery finally shat itself when it had less than 10 volts the next morning. It had sat on a charger for about 6 hours and only started the truck one time. Should have had more than 10 volts. bought a good ole Optima red top, "red toptima".

now the voltage hangs around 12 volts at idle, maybe a little less when I have lights and heater and wipers on. yesterday I noticed that it would increase to ~14 when the RPM got to ~1500. Today I noticed the needle just sort of hangs around ~12 volts, and goes a bit below 12 at idle, stoplights, etc. especially when I have lights, heat, and wipers going.

Alternator is maybe 3 or 4 years old, voltage regulator is as well.

Am I having issues? I thought the voltage should never really drop to 12v at idle, let alone below 12v at idle.

Anyone else experience this? All I did was swap in the red toptima.

Im not sure if my alternator is telling me it isnt happy about the new red toptima, or if the walmart battery put so much of a slow hurt on the alternator that it finally gave up.

On a side note, I plan on replacing the positive junction block on the passenger side inner fender. it just looks all old and dirty with all those nice shiny brand new terminals connected to it.

Might it be whats causing my voltage drop? its pretty skanky lookin.

(Edit) Just went out to start her up for work, gauge was reading ~14 volts, and shes sitting idling now at ~13 volts with nothing else on, no lights, radio, wipers, heater, etc. Maybe that's what its supposed to do when you have a good battery? *SMH*

(Edit #2) So yeah, driving along, voltage drops to 12 or a little less than 12 volts with lights and heater, and does not increase with rpm. voltage needle dances just a little when the turn signals are applied. Drove to work then home like this, didnt put it on the charger, this morning the gauge showed ~13 volts before starting and a lil more than 12 while shes idling and warming up. Really starting to suspect the alternator.

Thanks for your time folks!