It is impossible to imagine a modern car without many additional systems: climate control, seat adjustment, audio system, cameras, light/rain sensors and many others. Each of these systems consumes electricity, which must be generated somehow.
The car battery is designed to store electricity, start the engine and use the systems when the engine is turned off. The alternator, on the other hand, is needed to generate this energy. A car alternator converts mechanical energy from the engine crankshaft into electrical energy.
What happens if the generator stops working?
But here’s the question: what happens if the alternator stops charging? Nothing good:
- Immediately after an alternator failure, the battery takes over all electrical power supply. The operation of all sensors, control units, spark plugs/ignals, lighting equipment will all work until the battery is discharged.
- A red battery light will illuminate on the dashboard, indicating that the battery is not charged. At this point, it is advisable to immediately take a course to the service station or garage, as well as turn off all unimportant car systems that consume the charge – so the car will last longer.
- When the car’s battery is dead, the engine will stall, the headlight will go out, etc. The most unpleasant thing is that this can happen to anyone and anywhere.
Certainly, the problem should be eliminated. And there are three variants: to make an appointment at service station for diagnostics and to drive by tow car, gently drag the car by a cable or temporarily replace dead battery with fully charged one, and drive to service by it.
6 ways to check the generator
It is advisable to periodically check the car alternator, so as not to stop at night in some field. This is especially true for alternators with mileage of more than 200,000 km. That’s why we want to tell you about simple ways, which will help to monitor the condition of the alternator and will not take much time:
Constantly lit or occasionally flashing signal lamp, which indicates a malfunction of the alternator.
With a lit light everything is clear – it clearly indicates that the charge is not coming to the battery, and the cause should be found out as soon as possible. If the light is blinking, it may also indicate temporary charging slack. It is recommended to check the quality of connections on the generator and the battery: the wires should be tightly fixed on the terminals, and the terminals themselves should not be oxidized. It is also important to assess the condition of the wires themselves.
The battery is undercharged or overcharged (boiling).
If you notice that the car battery discharges quickly, it may be the cause of its undercharging by the alternator. If the battery is constantly boiling with the engine running, then the problem may lie in the failure of the generator regulator, a short circuit in the battery, as well as the natural wear and tear of the battery. The problem could also be the battery itself, but the best thing to do is diagnose the alternator and make sure it’s not the problem.
The headlights begin to shine much dimmer, and there are significant variations in brightness as the speed changes.
Such behavior of lights may indicate the faulty voltage regulator, the task of which is to stabilize the voltage in the network and maintain it within the necessary limits on a running engine.
Listen to the operation of the engine.
If you hear suspicious noises when the engine is running, we recommend that you open the hood and try to understand what is making this sound. For example, if the alternator started making a rustling sound, it may indicate a faulty bearing.
In general, if extraneous sounds are heard from under the hood – it is important to understand their cause in time, so as not to miss serious damage. In this article will help you: The noise from under the hood. When do I need to go for repairs?
Make measurements with a multimeter.
Make two measurements. First, measure the voltage at the battery terminals with the engine turned off (don’t forget to turn off all electrical equipment). At rest the gauge should show 12.5-12.8 volts. Then start the engine and measure again: with the faulty alternator the voltage should be within the range of 13.8-14.5 volt.
The easiest thing to do is a visual inspection.
It is better to look under the hood sometimes, even if you have nothing to worry about. You should also pay attention to the alternator. The fact is that everything under the hood gets very hot when the engine is running, and getting the car in a deep puddle can lead to a sharp temperature drop in the body of the generator and, as a result, its destruction.
Also, puddles can damage electrical components and cause a short circuit.
Repair or replace the alternator?
The car’s alternator supplies all of the car’s electrical systems when the engine is running. But an alternator failure can cause very unpleasant consequences.
There are ways to monitor the condition of your car’s alternator that do not require much effort from the driver, but help to identify the problem in advance.
But if the alternator stopped charging or started making extraneous noises, make an appointment for diagnostics and repair of the alternator at Master Service as soon as possible. Such repair doesn’t take much time, so you will be able to enjoy your car rides again very soon.
If your alternator can’t be repaired, we will offer you new or remanufactured units for replacement. We double check your rebuilt alternator on our own specialized equipment. We accept original machines for remanufacturing with a minimum of 20% wear and tear. So you get a virtually new unit at a much better price.