We cannot overstate the importance of your alternator. This little part generates the electricity your car needs to run. Without electricity, you would have a dead battery and dead accessories. We are going to talk about the alternator and why it is the most crucial part in your automobile’s electrical system. If you need a new alternator installed in your vehicle, give us a call to schedule an appointment.
What It Does
The alternator does more than generate electricity. The alternator also converts it so your car’s electrical system can use it. When you fire up the engine, the alternator produces electricity. It continues to produce the electricity until you turn the engine off. The alternator sends the electricity through the electrical system to power your battery and all of your electrical components. This includes the electrical components of your air conditioning system and your center console.
How It Works
The alternator uses a spinning motion to generate electrical current. There is a pulley system that attaches the alternator to the serpentine belt. When the serpentine belt spins, the pulley spins. This, in turn, spins a rotor shaft and a series of magnets. All of these parts spin around a coil. This is what generates the electrical current. The current is then passed through a rectifier to switch it from an AC current to a DC current so your car’s electrical system can use the electricity.
Its Longevity
The factory alternator is going to last approximately 100,000 miles. In terms of time, this is approximately 10 years. The alternator can last longer than this in many cases. This being said, if you keep your vehicle for a long time, you will need to replace the alternator eventually. Unfortunately, repairing the alternator means an alternator replacement. The spark generally cannot be repaired if it goes bad. Rather, we need to remove the old alternator and install a new one.
Signs It’s Bad
There are numerous signs that the alternator is going bad. These include problems with your vehicle’s lights, such as dimness, flickering, and excessive brightness; an engine that is difficult to start because the battery is dying all the time; slow or malfunctioning accessories; problems with the spark plugs misfiring in the engine stalling; strange noises coming from the engine, such as growling or whining; the smell of burning wires; and an illuminated battery light.
Call us right away if you are having any of these problems. It may be time to replace your alternator.