Alternator Blue book Procedures
Alternators produce electric currents to charge your motorcar battery while it is running. Whether your machine's alternator fails, you Testament contest to begin the automobile within a rare hours of the failure, as the battery Testament accept lope down. A defective alternator Testament possible argument your van's "Trial Engine" glassy to come on, and the headlights Testament develop dim when the engine is idling. Sure testing procedures Testament aim away if your alternator needs to be replaced, however these are first done by an Car technician.
Check for Physical Indications
There are a scarce physical indications that signify a defective alternator. Your vehivle's battery warning bright might brighten randomly when the alternator brushes are worn gone. When alternator bearings develop into dry, you Testament be able to hear a Rugged growling sound from the alternator situation.
Charging System Test
Corrosion often increases electrical resistance of the ground circuit, causing the voltage regulator to sense less than the actual B+ voltage, resulting in overcharging of the battery. In older car models, technicians install an auxiliary ground wire from the regulator base to the alternator. The voltage regulator is then disconnected to accurately test the alternator only.With newer models, a professional scan tool is used To gauge the charging voltage and retrieve any possible charging system errors.Alternating current voltage will leak into your car's electronic system, causing unpredictable problems with your car's on-board electronic systems. A multimeter is often connected to the battery and set to the AC voltage position to detect alternating current. With a normal, fully-charged battery the voltage will dip below 12.6 volts and quickly recuperate.
Testing the Battery
Your car's battery should be tested as part of the alternator testing procedure. A battery with a bad cell will not achieve normal charging voltage, causing the alternator to over-charge the remaining cells and boil the electrolyte. Battery testing should be done by a trained technician, as a charging battery produces explosive hydrogen gas.
A conductance tester is used To gauge the electrical resistance in the battery, by applying a mild alternating current to battery terminals. Some technicians use load testers to discharge the battery at half its rated capacity. During this load test, the battery has to preserve at least 9.6 volts at its terminals after being discharged for less than 15 seconds.
Technicians sometimes appliance a common stethoscope to determine the source of the sound.
Testing Alternating Current
In some cases a short or open-circuit failure can occur due to a diode fail.This scan tool can often be used to activate or control the field current to assess the alternator's output.
Load-Test
Conventional charging systems are often tested with an adjustable carbon pile tester. Battery discharge rate and the alternator charging rate are measured. This load-test will quickly indicate drive belt slippage on the alternator. Technicians should, however, be cautious not to overheat the alternator when testing it for maximum output.
