In other words, the alternator changes mechanical energy from the rotating drive shaft into electrical energy for charging a vehicle's battery and powering its electronic components. it also maintains a constant voltage by regulating current.
so to answer your question specifically, an alternator converts mechanical energy into electric energy for powering cars' electronic equipment or used to charge its batteries with adjustable voltages for maintaining charging conditions that depend on design parameters such as uneven load variation in idle periods when in use in order
what are the symptoms of a bad alternator?
quit driving your car for a minute and turn the ignition on. this will disengage the battery from the alternator, and it will show you if your alternator is still outputting current to charge up your battery. if this doesn't change anything, either try turning the lights on or hit an object near your vehicle. if nothing else happens, then yes, it may be wise to get a new alternator! in addition to not charging up the battery anymore while you're doing something like changing lanes while driving in heavy traffic, things like making golden fried eggs might just be unreachable without a new and fully functioning one! that'll put every sane person off eggs for sure! well that's what i've heard at
can a car run with a bad alternator?
the car can run, but it needs to be running and charging at the same time. this is less than ideal because it runs on fumes and where you can't just stop for a charge. an alternator is an integral part of the engine/charging system and doesn't work without another component in place. its sole purpose is to recharge your battery when you start driving so that your battery will last longer than the remaining fuel supply will let it. the downside to this type of system is that if your car won't start due to a dead battery, then you'll need to get a jumpstart from another vehicle or find someone with jumper cables who's willing pull you over while their vehicle has its ignition running (if yours
what happens to a car when the alternator goes out?
the battery and the alternator go in tandem and when one part is low, so is the other. when your car doesn't start because of a dead battery, it's not always the case that the alternator has gone out.
the battery supplies power to certain electrical systems in your vehicle when you turn it on or use items such as headlights or seat-belt buzzers. the alternator supplies power to these same electrical systems, but also powers one system that moves your car at consistent speeds without effort from you: the electric fuel pump– which recharges the depleted engine by supplying fresh gas whenever necessary for ignition within cylinders. it does this by converting mechanical energy from a spinning shaft into electrical energy with a built-in generator
how do you tell if its your alternator or your battery?
usually if the battery is in good condition and the power is still draining when it's running, then it would most likely be your alternator.
you may notice that when you turn on your car, and after a few minutes of driving, hours later your radio and seatbelt will stop working. if this happens often, chances are high that either one of these things has malfunctioned or they're both right at their breaking point. it could be just an issue with the electronics disabling themselves because they sense that there isn't enough juice coming through them to work properly. but more than likely it's an issue with either the alternator or the battery itself.
important thing to mention- batteries can go bad anywhere from 3
