Electrical System

The electrical system in a car is one that is often neglected by the average car user. The electrical system in cars carry the power from your alternator to all the users in the car, including the battery, radio, lights and radiator fans

Electrical Schematic for a Car

When the driver gets behind that wheel and turns the ignition key to start the engine, the battery is engaged to start the cranking of the engine it also provides power to the rest of the electrical components that will be on during the cranking process. Once the car starts, the battery is disengaged and the car now runs of the electrical supply that is powered by the alternator.

The car's E.F.I. has a diagnostic feature that turns on the battery warning light on the dash when there are any issues associated with the alternator and charging system.

Battery Warning Light

The alternator plays a critical role in the charging and electrical system, within the alternator are several serviceable components that need to be replaced over a period of time, The most common parts that require servicing are:

• Roller Bearings ( Front and Rear ) - Carries the load of the Rotor, when going bad, the Alternator starts to sound very noisy and the area around the bearing become a lot dirtier than normal
• Rectifier - This component monitors and controls the process to charge the battery, it also ensures that power loads in the vehicle have sufficient energy to function. When this component start to go bad the Battery Check Light comes ON.
• Regulator - This component is used to convert current from Alternating Current (AC) to Direct Current (DC) during the charging process

Car Alternator

Exploded view of Car Alternator showing internal parts

Battery Maintenance

These battery maintenance tips will help ensure that every time you are ready to start your vehicle, the vehicle is able to crank. Below 10 tips that you can apply as part of your routine preventative maintenance for your vehicle which will help prolong the life of your battery.

It is important to note that the battery is used for starting the vehicle, during normal driving and once the vehicle has started, the vehicle charging system then regulates the supply charge to keep the battery in the charged state. If your battery is running down prematurely it could be one one of the following things:

• Faulty Charging System
• Faulty Battery
• There is a source of supply that is being left on when the car is switched off that may be draining the power on the battery.

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