When does the alternator start charging the battery?

When does the alternator start charging the battery?

Alternator doesn’t start charging battery until engine is revved a couple times. Wiring problem? Excuse my ignorance. I know very little about cars but am trying to learn more. 2009 Hyundai Accent w/~90k miles The other day my car failed, showing all the signs of a bad alternator (battery light on, lights dimming/flickering, etc.).

Why is my car not cranking over, new battery and starter?

A different battery will solve that until it runs down too. In your third sentence, unless the new battery was also discharged, you likely have a loose or dirty battery cable connection. You can verify that by turning on the head lights and watching their brightness.

What should the battery voltage be to crank the engine?

Once your battery is at 12.6 volts, there will be no problem cranking the engine if the cables and connections are in good shape. When the engine is running, measure the battery’s voltage again.

What to look for in an alternator Charger?

Turn on all the loads (blower on high, headlights on, rear defrost on, and so forth). Measure the voltage across the battery and the big bat alternator terminal to alternator case. There are two things that you are looking for.

What does it mean when your alternator is not charging?

If the alternator is not charging the battery, you will have a red “ALT” or “charge” sign on your dashboard. This means that your battery is no longer being supplemented for power by the alternator. You will need to recheck the wiring because the light could also be faulty.

How to diagnose a cranking starter problem?

While cranking problems can be frustrating, identifying and correcting the root cause does not have to be. The first step is to identify the symptoms. In a cranking system, you can divide your symptoms into one of three possible troubleshooting categories: Slow Crank: The starter will crank, however, the engine RPM is slow to start the vehicle.

A different battery will solve that until it runs down too. In your third sentence, unless the new battery was also discharged, you likely have a loose or dirty battery cable connection. You can verify that by turning on the head lights and watching their brightness.

Once your battery is at 12.6 volts, there will be no problem cranking the engine if the cables and connections are in good shape. When the engine is running, measure the battery’s voltage again.