Can a bad starter cause an alternator to fail?
Starters and Alternators: Common Misdiagnosis. Bad diodes are a common cause of alternator failure. The diodes are part of the rectifier assembly that converts the alternator’s AC output to DC. The alternator’s charging output flows through six diodes in the rectifier assembly before it goes to the battery and electrical system.
When does an alternator have a short circuit?
A relatively rare failure is when one or more of the alternator’s three pairs of positive and negative voltage diodes develop a short or open-circuit failure.
What causes an alternator to overheat in a car?
Causes of Failure. Diode overheating also occurs when the alternator is used to bring an undercharged battery up to a fully charged condition. As the vehicle is driven to bring an undercharged battery up to the correct voltage, the excessive current flow can overheat the diodes, leading to failure.
What happens when one of the plates on an alternator fails?
An alternator produces power by rotating three plates across a winding of copper wires. These plates can fail one at a time and reduce, but not stop, the power output. As more plates fail, the power drops to levels that will eventually cause the battery to die and the ignition system to fail.
Is there a problem with my alternator in my GMC?
Diagnosing GMC alternator problems can be difficult given the complexity of the charging system. When faced with such problems vehicle owners may need to know the possible causes and the repair alternatives available to them . The guidance and insights of Experts is a valuable resource in such circumstances.
Can a bad alternator cause a car to not start?
A bad alternator can killing your car’s battery, even if the battery wasn’t the problem to begin with. Natnan Srisuwan/ThinkStock While not technically an alternator problem, a car that won’t start is a definitive sign that there’s a problem in the starting system.
What are the symptoms of a bad alternator in a GMC Envoy?
Here are the most common symptoms of a bad alternator in a GMC Envoy: A typical alternator Battery Light The battery light is designed to tell you that there is not enough voltage to properly charge the battery, or that the battery itself is not holding the proper voltage. In rare occasions the service engine soon light may light up.
What does it mean if your alternator is shorted in both directions?
You should have continuity in one direction and if you switch leads you’ll have no continuity. This will tell you the diodes are good or shorted in the alternator. If you have continuity in both directions then the large post is grounded or the internal diodes are bad.