I put a new battery in my van went to crank it up and its completely dead. Do i need a new alternator?
i bought a new battery because the old one was draining so much. i put a new battery in the van and went to crank it yesterday and it was dead.
My car has 111749 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
This may be a sign of a failing voltage regulator, a failing alternator or possibly a bad ground connection. As you may know, the alternator is responsible for charging the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. Often times this will result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. In either case, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Can You Jumpstart a Car With a Bad Alternator? It`s possible that your car will start even if your alternator is bad, but it will probably stall once the battery runs out of enough power to keep things running the way they should.
Your battery should be one of the first things on your checklist after installing a new car alternator. Any installation guide will say that you need to disconnect the battery before installing the new alternator. So, at the very least, you need to make sure that you reconnect it.
It is possible that the problems that you have been experiencing with the bad alternators have damaged the battery causing it to be weak. This would make the Battery Light come on. It is also possible that there is a problem with the fusible link or the alternator fuse for the charging system.
Put simply, your alternator keeps your car battery charged, allowing you to turn on your car and use electronic accessories such as your headlights and radio. If you`re experiencing car alternator problems, you may find that your car won`t start or stay on for more than a few minutes.
A bad battery won`t damage the alternator, but a bad alternator can damage a battery. The car battery simply isn`t made to deliver electrical energy for extended periods, so both components need to be functioning optimally.
Charging problems can be caused by electrical faults in the alternator or voltage regulator, poor wiring connections at the battery or alternator, or a slipping or broken drive belt. Since most late-model import alternators are internally regulated, a failure of the regulator means the alternator must also be replaced.
Start up and run vehicle just above idle, let it run about 10 minutes with minimal electrical load, slowly warming up the alternator and seating the brushes. Then shut the vehicle off and let the alternator cool for about 15 minutes. Run vehicle again for another 10 to 15 minutes, Turn on heater/AC blower etc.
A mismatched battery/alternator combo could cause your alternator to overheat and shorten its life.
If your alternator fails when you`re far from home, you can typically drive up to 200 miles on battery power alone.
Symptoms of a burnt out diode:
The engine will begin to run rough, lack power and eventually stall and not start again. The battery warning light will turn on, warning you that there is a problem with your alternator charging system. The headlights will become dim due to reduced battery voltage.
An effective method to determine whether it`s your battery or alternator that`s gone bad is to connect jumper cables from a running vehicle`s battery to yours. After a few moments, try starting your vehicle. Once it`s started, remove the jumper cables — if your engine stalls, your alternator has probably gone bad.
A dead battery might not kill an alternator but can have negative impacts. If you try to charge a dead battery using an alternator, it will cause excessive wear and tear to your alternator. Theymaintain or partially recharge car batteries, not resurrect dead batteries.
How long should you leave the car running after a jump? It`s best to drive the car around or let it idle for at least 30 minutes after you jump-start it. Ideally, you should drive the car around for 30 minutes to allow the alternator to charge the battery to a good level.
These systems are controlled by the vehicle Engine Control Unit (ECU). As the vehicle demands more load the ECU sends a signal to the alternator requesting it to start charging. The alternator has to cope with varying electrical loads and adjust its charge rate accordingly.
While a car alternator usually lasts the car`s lifetime, it can deteriorate and malfunction under certain circumstances. Factors such as normal wear and tear, damaged parts, exposure to water or heat, and overuse can cause your alternator to stop working.
When replacing and alternator, other upgrades are worth doing too. Go ahead and change the serpentine belt, tensioner and idler roller when replacing an alternator on your car or truck.
Strong vibrations or water ingress are possible causes of bearing damage on alternators. But too much tension on the drive belt can also cause bearing damage or premature wear.
Available at your nearest Interstate All Battery Center®. However, the electrical system in your car can`t charge your car faster than a plug-in battery charger. At least you are generating a charge. Driving to charge your car battery works better than idling the engine.
While the size of your fuse depends on the amperage of your alternator, you should generally select a fuse that can handle more amperage than your alternator is able to output. For example, if your alternator outputs 200 amps, you should choose a fuse that`s no less than 200 amps.
There are three key wires in the loop: a positive wire for the battery, a sensing wire for voltage, and an igniting wire. The ignition input wire is linked to the engine. The energy detection cable monitors voltage and transmits it to the converter, while the energy wire links the alternator and the engine.
You will do no harm installing a higher output unit as the amps are on demand. Now if you install a lower output unit then you will have issue with the battery not being fully charged and the alternator not supplying the required power and the car running more off the battery. This will leave you stranded.
How Long Does an Alternator Last? Alternators have an impressive lifespan of seven years–or between 80,000 to 150,000 miles.
There are a few issues that could make the alternator go bad, such as jump-starting the car the wrong way or installing an accessory that overloads it. Leaking fluid in the alternator or a tight belt can also cause damage to the alternator bearings, causing premature wearing.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I put a new battery in my van went to crank it up and its completely dead. Do i need a new alternator?
ANSWER : This may be a sign of a failing voltage regulator, a failing alternator or possibly a bad ground connection. As you may know, the alternator is responsible for charging the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. Often times this will result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. In either case, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
My truck won’t start. I put a new fuel pump, cam shaft sensor, cleaned my crank sensor, and put a new battery in it. It will crank but not start.
ANSWER : Check the exhaust system for any leaks before the oxygen sensors. This can contribute to having more oxygen in the exhaust stream causing the sensors to register a false reading. If there is no leaks in the exhaust, then check the engine for any vacuum leaks. Look at all of the vacuum lines, the intake gaskets, and the brake booster. A vacuum leak will cause the engine idle to accelerate fast and also cause the engine to stall when the computer brings the idle down. If you need further assistance with your engine stalling, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
I got a new battery new alternator put in but my battery just gets drained I keep having to buy new batterys
ANSWER : This may be a sign of a failing voltage regulator or potentially a bad grounding problem causing a draw on the system. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. Often times this will result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. In either case, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
My car cranks but will not start. I try to do fix the car myself. I put new battery, new alternator, and new ignition coils.
ANSWER : Hi there. Check the spark plugs and see if they are worn or burned. If the plugs are good and they have a good spark, then the engine compression could be low causing a no start situation. If the spark plugs are not emitting a spark, then the crankshaft position sensor could have failed or disconnected. Check the crankshaft position sensor wiring harness and make sure that its plugged in. Check the sensor and make sure that its not broken or damaged. If you need further assistance with your engine not starting, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Battery went dead. Replaced battery. Engine and battery lights are on.
ANSWER : Hi There,
As you know, your problem may be related to a faulty alternator resulting from it not properly charging the battery. This may also be related to a faulty voltage regulator. The voltage regulator regulates the rate at which the alternator charges the battery. When this is not working properly, this may allow the alternator to over or under charge the battery, in either case resulting in the battery failing prematurely. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your charging system.
As you know, your problem may be related to a faulty alternator resulting from it not properly charging the battery. This may also be related to a faulty voltage regulator. The voltage regulator regulates the rate at which the alternator charges the battery. When this is not working properly, this may allow the alternator to over or under charge the battery, in either case resulting in the battery failing prematurely. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your charging system.
I put new alternator, brought new battery crank car battery gauge do not go any further than half and start dropping while driving
ANSWER : You can verify alternator drive belt tension and measure charging system output at the battery posts. If the voltage output at the battery is with the required specification (roughly 13.8 to 14.4 volts but varies by model), check the condition of the battery. Batteries can be load tested to determine condition even if they are new. If despite normal charging system output, and a fully verified (100% charged) battery, you are still experiencing loss of electrical power, a circuit diagnostic will have to be performed to pinpoint the cause. If you desire that that diagnostic be performed by a certified mechanic, please use YourMechanic’s charging system/battery diagnostics service page and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Car battery light on… New battery and alternator but keeps dying
ANSWER : Hello. If your charge indicator is on, this indicates a problem in the system. The charge indicator will have a resistor that is about 390 ohms when tested and if it is bad then may cause light to come on. You are having a possible charge problem with alternator. A junk yard alternator may be bad and you would not know it until it is installed. You should have the complete charging system diagnosed by a qualified mechanic that will be able to go over the entire circuit.
Just put a new carburetor, battery, starter relay, alternator, car stalls out while driving and battery dies when restarted
ANSWER : The battery should be load tested. Simply charging the battery or measuring voltage is not adequate. Measure charging output, too. You want to confirm that the ignition system, including for instance the ignition coil and ignition switch, are not intermittently cutting out. Coils can fail as temperature rises (resistance increases with temperature) so if you run the car for a while and all of a sudden it quits, measure the resistance of the coil windings to see if that provides a clue. Apart from that, the ENTIRE primary side ignition circuit has to be checked, using voltage drop testing (and testing of the hall effect sensor in the distributor), to rule the primary side in or out. If you want the required diagnostic steps performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a stalling diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
