Your alternator is one of the most important components in your vehicle’s electrical system. Keeping it working well for a long life pays off with dependable service and fewer alternator replacements over the life of your vehicle. If you wonder if there are ways to prolong the life of your alternator, the answer is yes. While alternators have a finite lifespan, you can take steps to extend the life of yours. Here’s what you can do to get more mileage out of your alternator for any type of vehicle you drive.
Alternator Maintenance Tips
1) Check the health of the battery: The alternator and battery work together as partners in the electrical system with the alternator generating power and the battery storing it. If the battery is weak, it places strain on the alternator. In fact, a weak battery can shorten the life of an alternator prematurely.
2) Check the condition of belts: An ill-fitting or worn belt can adversely impact the performance of your alternator. Make sure the belt is not too loose or slipping, which negatively impacts the ability of the alternator to supply the battery with electricity. Inefficient operation leads to undue stress on the alternator.
3) Clean and tighten connections: Make sure cable terminal connections are free of rust and corrosion and tightly fitting. Secure and clean connections help alternators operate at optimal efficiency.
4) Ensure proper airflow: Periodically inspect your alternator to make sure airflow is not being restricted by residue buildup. Blocking airflow vents leads to overheating, which is detrimental to the condition of alternators.
5) Avoid electrical overload: Today’s vehicles come with many devices that draw electrical power. While that enhances the comfort and convenience of passengers, it can be demanding on the alternator. If you know your battery has a low charge, you may want to limit use of some devices to relieve pressure on the alternator. If you have a lot of devices like accessory lights and a high-powered audio system, you may want to upgrade to a high output alternator.
6) Using good battery jumping techniques: Using best practices for jumping a weak battery is important to protect the condition of an alternator. Improper practices can lead to voltage spikes that can potentially damage it.
7) Avoiding jerky driving habits: Jackrabbit starts at intersections are not only ill-advised for safety reasons, but they can also be hard on your alternator. They create sudden demands for power generation. Of course, alternators are built tough and you’re not going to see immediate ill-effects from these driving habits, but in the long run they can wear down an alternator.
Choosing a new alternator
While you can do some things to extend the life of your alternator, you will eventually need a replacement. A good one-stop shop for alternators is DB Electrical because they sell alternators for a wide variety of vehicles, including cars and trucks, tractors, ATVs and UTVs, riding lawnmowers, boats, heavy-duty trucks, industrial machinery and motorcycles. DB Electrical alternators fit and perform just like the originals that came with the vehicles when they were new.
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