Alternator Testing
The alternator is an important component that charges your car’s battery. It’s an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.
Ask your service advisor to inspect the condition of the charging system during every major service. If you lose power in your headlights or your car takes a while to start, your alternator may not be providing adequate power to keep the battery charged. With periodic testing you can avoid damaging the rest of the charging system. If experiencing alternator failure even the best car battery will eventually run down. Failure to replace this type of component will force your battery to work harder, leading to premature failure.
From a safety standpoint there is a slight risk, because a failing alternator could leave you stranded on the side of the road. From an environmental point of view, there is low impact from this type of failure.
Alternator Failure Due to Heat
The heat of the Arizona summer is not only hard on us but also on our car battery and subsequently the charging system. Heat is the number one killer of batteries. Be conscious of this in the summer months and have your battery tested so that your alternator does not have to be over worked.
