I keep coming back even 7 years later! The very best real-world "How to" for an alternator on the planet. His many years of working and solving problems allows him to distill it down to just what we need to know without all the fringe. He just showed us how to test just about everything with just a multimeter. We owe you! Thank you.
I’m having relentless issues with my car not charging which went away for a couple of months after replacing the alternator. But it’s back now without the alternator light coming on. I have very little knowledge of how the system works and how to troubleshoot it. This video is so good. So informative and yet so rare. Thank you for this. You have given me many avenues of attack in finally finding the cause and no longer having to charge my car battery whenever in home. Thank you.
Thanks for Excellent Video. If vehicle is running, you can put screw driver to back center of alternator. you will feel it is magnetized if alternator is working.
Having issues with my dual battery 7.3 idi diesel charging system and I watched a ton of other videos that got me started but nothing worked and left me confused. Your explanation is much more complete and I now feel confident to give it another go tomorrow morning. Many thanks.
Super job! U covered all the bases. One tiny thing I might add is the one way clutch that a lot of new alternators have. A Honda Fit gave me a fit. It was slipping and not charging when heavily loaded. Sitting at idle I had 14 volts. When the fans kicked on, it wouldn't keep up. Once again, great teaching!!
could internal regulator be controlled by the computer on car? Because I replaced alternator and battery but from battery terminal i only get 12.5 if i try to disconnect the battery engine turns off.
I am a professional repair shop and you are making a great video that has great explanations! Great video, this is super helpful for anyone who has questions about their vehicle's electrical system! nice!
brother i have ford fiesta mk6 1.4 tdci my problem is that whenever i start the car battery warning light comes on the dash but if i fully press the throttle all the way to 5k rpm it starts charging and light goes offf , plz help me to solve this issue . this problem started when i removed the battery
Excellent video on how alternators work, troubleshooting and testing. Know you have helped many people work on their own vehicle's. I am currently working on an older vehicle for my grandson. Many thanks.
I don't know if you'll see my comment or not, but I'd like to express my gratitude for your effort. The information provided was extremely helpful, and you delved into the subject in a detailed manner. Thank you for your hard work. The information was very beneficial, and you went into the topic in-depth.
The symbol you pointed out on the Ford diagram is actually a capacitor. It's there to absorb voltage spikes mainly to prevent radio interference and to keep the voltage output steady. This is an excellent video--very informative. Keep up the good work!
You are awesome. Man, I have been looking for a thorough explanation of how to troubleshoot my charging system, and this video is, by far, the best tutorial I have found. Thank you.
Brother thank you. I absolutely hate everything electrical and all the problems! 😠 Especially intermiting one's 😤!! You just explained and showed it perfectly, simple and made it nonintimidating. You are a mechanics Mechanics🔧🔩🚗. Thank you 👍
This is the best explanation I have seen on the internet. I just used your video to explain to my pre teens, as were experimenting with rebuilding an alternator.
I have a very good understanding of how a alternator works but I must say you did a excellent job of explaining it's job and the inner workings of how it works for the average DIYer out there ! Nice !
You Too ! LOL ! No I only hang out on channels where the producer actually has a brain ! And you know as well as I do that someone out there has a better way of doing things and you can always learn something knew !!
It may be bit advance for some viewers with average or no understanding of how an alternator or generator works? But over all a great educational video for the viewers. Thanks for sharing your indepth knowledge of alternator!
Fantstic Video, and THANK YOU for helping me diagnoze my 03 Odyssey Alternator Problem. I purchased a new battery and after 2 days it died. so this video helped me to root cause the problem. Gracius. Keep up the good work and helping people who are motivated and never get cheated by Crooked Mechs. Any way my background being in electronics and understand the dildes, coils winding and the electro magnetic filed. Repaing my own car is my hobby, becuase i get ripped off by mechanics, who think all are dumb.
I feel so dumbed down from so many other ignorant and useless videos here on RUclips on this subject so that when I watched yours, it felt like too much information. My brain started to faze lol! This is a great video - finally someone on youtube with a comprehensive explanation about this. I actually learned something - excellent and thank you!
So I've known my mechanical since 1993. But not my electrical. But I'm studying ohms law and now know what amps, volts and watts are. And ohms, parallel, series circuts and how to read them. I'm buying my first multimeter today. Just the cheap $6 Walmart one for starters. So I can measure all this stuff for fun! Loving electrical. I'm building my own 700 watt solar panel system for my van conversion. 3 Lithium Ion 100 amp hr batteries in paralell. With inverter, solar controller, charge controller, BMS, Isolater, etc. Can't wait to test my deep cycle marine and alternator first with my new multimeter!
Oops! Beg my pardon if I'm wrong but Chris, did you say: (@7:09) connect the Negative(?) to the alternator POSITIVE (?) lead.... should be Positive to the positive.. I might be wrong, but I listen to you closely Cuz you are Such a Fantastic Teacher/presenter of 'How to Do' presentation and I learn how to fix my own vehicles from you.. Since I dont have a husband anymore & my sons live far alway, You help me so much I could just hug you! Thank you for your years of dedicated service for all of us! 👍🏻🤗🙏
Very thorough and understandable explanation, right down to the details such as where to set your multimeter dial, how the alternator and voltage regulator work, etc. I already knew a lot of this stuff, but your video is an excellent refresher. Plus, I gained quite a bit of knew knowledge from the details you presented. Having the disassembled alternator was an excellent teaching tool. And, the camera work was well done. Keep up the good work - I look forward to viewing more or your instructional videos! Thank you!
Great video and explanation of how an alternator works! Great job with the diagram and taking the alternator apart to show how all of the parts work together!
Thank you for explaining this in a way I can understand, I am having issues with my electrical system and this video has helped me figure out exactly what is wrong. Many thanks again from Steve in the UK
Yeah, you are right mentioning operation of charging warming lamp which includes both S terminal and L terminal of the same connector. These terminals which are on the same connector are often overlooked when diagnosing alternator. Relying only on reading voltage at battery terminal is not enough for thorough diagnosing, especially when issues arise during the period of charging warming lamp.
Clearly Amazing .. I have watched so many videos on this .. Yours makes so much sense. I never once had to stop and rewind so I could listen again and again. ThankYou Crystal clear explanation!4
have a 2012 Dodge Journey 3.5L. I get the following codes C212A-17, P0563, P063A. I removed the alternator and had it bench tested at Advance Auto. The test said all the internal components were good (diodes, voltage regulator, windings, brushes and the overall health of the alternator was good Tension on the belt is good and replaced belt as an added measure..I was driving on hwy 75 to sioux city Iowa. Going 70mph ac on radio on cruize on headlights on. The radio went off.. Abs light and break light came on and then batteries light came on cruise control went off then break light abs light went off but battery light stayed on. I was able turn cruise back on. Turn car off turn back on everthing was back to normal. In your video you talk about to wires that lead to the alternator from the PCM in which you turn the ignition to the on position and using a test light find the active wire. I have two wires running from the PCM to the alternator (Alternator Field Control and the otherAlternator Sensor) By turning the ignition switch to the ON position what one should light up. The test light I have a computer safe test light which will tell me which is ground (green) and the Red for positive. Could you probe these terminals with it disconnected from the alternator and the car running? What other things should I be looking at?
I was impressed with the amount of detail and graphics. Even so, I was hopeful that you would have talked about amperage as well. I just purchased a 270 amp alternator, and I would love to measure AMP's to ensure that it meets or comes close to the specification. You have a dog that demands that I give you a like/thumbs-up and subscribe!
very nice explanation. I learned alot. Now I have idea if it really need to change alternator or not. this will save money and avoid being scam by some mechanics.
Awesome video. Very informative. Extremely helpful. Great explanation of working your way throughout the entire charging cycle to make clear what makes it work. Before I could only say motor spins alternator which charges the battery. I know there are a lot of wiring diagrams out there. At least now, I actually can make sense of one too. Super neat knowing what I've learned right now. I'm in the process of installing a car stereo system with multiple amplifiers and batteries. I've seen other car audio youtubers show all the "where's" to make connections but leave out the "why's" or "how" it works. I just want to learn more now. Thank you so much brother.
Great videos! Thanks. If the alternator shall charge the battery, it has to deliver at least 13,8 volts. The electromotive force to charge the battery is only present at 13,8 volts or above. Maintaining charge of a fully charged battery can take place at 13,6 volts. I think it is important to emphasize the 13,8 volts as people may think that charging will take place at 13 og 13,6 volts.
Thank you. This was good. I have to tell you about a bad battery that had a bad cell. I didn't have my load tester but I did have my meter. To make a long story short. I ended up testing each cell of the battery and found one that was shorted out. It through me for a loop at first because of the goofy readings I was getting on the meter. Love you site. Aloha
Damn, you are a smart man! I've taken multiple physics classes and I still don't understand this electricity Bull. Thanks for breaking it down. I just got to re-watch 10 more times
Great stuff, no BS video. I am tired of other dudes, kwaking and waking all kind of BS before the actual tiny-miny information they provide. Keep it up man!!
Here's a tale of two stories about alternators that I ran across. The first is my GFs car. We just had the valve cover gaskets replaced after they have been leaking for a few months. I then proceeded to clean off the engine, top and bottom. I used Simple Green and a tire foam cleaner then blew off all the crud with my compressor. Her alternator was putting out 13.5 vdc to 14 vdc but after the cleaning, it stayed at 14.5 vdc. The second was my old Pathfinder. During the winter, I started the car up and when I turned on the heater blower, it sounded like a supercharger! Then I turned on the headlights and they went super bright then blew! This Pathfinder had a wire from the output of the alternator to the positive clamp on the battery. The continuity from the alternator to the battery was bad at that connection so all the alternator output was going right back into the wiring harness. On a side note, the dealer wanted to change the whole wiring harness in the engine bay. I found an auto electric shop that changed out the positive connector for $20.
I was watching this video as someone who understands a fair bit about electronics but not so much about how they're implemented on cars: very interesting and thorough technical explanation. thou I have to point out: I'm fairly sure the brushes aren't represented in this diagram, and you mistakenly pointed to the capacitor, which is kind of essential to smooth out the waveform output of the bridge and make it trully a constant DC voltage. It can also be an issue on alternators, and make the battery warning light flicker or turn on; it's a headache if you don't consider it as a faulty component. Because the readings on a multimeter\voltmeter in DC mode are usually too slow to notice that youre getting a rippled output, it will show you an average value that can appear to be a healthy one. At the same time, this can make the battery light flicker so quick that it looks like its lighting up a bit\ dim, because in reality the output of the alternator is lower than it should be in the moments that the rippled output drops, and consequentially provides a mass to the warning light enough times that it effectively is turned on. In a summary way: your voltmeter is slow reading the output and shows an average over a "big" period of time, but the warning light reacts much quicker than the voltmeter and tells you something is wrong. Which is, but it wont be fatal if the diodes are working properly, and it will probably only make interference with your radio or make your battery life like 10% shorter if everything else is ok.
Best Alternator video EVER!! The diagram and the way you explain this is clear and easy for everyone to understand. Be sure to mention how to use those multimeters though... Thank you so much :) Subscribed. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks brother your videos are always well done and explained in the best details to follow along with keep it up and thanks again for the(correct way ) on your repairs.🦅
There is a resistance test that can be conducted on the pin-outs in order to determine if the regulator is operating correctly, I'm surprised that you didn't mention it.
Very clear explanation on how the car alternator works and the function of the components it it.also how we can do fault finding the alternator.Thank you sir.
All your videos are just superb - 10/10 with your clear, no nonsense explanations!!! I have a Denso alternator (the Land Rover has done 162,000 miles with the original alternator) - just yesterday the dash red battery warning light came on! With the engine running I measured 11.8V across the battery and then 2 seconds later it went up to 12.9V (also heard a slight noise when this change occurred). So suspecting the alternator which I will remove tomorrow. Isn't it likely to be the carbon brushes (brush box) - surely they're probably worn out by now?
What was the result of the problem with your Land Rover? Their charging systems can be more complicated that Chinese math. Does your Rover have the water cooled alternator?
@@steadyeddie7453 Bought a 2nd hand (Denso) one for $40 on Gumtree (comes with vac pump). Bought a new brushbox for it as the brushes were worn down a fair bit. Bought a new copper crush washer for vacuum line. Heated oil return line on vac pump with hair dryer to make it flexible enough to reconnect. Removed battery, battery box, engine ECU, acoustic shroud, fan and serpentine belt and egr bypass - then had good access to pull out old alternator. Old alternator was oil soaked, but the issue was the worn out slip rings because of grit between slip rings and carbon brushes.
@@steadyeddie7453 Not complicated at all - check RAVE workshop manual for Td5 engine. The Denso alternator is a gem - same one for 19 years. Starter motor is also Denso - I changed that 2 years ago.
A brilliant Electrical Engineer Trainer I'd say..I'm very much thankful with your Tutorials on Engine Electronics Functions like of the Truck/Car Alternators,Your'e are great help to me on my studies in Electronics Automotives and wth best explainatory on how to use the Multimeter to check on electronics Automotive Electronics Troubleshooting of Electronics Applications.Trainee in Electronics..Antony Anakapu Lawton in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Well Done! -in particular compared to some of the other videos on how alternators work. Theory was clear and useful hands on video shots of what the components look like. Clear troubleshooting how-tos and why. Thank you!
Wonderfully thorough video and answered my question about the two terminals on the back of the alternator. I knew one was + battery voltage to the stator and the other was to the gauge.
Awesome Info.. Going to try this morning on my 01 Chevy S10 Pickup Truck.. Truck started yesterday but did not start on previous tries... Zero Error Codes on OBD Actron Tester
Well Done!! That was an excellent instructional video. Thorough, methodical and very logical way of troubleshooting techniques that anyone can follow and adopt to any diagnosing. Very well done! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience.
This is so good clear and to the point. I would love to more lessons on this. Please i would love to know how to identify the the cables on the alternator. Identifying the cables to know which one is for the ignition switch, for the lamp and for the battery sensing.
I keep coming back even 7 years later! The very best real-world "How to" for an alternator on the planet. His many years of working and solving problems allows him to distill it down to just what we need to know without all the fringe. He just showed us how to test just about everything with just a multimeter. We owe you! Thank you.
Yes you have the best class I've ever seen on RUclips! 35 year diesel mechanic here
I’m having relentless issues with my car not charging which went away for a couple of months after replacing the alternator. But it’s back now without the alternator light coming on. I have very little knowledge of how the system works and how to troubleshoot it. This video is so good. So informative and yet so rare. Thank you for this. You have given me many avenues of attack in finally finding the cause and no longer having to charge my car battery whenever in home. Thank you.
The best explanation of how a alternator and charge system ever. Easy no BS everyday explanation. Well done
888
I agree
Very informative thank you for sharing do have a blessed day
Thanks for Excellent Video. If vehicle is running, you can put screw driver to back center of alternator. you will feel it is magnetized if alternator is working.
Having issues with my dual battery 7.3 idi diesel charging system and I watched a ton of other videos that got me started but nothing worked and left me confused. Your explanation is much more complete and I now feel confident to give it another go tomorrow morning. Many thanks.
Super job! U covered all the bases. One tiny thing I might add is the one way clutch that a lot of new alternators have. A Honda Fit gave me a fit. It was slipping and not charging when heavily loaded. Sitting at idle I had 14 volts. When the fans kicked on, it wouldn't keep up. Once again, great teaching!!
could internal regulator be controlled by the computer on car? Because I replaced alternator and battery but from battery terminal i only get 12.5 if i try to disconnect the battery engine turns off.
WOW! As a engineer, this is a superb tutorial for the layman / armature. Really NICE job!!
Layman?! For anyone seeking wisdom without Attitude.
@Bruce Lee If you feel inferior in the presence of an engineer then that's your problem - not his. You need to work on your self esteem issues.
How did you become an engineer?
Sometimes those technician will fix the problem that made by shitty enggineer🤭
@@michael-xe7rz armature and amateur sound similar, so armature was an acceptable attempt at a pun.
Well Done!!!!!!! I’ve been working on my own vehicles for 40 years and I still learned a lot in this video.
I am a professional repair shop and you are making a great video that has great explanations! Great video, this is super helpful for anyone who has questions about their vehicle's electrical system! nice!
brother i have ford fiesta mk6 1.4 tdci my problem is that whenever i start the car battery warning light comes on the dash but if i fully press the throttle all the way to 5k rpm it starts charging and light goes offf , plz help me to solve this issue . this problem started when i removed the battery
Excellent video on how alternators work, troubleshooting and testing. Know you have helped many people work on their own vehicle's. I am currently working on an older vehicle for my grandson. Many thanks.
I don't know if you'll see my comment or not, but I'd like to express my gratitude for your effort. The information provided was extremely helpful, and you delved into the subject in a detailed manner.
Thank you for your hard work. The information was very beneficial, and you went into the topic in-depth.
Wow, I 49 years of life I never thought anyone could teach me this material, bro u did an amazing job of explaining this, thank u!
The symbol you pointed out on the Ford diagram is actually a capacitor. It's there to absorb voltage spikes mainly to prevent radio interference and to keep the voltage output steady. This is an excellent video--very informative. Keep up the good work!
Joseph Wash Ii
Joseph Wash .....yea
You are awesome. Man, I have been looking for a thorough explanation of how to troubleshoot my charging system, and this video is, by far, the best tutorial I have found. Thank you.
Brother thank you. I absolutely hate everything electrical and all the problems! 😠 Especially intermiting one's 😤!! You just explained and showed it perfectly, simple and made it nonintimidating. You are a mechanics Mechanics🔧🔩🚗. Thank you 👍
this is outstanding. you videos over the years have really become valuable to the driveway mechanic like me.
This is the best explanation I have seen on the internet. I just used your video to explain to my pre teens, as were experimenting with rebuilding an alternator.
I have a very good understanding of how a alternator works but I must say you did a excellent job of explaining it's job and the inner workings of how it works for the average DIYer out there ! Nice !
Hey Billy R, your everywhere!
You Too ! LOL ! No I only hang out on channels where the producer actually has a brain ! And you know as well as I do that someone out there has a better way of doing things and you can always learn something knew !!
This channel is one of the best at explaining things too. See you around Billy!
Yep..totally agree. I'm YCM certified (RUclips Certified Mechanic) because of the great videos on this channel. ;p
wil my alternator work if one diode wire is disconnected?
2 Days from my 4th Year Heavy Duty Red seal Exam so brushing up on things - Great Video!!
Most informative and precise auto repair video I have ever watched! Thank You!
I missed a lecture on this at school but your video helped me for the test I have tomorrow.
Thank you.
It may be bit advance for some viewers with average or no understanding of how an alternator or generator works? But over all a great educational video for the viewers. Thanks for sharing your indepth knowledge of alternator!
Fantstic Video, and THANK YOU for helping me diagnoze my 03 Odyssey Alternator Problem. I purchased a new battery and after 2 days it died. so this video helped me to root cause the problem. Gracius. Keep up the good work and helping people who are motivated and never get cheated by Crooked Mechs. Any way my background being in electronics and understand the dildes, coils winding and the electro magnetic filed. Repaing my own car is my hobby, becuase i get ripped off by mechanics, who think all are dumb.
I feel so dumbed down from so many other ignorant and useless videos here on RUclips on this subject so that when I watched yours, it felt like too much information. My brain started to faze lol! This is a great video - finally someone on youtube with a comprehensive explanation about this. I actually learned something - excellent and thank you!
This video should be called Alternator 101. Very comprehensive. 👍
So I've known my mechanical since 1993. But not my electrical. But I'm studying ohms law and now know what amps, volts and watts are. And ohms, parallel, series circuts and how to read them. I'm buying my first multimeter today. Just the cheap $6 Walmart one for starters. So I can measure all this stuff for fun! Loving electrical. I'm building my own 700 watt solar panel system for my van conversion. 3 Lithium Ion 100 amp hr batteries in paralell. With inverter, solar controller, charge controller, BMS, Isolater, etc. Can't wait to test my deep cycle marine and alternator first with my new multimeter!
Excellent tutorial and easy to understand. Well done! From Papua New Guinea
One of the best and most informative videos I have ever watched on YT. Very very good.
Not only you are a professional, but and excellent instructor, your Service Videos are about the best I have seen. Thanks . Marco.
Your the best at explaining the subject at hand and backing that up with great editing!
Best easy explanation on RUclips ✅
Oops! Beg my pardon if I'm wrong but Chris, did you say: (@7:09) connect the Negative(?) to the alternator POSITIVE (?) lead.... should be Positive to the positive..
I might be wrong, but I listen to you closely Cuz you are Such a Fantastic Teacher/presenter of 'How to Do' presentation and I learn how to fix my own vehicles from you..
Since I dont have a husband anymore & my sons live far alway, You help me so much I could just hug you! Thank you for your years of dedicated service for all of us! 👍🏻🤗🙏
Very thorough and understandable explanation, right down to the details such as where to set your multimeter dial, how the alternator and voltage regulator work, etc. I already knew a lot of this stuff, but your video is an excellent refresher. Plus, I gained quite a bit of knew knowledge from the details you presented. Having the disassembled alternator was an excellent teaching tool. And, the camera work was well done. Keep up the good work - I look forward to viewing more or your instructional videos! Thank you!
😅m😅mm😅😅mm😅me my omdear loo😅😅po😅😅
This was hands down one of the most informative videos I have ever seen...... 👍
Really good and in depth information on the workings of an altenator. Thanks.
BRO. YOU HAVE A GIFT . THANK YOU FOR BREAKING IT DOWN SO THE UNLEARNED CAN GET EDUCATED ,WOW , THANK YOU..
Great video and explanation of how an alternator works! Great job with the diagram and taking the alternator apart to show how all of the parts work together!
Thank you for explaining this in a way I can understand, I am having issues with my electrical system and this video has helped me figure out exactly what is wrong. Many thanks again from Steve in the UK
@Bruce Lee it was the alternator, bought a reconditioned one and it's fine now.
Thx man! I've been working on cars for ten years an never knew how easy it was to check ground/voltage drop n narrow down the possible culprits
Yeah, you are right mentioning operation of charging warming lamp which includes both S terminal and L terminal of the same connector. These terminals which are on the same connector are often overlooked when diagnosing alternator. Relying only on reading voltage at battery terminal is not enough for thorough diagnosing, especially when issues arise during the period of charging warming lamp.
Clearly Amazing .. I have watched so many videos on this .. Yours makes so much sense. I never once had to stop and rewind so I could listen again and again. ThankYou Crystal clear explanation!4
have a 2012 Dodge Journey 3.5L. I get the following codes C212A-17, P0563, P063A. I removed the alternator and had it bench tested at Advance Auto. The test said all the internal components were good (diodes, voltage regulator, windings, brushes and the overall health of the alternator was good Tension on the belt is good and replaced belt as an added measure..I was driving on hwy 75 to sioux city
Iowa. Going 70mph ac on radio on cruize on headlights on. The radio went off.. Abs light and break light came on and then batteries light came on cruise control went off then break light abs light went off but battery light stayed on. I was able turn cruise back on. Turn car off turn back on everthing was back to normal. In your video you talk about to wires that lead to the alternator from the PCM in which you turn the ignition to the on position and using a test light find the active wire. I have two wires running from the PCM to the alternator (Alternator Field Control and the otherAlternator Sensor) By turning the ignition switch to the ON position what one should light up. The test light I have a computer safe test light which will tell me which is ground (green) and the Red for positive. Could you probe these terminals with it disconnected from the alternator and the car running? What other things should I be looking at?
I was impressed with the amount of detail and graphics. Even so, I was hopeful that you would have talked about amperage as well. I just purchased a 270 amp alternator, and I would love to measure AMP's to ensure that it meets or comes close to the specification. You have a dog that demands that I give you a like/thumbs-up and subscribe!
Best explanation I've heard so far. Easy to follow tests.
There a lot repair videos on RUclips. A few are really good. This video is excellent!! Next level!
Great educational & informative video! Even my kids would understand this! You're an excellent teacher, well done!
very nice explanation. I learned alot. Now I have idea if it really need to change alternator or not. this will save money and avoid being scam by some mechanics.
Awesome explanation on how to test, diagnose, and fix a problem with the alternator. Excellent video and thanks 😊 👍
Awesome video. Very informative. Extremely helpful. Great explanation of working your way throughout the entire charging cycle to make clear what makes it work. Before I could only say motor spins alternator which charges the battery. I know there are a lot of wiring diagrams out there. At least now, I actually can make sense of one too. Super neat knowing what I've learned right now. I'm in the process of installing a car stereo system with multiple amplifiers and batteries. I've seen other car audio youtubers show all the "where's" to make connections but leave out the "why's" or "how" it works. I just want to learn more now. Thank you so much brother.
Great videos! Thanks. If the alternator shall charge the battery, it has to deliver at least 13,8 volts. The electromotive force to charge the battery is only present at 13,8 volts or above. Maintaining charge of a fully charged battery can take place at 13,6 volts. I think it is important to emphasize the 13,8 volts as people may think that charging will take place at 13 og 13,6 volts.
Thank you. This was good. I have to tell you about a bad battery that had a bad cell. I didn't have my load tester but I did have my meter. To make a long story short. I ended up testing each cell of the battery and found one that was shorted out. It through me for a loop at first because of the goofy readings I was getting on the meter. Love you site. Aloha
Very nice. Enjoy the circuit diagram, explanation of the rectifier, diodes, alternator, windings etc.
Searched for a diagnosing video. After 10 videos, you were the one to finally make me understand everything I need to know.
Best video I've seen so far on testing alternator/regulator/battery! You made it very easy to understand. Thanks!
Damn, you are a smart man! I've taken multiple physics classes and I still don't understand this electricity Bull. Thanks for breaking it down. I just got to re-watch 10 more times
Great stuff, no BS video. I am tired of other dudes, kwaking and waking all kind of BS before the actual tiny-miny information they provide. Keep it up man!!
What a grand explanation of an auto charging system!Thank you
dude you explain and show things very well thanks and it's rare I give a review
I like the informative demonstration here! Ive worked with alts (inside them) for quite a while and this was great.
Excellent video: thorough and well communicated. Thanks for educating and helping so many people!
Great teacher first time I look at your video and u teach me everything about the charging system on a motor vehicle
This gentlemen give really the best explanation how things should be going on. Thank you and go bless you!
Best explanation brother i have ever found yet with all tests explained simply and slowly. Thanks
Your vid helped me determine that the new alternator I got was bad. Many thanks!
Here's a tale of two stories about alternators that I ran across.
The first is my GFs car. We just had the valve cover gaskets replaced after they have been leaking for a few months. I then proceeded to clean off the engine, top and bottom. I used Simple Green and a tire foam cleaner then blew off all the crud with my compressor. Her alternator was putting out 13.5 vdc to 14 vdc but after the cleaning, it stayed at 14.5 vdc.
The second was my old Pathfinder. During the winter, I started the car up and when I turned on the heater blower, it sounded like a supercharger! Then I turned on the headlights and they went super bright then blew! This Pathfinder had a wire from the output of the alternator to the positive clamp on the battery. The continuity from the alternator to the battery was bad at that connection so all the alternator output was going right back into the wiring harness. On a side note, the dealer wanted to change the whole wiring harness in the engine bay. I found an auto electric shop that changed out the positive connector for $20.
Extremely helpful, thankyou. So much better than anything else I came across on the internet.
I was watching this video as someone who understands a fair bit about electronics but not so much about how they're implemented on cars: very interesting and thorough technical explanation.
thou I have to point out:
I'm fairly sure the brushes aren't represented in this diagram, and you mistakenly pointed to the capacitor, which is kind of essential to smooth out the waveform output of the bridge and make it trully a constant DC voltage.
It can also be an issue on alternators, and make the battery warning light flicker or turn on; it's a headache if you don't consider it as a faulty component.
Because the readings on a multimeter\voltmeter in DC mode are usually too slow to notice that youre getting a rippled output, it will show you an average value that can appear to be a healthy one. At the same time, this can make the battery light flicker so quick that it looks like its lighting up a bit\ dim, because in reality the output of the alternator is lower than it should be in the moments that the rippled output drops, and consequentially provides a mass to the warning light enough times that it effectively is turned on.
In a summary way: your voltmeter is slow reading the output and shows an average over a "big" period of time, but the warning light reacts much quicker than the voltmeter and tells you something is wrong. Which is, but it wont be fatal if the diodes are working properly, and it will probably only make interference with your radio or make your battery life like 10% shorter if everything else is ok.
Thank you for taking the time to put out such an informative video, GREAT JOB!
You are a good teacher. Thank you for being thorough!
Simple, clear, concise ! The best as always. Thank you.
Electricity is a great mystery to almost everybody! Great video! Thank you
Best Alternator video EVER!! The diagram and the way you explain this is clear and easy for everyone to understand. Be sure to mention how to use those multimeters though... Thank you so much :) Subscribed. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks brother your videos are always well done and explained in the best details to follow along with keep it up and thanks again for the(correct way ) on your repairs.🦅
The absolute best video on youtube by far. Thank you for taking the time to make this!
2021 and im watching this.very helpful.I. a woman and mechanics always try to con me to buy things.Its nice to learn like this
Very good simple explanations, and at the right pace, allowing my brain to absorb
Outstanding and easy to understand video, expertly presented. Thank you!
There is a resistance test that can be conducted on the pin-outs in order to determine if the regulator is operating correctly, I'm surprised that you didn't mention it.
Very clear explanation on how the car alternator works and the function of the components it it.also how we can do fault finding the alternator.Thank you sir.
All your videos are just superb - 10/10 with your clear, no nonsense explanations!!! I have a Denso alternator (the Land Rover has done 162,000 miles with the original alternator) - just yesterday the dash red battery warning light came on! With the engine running I measured 11.8V across the battery and then 2 seconds later it went up to 12.9V (also heard a slight noise when this change occurred). So suspecting the alternator which I will remove tomorrow. Isn't it likely to be the carbon brushes (brush box) - surely they're probably worn out by now?
What was the result of the problem with your Land Rover? Their charging systems can be more complicated that Chinese math. Does your Rover have the water cooled alternator?
@@steadyeddie7453 Bought a 2nd hand (Denso) one for $40 on Gumtree (comes with vac pump). Bought a new brushbox for it as the brushes were worn down a fair bit. Bought a new copper crush washer for vacuum line. Heated oil return line on vac pump with hair dryer to make it flexible enough to reconnect. Removed battery, battery box, engine ECU, acoustic shroud, fan and serpentine belt and egr bypass - then had good access to pull out old alternator. Old alternator was oil soaked, but the issue was the worn out slip rings because of grit between slip rings and carbon brushes.
@@steadyeddie7453 Not complicated at all - check RAVE workshop manual for Td5 engine. The Denso alternator is a gem - same one for 19 years. Starter motor is also Denso - I changed that 2 years ago.
A brilliant Electrical Engineer Trainer I'd say..I'm very much thankful with your Tutorials on Engine Electronics Functions like of the Truck/Car Alternators,Your'e are great help to me on my studies in Electronics Automotives and wth best explainatory on how to use the Multimeter to check on electronics Automotive Electronics Troubleshooting of Electronics Applications.Trainee in Electronics..Antony Anakapu Lawton in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The best and clearest explanation, thank you.
Best demonstration I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing
Well Done! -in particular compared to some of the other videos on how alternators work. Theory was clear and useful hands on video shots of what the components look like. Clear troubleshooting how-tos and why. Thank you!
Wonderfully thorough video and answered my question about the two terminals on the back of the alternator. I knew one was + battery voltage to the stator and the other was to the gauge.
Hey, nobody ever explain this so good. Good Job Bro.
One more vote for this being the best charging system video out there.
Good simple explanation of different important factors…thanks!
Awesome Info.. Going to try this morning on my 01 Chevy S10 Pickup Truck.. Truck started yesterday but did not start on previous tries... Zero Error Codes on OBD Actron Tester
Dude! Very good job teaching.
Best video I’ve ever seen on testing thank you so much
Thanks for explaining thoroughly about electrical system in automobiles.
Thanks for that easy & informative guide!
Well Done!! That was an excellent instructional video. Thorough, methodical and very logical way of troubleshooting techniques that anyone can follow and adopt to any diagnosing. Very well done! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience.
Excellent in depth video on alternators! Thank-You! Jim
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. The information you shared has made me a better at diagnostics.
Great job! Thanks for doing such a thorough explanation.
Great Job explaining the different methods to test an alternator. Will definitely use this valuable info
This is so good clear and to the point. I would love to more lessons on this. Please i would love to know how to identify the the cables on the alternator. Identifying the cables to know which one is for the ignition switch, for the lamp and for the battery sensing.