When the battery warning light turns on while driving, it can make you panic, right?
Actually, the battery warning light turning on does not mean that the battery is broken.
I will tell you why the battery warning light illuminates and how to deal with it.
What is the role of the battery warning light?
The battery warning light is a warning light that lights up when there is an abnormality in the state of charge of the battery. Generally, the battery of a car is 12 V, and around 14 V while running, but it is voltage below a certain level that I am writing about here.
In actual fact, it is better to call it a charge warning light, rather than a battery warning light.
If the charge warning light turns on, the car can be very dangerous.
Warning lights have yellow and red colors. Yellow is a level where you should deal with the problem promptly, but red is a dangerous condition. You should take measures such as immediately stopping the car.
The charge warning light is red because the engine stops and the car will not run.
When the warning light is "illuminated"
If the charging warning light always lights up, there is a high possibility that the "alternator" is faulty.
If the alternator is faulty, the battery can not be charged. The battery will quickly run out of electricity and the engine will not run.
What is an alternator?
In short, an alternator is a "generator". Power is generated using engine power.
The generated electricity is used for all of the electrical equipment in the car, and the surplus electricity is sent to the battery.
If the battery is not fully charged, the starter motor that starts the engine cannot be turned and the engine cannot be started. Therefore, alternators are very important parts for cars.
When the warning light is "blinking"
When the charging warning light flashes, there is a high possibility that the "V belt" for moving the alternator is abnormal.
When the engine rotates, the alternator rotates through the V belt to generate electricity, but the V belt ages.
Because of this, the warning light turns on when the rotational power of the engine is not transmitted to the alternator, and turns off when the alternator is moved by something, so the charging warning light appears to be blinking.
The vehicle owner should immediately go to the mechanic and have the V-belt checked.
If there is abnormality in the V-belt, the belt should be either have its tension adjusted or be replaced.
However, if there is no abnormality in the V-belt, the alternator is considered to be the cause.
The rotational power from the crankshaft of the engine can be captured with a belt, and used to run the alternator, air conditioner, power steering, water pump etc.
Because the cross section of the belt is similar to the shape of V, it is called with this a V-belt. It is also know as a fan belt.
Prevention method
The general lifetime of the alternator is said to be 100,000 kilometers.
Since it will take a considerable number of years to travel this distance, you should ask a mechanic regularly to check the alternator's power generation if possible.
The general lifespan of the V-belt varies according to the type of vehicle, but is roughly every 50,000 to 100,000 km. Replacement every 3 to 5 years is a rule of thumb for years of use.
You should check the alternator at the same time.
Even if the lifespan has not arrived, if a screeching sound appears from around the engine, it is the sound of the V-belt slipping. In that case, you should have it replaced immediately by a mechanic.
