Can car battery corrosion prevent my alternator from charging the battery?
So, my car battery went dead the other day, and jumping it did not seem to do anything. I called AAA, and on the first two tries, the AAA guy could not seem to charge my car battery with his battery charger either. He finally managed to charge it (and it charged within seconds!) only when he attached the charging cable directly onto the battery terminal (and not on the metal battery cable terminal attached to the battery post) - so it seemed to both of us that the connection between the battery terminal and the cable terminal is being screwed up by the corrosion on the terminal. Anyway, now that he finally managed to charge the battery, I drove to school, but 7-8 hours later, when it was time to drive home, my battery was completely drained again, and I couldn't start my car. I managed to charge it again with the help from a friend (used her truck to charge my battery via jumper cables), but my question is - why did the battery get discharged so quickly? Why did the alternator not charge my battery? Can corrosion prevent the alternator from charging up my battery? Additional details: the car battery is brand new (few days old); the alternator is working fine (the AAA guy tested it). Thank you!
What happens if I drive my car with no ground connection on the battery?
That ground is essential to complete the circuits. On some cars the heavy duty wire from the battery to ground is supplemented by some lighter gage wires for aftermarket accessories that could also do some grounding. That is the only way I could explain how your car works at all. However being thinner gage, those wires will burn or catch your car on fire from carrying a heavy current. I find it hard to believe that your starter motor runs without a heavy wire connection to ground.
Will a car run with a bad alternator?
Yes. But it will be only running for a short time as it is running strictly off of the energy stored in the battery. Depending on what you are driving is how long it will run like that. Older vehicles will run for quite a while, if you don’t use your brakes much (because the brake lights use power), and keep the headlights off, as well as any other accys that use power. Newer vehicles will not run as long because the computer (ECU) and all of the other things that take power to monitor and regulate your engine.This isn’t recommended in any case because running a vehicle on diminishing electrical power can cause many components necessary for it to run to fail. Even in an older vehicle the coil, or condenser can be ruined. However, sometimes we have to do what we have to do in order to get out of a situation. If there is any possible way to not operate your vehicle when the alternator is bad, go that route.Good luck.
What happens if car battery dies while driving?
If the battery shorts out then you are likely to have a lot of smoke and/or fire. If the battery opens up then the alternator will provide the power to keep itself producing power for everything. The alternator contains a regulator that provides the right amount of power to the rotor through the brushes and slip rings. What will happen is the the next time you want to start the motor it will not start. If you have a standard transmission and you parked it on a hill then when you wanted to start with an open battery you could place the transmission in gear with the ignition on and the clutch disengaged, roll it down the hill and pop the clutch. The engine will start and you will continue down hill. Here is what just happened. The rotor will have a small amount of permanent magnetic field and once the rotor starts turning it will make the alternator generate a little power. Some of this power will get through the regulator to the rotor. Very soon the alternator will produce full power. I hope this answers your question.
What might cause a car battery to die while driving?
Some of the most common reasons for a car battery to die repeatedly include loose or corroded battery connections, persistent electrical drains, charging problems, constantly demanding more power than the alternator can provide, and even extreme weather.Some of these major problems are enough to kill a battery, while others are commonly coupled with a battery that is already weak.Headlights or dome lights left on. Headlights, or even a very dim dome light, will drain a battery dead overnight. Be sure to Inspect for any interior lights when it's dark outside.If Battery in weak or poor condition. A poorly maintained or weak battery may not hold a charge very well. Even small drains, like the memory works in your car radio, may kill a very weak battery.Corroded or loose battery connections. Corroded battery connections can put off the charging system from topping off your battery when you are driving. Loose battery connections can also cause issues.Extremely hot. Hot or cold weather won't kill a battery that's new or in good shape, but a weak or old battery may fail in extreme conditions.Charging system problems. If a battery seems to die when you're driving, the charging system may be at fault. Loose belts and worn tensioners can prevent an alternator from working.
Can a loose battery cable make your car jerk while driving and act like it's not getting gas?
When the car is in good working order and running, the alternator supplies all the load, including charging the battery. If the battery cable is loose, the battery may not charge. The rough running is due to a different problem.
Car problems, Battery died while driving?
Start the engine and check the battery terminal voltage. If the battery terminal is below 13.8 volts, then the battery is not charging.Check your charging system. These includes your battery, alternator, regulator, wiring, fuses, etc.