Has your vehicles alternator failed? Are you absolutely certain that it isnt your battery or starter? Determining which part has failed is essential toward avoiding unnecessarily replacing something that hasnt failed, like your battery. Lets take a look at some steps you can take to determine that your alternator, in fact, has bit the dust.
If you own an alternator testing machine, you can test to see whether your cars alternator is charging correctly. For most people this isnt practical as few motorists own such an expensive piece of equipment. For everyone else, there is a practical way for you to easily check to see if your alternator is working properly:
-> Connect a volt meter to your car’s battery
-> Start your car
-> Observe the voltage output on the volt meter so that you can make an accurate determination.
If there is an increase in voltage when you start your car, then your alternator is more than likely working just fine. Likely, you battery is the culprit; check the battery itself and the connections to make a final determination.
If there is no increase in voltage, you are likely looking at having to replace your...