Winters aren’t good for the charging system of your car. Its daily operations are severely affected as the temperature lowers down. You can observe some signs of trouble as the temperature starts taking a toll on your vehicle. These can be a difficult start, dim headlights, etc. These are some of the most common problems faced by people during the winter.
Most attention is given to the batteries and you tend to forget other parts of the system that can also be affected by the freezing temperature. The cold weather can cause serious trouble to the starter and alternator of your vehicle as well. Let us check how!
Some of the most popular starters and alternators recommended during winter are Lucas TVS Starter, Delco Remy Starters, Valeo Car Alternator, etc.
Winters Causing Trouble To The Starters
The task of a starter motor is to use the electricity from the battery to start the car’s engine. Today, cars have powerful starter motors with stop-start systems. This takes care of the repeated engine on/off cycles in traffic.
During winter, starters create trouble and fail to work smoothly. You would that they are causing a problem when there is a clicking sound as you turn the ignition key on. Further, the engine does not start after that. The lights and other electrical systems work fine except this, indicating that the problem is with the starter and not the battery of the car.
Moreover, as the temperature drops, starter motors and other electrical systems in the car need more power to work. Cold weather usually thickens the engine oil. Therefore, the starters require more power to start the engine. This brings in more load onto the battery affecting it severely. During winter, the battery produces fewer electrons as compared to warmer days. Therefore, it is difficult for the battery to generate more power to function in this situation. Ultimately, the starter gets less energy to start the engine.
The most common starters used during winter are Lucas TVS Starter and Delco Remy Starters.
How To Avoid Winter Problems!
Before winter, get your car battery checked and replaced if required. The battery terminals might have a corrosion problem that can disrupt an easy start of the car. Keep a check on this as well.
You can also cover the battery from all sides. It prevents the battery fluid from freezing as the temperature drops. Moreover, a charger can be added to the battery that provides power to it when the car is not in use. Therefore, the battery has enough power to help the starter motors work well during winter.
Winters Causing Trouble To The Alternators
During winters and extremely cold weather, around 50% of alternator problems tend to increase.
The alternator is an electric machine that helps to charge the car battery while the engine runs. If you try to start your car and the engine dies immediately, the problem is with the alternator. Other symptoms of alternator problems could be jerky movements of the car’s gauges, flickering of the car lights, etc. Moreover, there is a burning smell in the car if the alternator overheats. This could also be an indicator that you need to check the alternator belt.
To start a car, you need battery power but when it hits the road, the alternator charges the battery with a regulated current. The engine of the car uses a pulley system and a belt to run the alternator. The latter is meant to send AC current to charge the battery that is converted to DC with the help of a rectifier. This conversion is important to avoid damaging the battery and other electrical systems in the car.
The alternator is an essential part of the car. It is difficult to run a car for a long distance without using an alternator. Dim and flickering lights, noise indications, low dashboard lights, or a weak battery could be some indications that the alternator is not working well.
It takes around 20 minutes to drive for the alternator to fully recharge the battery. This is on a regular warm day. However, during winter, it takes more time as the engine oil is thick. The charging process might also take time to start due to the weather conditions. Therefore, when you start your car, give it a little raise and then move ahead. This will give the alternator the push to start working.
There is another trouble that the alternators create during winter. There is a kind of noise that usually comes from the slipping belt. It usually disappears after a little drive. This is because the rubber belt that runs the alternator becomes a little stiff in cold weather. And this alternator rubber belt can even get cracked as the temperature drops. It becomes hard for the belt to work, ultimately causing a starting problem for the car. The belt gets a better grip on the pulley as the car warms up. Therefore, if you hear the belt noise, run your car a little longer. This would help keep the battery charge maintained.
One of the most common alternators used today is the Valeo car alternator.
How To Avoid Winter Problems!
Replace the alternator or the battery if required. And do this before the weather gets really cold. The alternator is connected to the engine and the battery. Therefore, do not try to fix it yourself, rather get expert help.
Winters cause a lot of trouble to the car, especially the battery, starter motor, and alternator. Keeping a regular check on these before the temperature goes really down can help you maintain the car well during the season. It is also important to drive a short distance once in the cold mornings even if you do not wish to. This keeps the machine parts warm. Moreover, if possible park the car in a garage when not in use. This would help it keep away from the harsh weather.
Krishna Auto Electric is a leading supplier of automobile spare parts, including Lucas TVS Starter, Delco Remy Starters, and Valeo Alternator parts. If you are looking for high-quality spare parts for your vehicle, we can help you. Please call us at +91 98 25063530 if you have any questions
Originally published at https://www.krishnaautoelectric.com/ on July 17, 2018.
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