How the battery, starter and alternator work together
Content
"Why won't my car start?" While many drivers immediately assume that they are experiencing a dead battery, it could be a problem with the battery, starter, or alternator. Chapel Hill Tire's professional mechanics are here to show you how these systems work together to power your vehicle's electrical components.
Car battery: How does a car battery work?
Let's start from the beginning: what happens when you turn the key (or press the button) to start the engine? The battery sends power to the starter to start the car.
Your car battery has three functions:
- Power for headlights, radio and other vehicle components when your engine is off
- Saving energy for your car
- Providing the initial burst of power needed to start the engine
Starter: a brief overview of the starting system
When you turn on the ignition, the starter uses the initial battery charge to start the engine. This engine powers your engine, running all the working parts of your car. An important power component among these moving parts is the alternator.
Alternator: Your engine's powerhouse
When your engine is off, the battery is your vehicle's only source of power. However, once the engine starts moving, your generator provides most of the power. How? Although it is a complex system of moving parts, there are two main components involved:
- Rotor-Inside your generator you can find a rapidly spinning rotor of magnets.
- Stator—Inside your alternator there is a set of conductive copper wires called a stator. Unlike your rotor, the stator does not spin.
The generator uses the movement of the engine belts to turn the rotor. As the rotor magnets travel over the stator's copper wiring, they generate electricity for your vehicle's electrical components.
The alternator not only keeps your car running electrically, it also charges the battery.
Naturally, this also brings us back to your starter. By keeping the battery charged, the alternator provides a reliable source of starter power any time you're ready to go.
Why won't my car start?
Each of these car components is made up of several parts, and they all work together to get your car moving:
- Your battery powers the starter
- The starter starts the generator
- Your alternator is charging the battery
While the most common problem here is a dead battery, any interruption to this process can prevent your car from starting. Here's our guide to determining when you should buy a new battery.
Checking Chapel Hill Tire Starting and Charging System
Chapel Hill Tire local auto repair and service specialists are always ready to help you with your battery, starter and alternator. We offer everything from alternator replacement services to new car batteries and everything in between. Our experts also offer starting and charging system checks as part of our diagnostic services. We will check your battery, starter and alternator to find the source of your vehicle's problems.
You can find our local mechanics at our 9 Triangle locations in Raleigh, Apex, Chapel Hill, Carrborough and Durham. We invite you to make an appointment here online or give us a call to get started today!
Back to resources
