Alternator Testing / Alternator Diagnosis Ottawa

Alternator testing in Ottawa saves you from replacing a perfectly good battery when the real problem is your charging system. Here is a scenario that happens in Ottawa every week: a driver's car will not start. They buy a new battery from a parts store. The car starts fine. Two days later, the new battery is dead too. The problem was never the battery. The alternator was not charging it.

What an alternator does

The alternator is a generator bolted to your engine. While the engine runs, the alternator produces electricity that recharges the battery and powers your vehicle's electrical systems. When the alternator fails, the battery drains completely because nothing is putting power back in. You can boost the battery and drive for a while, but eventually it dies again.

How we test your alternator in Ottawa

We come to your location and connect a professional multimeter to your battery terminals while the engine runs. A healthy alternator produces 13.5 to 14.5 volts. Below 13 volts means the alternator is undercharging. Above 15 volts means the voltage regulator is failing and overcharging, which cooks your battery. We also check the drive belt condition because a slipping belt can cause the alternator to underperform even if the alternator itself is fine.

The whole test takes about 15 minutes and we do it wherever your vehicle is parked. Your driveway in Barrhaven, a parking lot in Orleans, or the side of the road in Centretown. Call (613) 619-4545 and we come to you.