Quote:
Originally posted by Ron Mummert
Does the relationship between alternator & battery seems to be more critical in later years than the "good old days", whatever they were? I remember driving a battery into the ground many times, then jump starting the car, letting the alternator do its thing to re-charge the battery, until the next time I left an interior light on overnight. When the alternator died in my other SVX, the Nissan 240SX, I was told to be sure the battery was fully charged before starting the car with the new alternator, lest I do some internal (regulator?) damage to it. Perhaps this is this case with so many out-of-box failures? Just a thought.
Ron (have had MANY box o' failures).
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I believe that the problem here stems from the increased need of electricty provided by the battery and the alternator. Newer vehicles simply have more accessories and electronics in the car.
It has always been necessary to have a fully charged battery when replacing it. The problems that can happen due to this effect are now just more apparent because increased need. An alternator is not a full battery charger. It is somewhat of a 'trickle' charger. Its primary job is to run the car, not charge the battery. You WILL do damage to teh alternator if it is used in such a manner to completely charge a battery. Same goes for when you jump a car, do not rev the engine.