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Alternators & Alternator Parts - BuyAutoParts.com Is the Online Leader for OEM Quality and Discount Prices

Is your car plagued by power outage issues? It may be time for an alternator. But not just any alternator - you want an alternator from BuyAutoParts.com. We offer a 1-year warranty on every alternator we sell. We back each and every product that leaves our warehouses, alternators included. And best of all, you'll get OEM quality at a price that won't break the bank.

Best Selling Alternators at Superior Prices! Shop Alternator Parts Now

Let's look at the basic function of the alternator, particularly how it relates to the rest of your car's power output system.

Your vehicle's engine runs on air, fuel and an electric spark supplied from the battery. The alternator supplies additional power to the engine. The main function of the alternator is to convert mechanical energy into alternating current electrical energy. The alternator is used to charge the battery and to power the electrical system. It is usually located in the engine compartment on the same side of the vehicle's battery. So far, so good. But what goes inside an alternator?

The alternator consists of a rotor and stator. The rotor has electrical coils mounted on its top which is spun by the engine's belt. When this belt moves over the stationary coils of the stator, it creates an electrical flow. If your car's alternator is not functioning properly, you need to get it fixed as quickly as you can.

Some common symptoms of a failing alternator including dim lights, weak battery performance, sluggish electronic controls (radio, GPS, etc.) and other power-related issues.

When it's time to replace your bad alternator, BuyAutoParts.com offers the best selection you'll find online, at your neighborhood or anywhere else. And our alternator prices will save you plenty of money in the process. Combined with a little DIY elbow grease and you'll enjoy optimum savings by getting your next alternator from BuyAutoParts.com.

For more information about alternator prices, be sure to check out our comprehensive Buyer's Guide: How to Buy an Alternator. This resource was developed by our in-house experts to give you plenty of knowledge about which alternator best fits your car, the importance of OEM quality, basic price points and more. Plus, we also have a handy how-to repair page as well, with specific symptoms and suggestions for getting your alternator running properly. You don't want to miss our Repair Alternator content! It's everything you wanted to know about alternators, and much more!

Here's the bottom line on your alternator: you want OEM quality at discount prices. BuyAutoParts.com gives you the selection, customer service and exceptional prices that put us far and above any other supplier. So forget the "alternative alternator" source. Go with what works, both for your budget and timeframe. Go with BuyAutoParts.com.

If your alternator order exceeds $99, we'll cover all shipping costs. For any questions or concerns, our alternator experts are here to help at (888) 907-7225. Thanks for visiting BuyAutoParts.com!

Common Problems in an Alternator

Since the alternator serves as the main means of converting the mechanical energy generated by the engine to electrical energy, any problems in it can cause a number of electrical systems in the automobile to go kaput. Generally, the alternator's output voltage ranges from 12 volts to 14.5 volts. A number of electrical parts in the instrument cluster including the speedometer and tachometer can stop working when the alternator fails altogether. Alternator problems are easy to identify at their onset since they exhibit a number of visual symptoms. As with most auto parts, the alternator will not go out all at once. It will slowly diminish in performance and efficiency if any defects are left unchecked. It is, therefore, up to the car owner to fix or replace the defective alternator to prevent things from getting out of hand. Replacing a faulty alternator is, after all, conducive to the safety of the vehicle.

Loose Connections

Like all electrical parts, the alternator is connected to various systems by wires and cables. These wires can become loose and restrict the flow of electricity from the alternator. Therefore, before blaming the internal parts of an alternator, check the wires and cables. Loose connections induce the alternator to deliver more power than usual causing the wires to burn, thereby emitting a burnt odor. This can be often identified by headlights that project a brighter beam than usual.

Whipped-Off Belt

The alternator is connected to the engine's crankshaft via a belt. The belt has fixed tension as it loops around the pulley so that it can run efficiently. A belt that is loose or too tight can result in improper running of the alternator. In either case, the alternator will not produce the required amount of power. Installing a new belt is a common, inexpensive fix for this issue.

Dead Battery

Often a dead battery is mistaken for a defective alternator. While a dead battery is not a direct indication of a bad alternator, it can, however, be a consequence of it. When your alternator fails, various parts begin drawing their electrical power from the battery to compensate for the loss in power from the alternator. This will cause your battery's charge to drain faster than normal. Eventually, you will end up bearing the costs of replacing both your alternator and battery. This again presses on the fact that alternator issues need to be addressed early.

So, the life of the alternator depends on the stress imposed upon it. If the radio system and headlights are allowed to run for a prolonged period of time, your alternator has high chances of going bad at an earlier stage. A simple method to check if the alternator is failing is to check its output voltage. If the voltage reads less than 12 volts, the alternator probably needs a replacement.

Faulty Diode

A diode converts the alternating current (AC) generated by the alternator into direct current (DC). All electrical parts in the automobile are compatible with direct current. If the diode is defective, the conversion of AC to DC will be affected, thereby causing the energy generated to be insufficient for the high loads needed by your parts.

Related Resources

How Much Does an Alternator Cost?

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Mechanics 101: What is an alternator?

In this blog post, we break down what an alternator is. This blog post helps you understand the alternator and typical problems associated with the part, it then dives into how to avoid these problems and how to fix these problems should it be too late.

Five Major Signs of Alternator Problems

Some of you are here because you think there might be something wrong with your alternator and you are looking for commons signs of alternator failure. This is the blog post for you; written purely to identify the five major warning signs that your alternator is about to give.

Symptoms of a Bad Alternator

Similar to the blog post above, this article is meant to help educate drivers about what common symptoms are when your alternator is faulty. This article also gets into some causes of a bad alternator, because sometimes it may be something apart from just wear-and-tear.

How to Remove and Replace an Alternator

This short step-by-step guide was put together to help you understand the ease of removing and replacing an alternator. The alternator is a common D-I-Y project for backyard mechanics.