If you mean that the alternator charges the battery when it’s turned on and idling. Yes, your alternator does charge your battery in that sense.
But if you mean that the alternator charges your battery even when it’s not turned on, then no, it doesn’t charge your battery then either.
So what does it mean to say that an alternator charges a battery? Well, basically, what happens is this.
Your alternator has a diode between its positive wire and ground wire.
This diode allows current to flow from the positive terminal of your battery through the diode and into your car’s electrical system.
It also prevents current from flowing back out of your car’s electrical system and into your battery while you’re driving (which would cause a dead short).
When you turn off your car’s engine and let it sit idle for several hours or more without turning on any lights or accessories your alternator won’t produce enough voltage to keep these diodes closed anymore because it’s not connected.
How does the battery charge while idling?
When your car is idling.
This electrical energy is then used to recharge your battery, which stores energy and powers your car’s many electrical systems.
In addition to keeping your battery charged while idling, the alternator also keeps it charged when driving at lower speeds and when driving uphill which means that even if you don’t drive anywhere near as much as you’d like, your car will still be able to start up every time.
The Alternator in Operation
The alternator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
It’s the main component of an engine’s charging system.
The alternator works by using magnets to generate electricity.
The rotor (a piece of metal) spins inside the stator (a stationary set of coils). As the rotor spins, it cuts through a magnetic field and creates an electrical current.
This current can then be used to power the car’s electrical system including lights, instruments, and more.
How the Alternator Works
The alternator is a device that generates electricity for your car’s electrical system.
It does this by converting kinetic energy into electrical energy. The alternator is connected to the engine via a belt and pulley system, which turns at a constant speed when the engine is running.
The generator portion of the alternator uses this motion to spin an electromagnet inside of it. This produces power for your car’s electrical system.
How to test the alternator?
Your vehicle and let it idle for about 10 minutes. Then turn on all of your lights and accessories and see how long they last before going out.
If they go out as soon as you turn on a light or accessory, then that proves that the alternator is not producing enough power to keep up with demand.
If your lights stay on for longer than five minutes after turning on all of your accessories, then that means that your alternator is producing enough power to keep up with demand.
It can charge more than one battery at a time
It can charge more than one battery at a time, which makes it convenient for people who have multiple devices and want to keep them all running.
Conclusion
The alternator charges the battery when idling. The alternator’s job is to keep the battery charged, and it does so by charging itself when the engine is running.
If you’re idling, then your engine is running, so the alternator will be able to charge itself.
