Nigel
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Just wondering what people's experience is with dead alternators, how long do they last with and without parking mode in use?
My alternator failed a few days ago, first time ever, so I did a bit of reading, don't believe most of what is written, but some things do make some sense, such as:
If running parking mode results in alternators lasting for minimal instead of maximal time then parking mode could work out expensive:
Not sure why repair costs should be that expensive, I fixed my 14 year old alternator before reading any of the guides, diagnosed it as worn brushes (which none of the alternator fault diagnosis guides seem to mention as a possibility!), it cost me £18 for a new pair of brushes, 6 screws to remove the cables and cover, replace the brushes, put it back together, and it is working perfectly again
My alternator failed a few days ago, first time ever, so I did a bit of reading, don't believe most of what is written, but some things do make some sense, such as:
Most alternators are designed to produce the maximum rated power for only short periods. The system design is for the alternator to charge the battery for less than five minutes and then drop to a charge rate of less than 10% of its maximum rated power.
Using an additional battery such as the Cellink Neo is not going to help much with this due to the high charge rate of these batteries, in fact the initial load on the alternator may be higher since the alternator is having to charge two batteries flat out!A battery with a short in it, (or a half empty battery caused by dashcam parking mode use) will cause the alternator to run at full output for extended periods of time, if not continuously - and they are not built to do this. Alternators the world over are built to supply an initial high current, tapering back as the current used to start the vehicle is replenished. Constant running at full output simply overheats them and the rectifiers fail, the insulation on the rotor windings can be damaged, the grease in the bearings can be overheated, etc.
If running parking mode results in alternators lasting for minimal instead of maximal time then parking mode could work out expensive:
Generally speaking, you can expect your car alternator to last anywhere between 40,000 and 100,000 miles.
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The total repair cost for an alternator bought at an aftermarket is $400 to $800, having a labor cost of $50 to $120 per hour. – If it is an OEM part repaired at a car dealership, then the total repair cost is around $500 to $1,800 with the same labor cost.
Not sure why repair costs should be that expensive, I fixed my 14 year old alternator before reading any of the guides, diagnosed it as worn brushes (which none of the alternator fault diagnosis guides seem to mention as a possibility!), it cost me £18 for a new pair of brushes, 6 screws to remove the cables and cover, replace the brushes, put it back together, and it is working perfectly again