Auto Parts and Truck Part for Car and Automotive parts. Theres a right way and a wrong way to do just about everything. If youre thinking about mounting your own trailer hitch, heres where to start. Audi Electrical Systems Facts Repair Advice. Todays auto electrical systems are getting more intricate and are stressing the limits of current technology but they are basically the same design as 3. What can todays do it yourselfer do to keep from being electrically challenged in the middle of nowhere A quick overview of your Audis electrical system would be a good start. The major components of your Audis electrical system are explained below, along with some troubleshooting tips. Your Audis Battery. The battery is a storage device, currently 1. Audi. The battery consists of six cells of stacked positive and negative lead plates, separated by insulators and immersed in electrolyte, which is a water and sulfuric acid mixture. Each of the six cells produces 2. The chemical reaction created between the lead plates and the electrolyte creates dangerous, explosive gases that vent through the battery cover vents. NuclearSymphony/FAQ%20pics/acura58.jpg' alt='1992 1993 Acura Acura Engine In Installing Legend Air' title='1992 1993 Acura Acura Engine In Installing Legend Air' />Care should always be taken when charging or jump starting low batteries and whenever working under the hood of the car. Always keep the battery clean to allow proper ventilation. Some batteries use a gel to replace the electrolyte for a somewhat safer battery and the use of maintenance free batteries has eliminated the need for refilling the electrolyte. However, all batteries lose charging capacity over time through the loss of the electrolyte, deterioration of the plates and chemical breakdown of the connections. Whenever your Audi exhibits symptoms of a charging or starting system failure, the most basic test that should be performed first is a visual and voltage test of the battery. Shop for Air Filters. Find out how air filters can turbocharge your engines horsepower. Shop Now. Air Filter Power. Popular Searches. EHow Auto gets you on the fast track with repair, maintenance, and shopping advice. Whether youre jump starting a battery or insuring a new car, we can help. Schmidt pleaded guilty today to a single count of conspiracy to defraud the U. S., to commit wire fraud and to violate the Clean Air Act, and also to one count. A Dorma Air Intake Hose will keep your truck in good driving condition by assuring a debrisfree flow of air to the engine. Knowing the exact condition of the battery is the best way to know whether or not to suspect other system components and can prevent the unnecessary installation of a starter or alternator, which cannot repair the vehicle until the battery is up to snuff. To analyze the condition of a battery, very little high tech equipment is really needed. While there is excellent equipment available for big, all that is really needed is a good DVOM Digital Volt Ohm Meter, a battery charger, some patience and a little common sense. A quick way to tell if a battery needs recharging is by observing the eye on the battery and being able to determine what the color of the eye is telling you. Below is a chart of various battery manufacturers that use a colored eye, as well as what the different colors mean Brand Names. Adobe After Effect Free Template Star Wars Intro Background. Charge Indicator Color. Battery Charge Condition. Atlas, Delco, Delkor. Green. Good. Rocket, Solite, Yuasa. Blue or Green. Good. Atlas, Delco, Delkor. Dark. Needs Charging. Rocket, Solite, Yuasa. White. Needs Charging. Atlas, Delco, Delkor. Clear or Light Yellow. Low fluid level battery should be replaced. Rocket, Solite, Yuasa. Red. Low fluid level battery should be replaced. Before replacing any battery due to a failure, have the battery and the cars electrical system tested for proper functioning. Replacing a dead battery only to have another a few weeks later due to a weak alternator or a parasitic drain on the system is not only frustrating but can be expensive and dangerous as well. An average battery should last 3 5 years in average climates but those in high heat or extreme cold areas may last only 2 3 years. The replacement battery should always have the same or higher CCA rating cold cranking amps as the original and be of the same or compatible group size to fit the battery tray and cable connections. Your Audis Alternator. The alternator produces electricity used to maintain battery storage charge and to help run all the electrical accessories, including the ignition and the engine control systems. It is belt driven by the engine and produces an alternating current AC, which is converted internally to 1. DC by the diode bridge or rectifiers. AC current cannot be stored but is much more efficiently produced, which is why cars no longer use generators but use alternators and convert the electricity to DC. Most alternators now use internal voltage regulators to maintain the proper system voltage, from 1. You should check your Audis repair manual or with your local dealer to obtain the exact proper voltage for your Audi. Contrary to popular belief, an alternator does not constantly produce electricity. It cycles on and off as demand goes up and down. The battery buffers it from the electrical demands of the car, and it only works enough to maintain system voltage. At peak efficiency and for longest life, the alternator should be charging no more than about 5. However, with the demands placed on the system by heat and by extraneous electrical devices i. Power Demand Chart below, the alternator and battery are stressed even further. The average alternator now is lucky to last 3 4 years, which is why a prematurely dead battery may actually be caused by a dead alternator. Typical Power Demands on a cars charging system are as follows Equipment. Electrical Draw. Rear Window Defogger. High Blower. 20 amps. Headlamps low1. Windshield Wipers. Ignition. 6 amps. Brake Lights. 5 amps. Total. 77 Amps. And this doesnt include amperage requirements for items like cell phones, laptops, CD players, boom boxes or additional lights. Understanding the importance of having an operational warning light for the alternator idiot light is crucial to catching problems early. In most modern systems, the electrical current passing through the filament of the warning light is what energizes a circuit in the alternator to start charging. This signal light is linked directly to the alternator through its terminal 1, I, L, D, etc. To check the warning light circuit, turn the ignition switch to the on position without cranking or starting the engine if the idiot light does not come on, remove the plug from the alternator and ground the wire that terminates to the 1, I, L or D terminal depending on manufacturer. If the light comes on, the wiring is okay but the alternator is defective if the light still does not come on, the wiring to the light circuit and the bulb should be checked. Dont forget to check the fuse that controls the light circuit, too. This fuse could be labeled differently in various cars. It could be labeled charging, regulator, meters, gauges or engine. In some cars, if the fuse is out, the idiot light will come on but may not go off. In others like GM, a burned out fuse may make the warning light work in reverse order that is, when the key is on, the light is off but as soon as the engine starts and the alternator starts charging, the light will come on. Checking out these simple circuits first can greatly reduce your troubleshooting time and unnecessary replacement of your alternator. As we delve further into charge light indicators, we find that in some cases it is normal for the charge indicator light to come on when nothing is wrong with the alternator. According to information published by GM, any car may have a low voltage reading or lights that dim when electrical loads are heavy at idle. Furthermore, this condition is normal and no repairs should be attempted unless a fault has been found. For clarification, as a car idles for extended periods of time during high heat conditions, a number of things happen that contribute to lowered alternator output that coincides with physics and the design of the alternator 1. As heat within the alternator increases, the electrical resistance in the alternator also increases, which reduces the alternators charging capacity. As temperature rises, the voltage setpoint of the regulator is lowered to reduce the chance of overcharging or boiling the battery. Newer designed alternators have a delaysoft start built into the regulator circuit. This delays the load being placed upon the engine when starting up from a stop, so that the smaller engines in use today are not loaded down upon acceleration due to charging demands. This can delay the charging by up to 1.