What does the battery light on the dashboard mean?
Every car today contains a rechargeable 12-volt battery. This battery powers everything electrical: the engine’s control computer, the ignition system, the radio, the headlights, etc. So the battery is vital to the car’s operation. Like all batteries, a car’s 12-volt battery would eventually go dead if it were not recharged, so your car has a built-in recharging system. Most cars have an alternator, along with a voltage regulator, that keeps the battery charged and also provides electricity to the vehicle when the engine is running. A typical alternator can put out between 500 and 1,000 watts when necessary. Because your car is so dependent on the battery, all cars have a battery light on the dashboard that is designed to warn you if the recharging system fails. A simple circuit looks at the voltage that the alternator is producing, and turns the battery light on if it is low. T
What does the battery light on the dashboard mean? Every car today contains a rechargeable 12-volt battery. This battery powers everything electrical: the engine’s control computer, the ignition system, the radio, the headlights, etc. So the battery is vital to the car’s operation. Like all batteries, a car’s 12-volt battery would eventually go dead if it were not recharged, so your car has a built-in recharging system. Most cars have an alternator, along with a voltage regulator, that keeps the battery charged and also provides electricity to the vehicle when the engine is running. A typical alternator can put out between 500 and 1,000 watts when necessary. Because your car is so dependent on the battery, all cars have a battery light on the dashboard that is designed to warn you if the recharging system fails. A simple circuit looks at the voltage that the alternator is produc
