Faulty Ignition? Is it the Battery or Alternator? + The first true automobile?

This will now be a 2-part post since I've recently deleted an old website of mine and decided to combine some of the related pages together before I start spreading out all of the stand-alone articles amid multiple blogs, etc. But back to the subjects at hand...

Part 1: The first true automobile?

Well, the question concerning who created or designed the first automobile is a bit complicated and debatable. Many people and/or historians disagree. With there being an estimated 100,000 patents that lead to the automobiles as we know them to be, many argue over what represents the first "true" automobile.

To simplify the matter, we won't even consider Leonardo da Vinci's self-propelled wagon in the 15th century, albeit this contraption was way ahead of its time. However, if we do credit the first steam-powered vehicle, as shown above, then it goes to the French engineer Nicolas Cugnot. It was built in 1769 and it could reach blazing speeds of slightly over 2 mph. LOL! Hey, that is still speed of some sort and it was definitely a break-through for its time period. Anyway, it was a 3-wheeled vehicle that was used to haul artillery and could hold 4 passengers for a short ride-time of 15 minutes before having to rest during the "powering back up" process.

Yeah, with that being said, one could easily understand why many folks did not considered it to be the first true automobile. Several years later, in 1804/1805, Oliver Evans claimed to have built the first self-powered amphibious vehicle (one that could go on land and in water), but the evidence was poor and no technical drawings of the device survived. Oliver's own descriptions seemed exaggerated and contradictory along with the motor being too weak to do what he claimed this vehicle could do.

This is why some historians just credit the Germans Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler for building the first practical cars with internal-combustion engines, back in 1885. Improvements quickly followed from there, and now we have gas-guzzlers everywhere; ha! 

Of course, as time marches forward, there will be more and more push for the hybrids and full-blown electric automobiles. Yeah, they have been around for a bit, but it is definitely taking the general public a long time to buy into that type of weak, unreliable crap. Yeah, it is better for the environment, but vehicles that run on a fuel system sure seem a lot more convenient and, in most cases, more reliable. For example, I'd hate to be on a long trip in an electric car and have to constantly stop and/or try to find a silly charging station for my ride along the way. In addition to that, the colder the weather gets, the less efficient and more problems an electric vehicle would have. The hybrids may ultimately prevail, as technology keeps advancing, since they use a combination of fuel, electricity and other means to recycle energy, etc. Well, I better stop right there as I'm getting slightly off subject here...

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons - Source = en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_automobile

---End of Part 1: "The first true automobile?"

Part 2: Faulty Ignition? Is it the Battery or Alternator?

Original Post Date: Sometime during the year 2010.

I’m not very mechanically inclined when it comes to automobiles, but I did learn a nifty little trick the other day… This subject deals with common ignition problems, as in the often-confused vehicular ailment; do you have a faulty alternator or battery?

Depicted on the left is the common automobile's electrical powerhouse: The Alternator... 

A lot of my car problems that have occurred within my driving history, for the most part, have been related to the ignition system. I’ve had a few starter solenoids installed, an alternator and numerous amounts of batteries that needed replaced (mostly due to booming sound systems) down through the years.

When having faulty ignition problems, many people are often quick to blame the battery, terminal cables, or the starter solenoid…but what about the alternator?

The alternator, when it involves auto-mechanics, is basically a rotating machine that transforms mechanical energy to electrical charge in the form of alternating current – by definition, an electric generator for producing alternating current. The alternator, when working correctly, maintains an electrical charge for your vehicle’s system, hence keeping your battery charged in the process.

A couple days ago, I learned some advice from an ol’ southern “shade tree mechanic,” as they say. Personally, I call it good, useful knowledge through working experience.

Well, anyway, my girlfriend’s car has been having trouble starting lately, electrical gadgets not operating correctly, and just overall acting zapped & drained of power.

I first thought it was the alternator, due to an intuitive hunch, but how in the hell do I know for sure? I checked the battery, and yes, it was dead. I looked at the battery post terminals, and yes, they were corroded & funky looking. I knew it wasn’t the starter solenoid, since the car would start after charging the battery. I changed out the terminals, but yet, this damn thing would keep dying out – even after a full battery charge.

Okay, it is either the alternator or the battery cells are shot, and I need to replace the battery.

Instead of taking a chance (I’ve did this before) and go out and buy a new battery, she asked her stepdad about it. He had, as he stated, an ol’ mechanic trick that would determine if it was the alternator or not.

He said to fully charge the battery, connect the cables, and start the car. …And from there, after the car has been running a couple seconds, remove the negative cable from the battery. After removing the negative cable, if the car shuts off, it is your alternator…and if it keeps running, it is your battery or some other electrical issue. I followed this advice, and as soon as I removed the negative cable from her car, it shut off. So, by this form of testing, it is definitely the alternator – and he touted this sly, old-school method to have a 99% chance for accuracy.

I didn’t know that! Just to make sure, I went over to my car that is currently functioning properly (for now; fingers crossed) and started it and removed the negative battery cable after a couple seconds…and it never missed a lick. I thought, “okay, this is some damn good advice.”

From there, we ordered the part for her automobile, changed the alternator, and it is now running smoothly. So, this proved that this little bit of knowledge, that I learned a few days ago, to be true. Many people would have run out and bought a new battery, before considering it to be the alternator.

Bottom line: If you’re unsure if it is the battery or the alternator, try this simple testing method first; it may save you the expense of a new battery that you didn’t even have to buy.

Also, take heed to the advice from another mechanic about this subject:  

“Good trick, but just be careful not to do it on many of the newer model cars, or you will have more things to reset in the car than you would want. There is also the risk of blowing a diode in the alternator. I just look for output at the alternator with a milli-voltmeter. Most alternators when they break down only need one or two small components replaced to be good as new. If you are handy, you can do this yourself providing you know where to purchase these bits. We have electronics shops here that sell the parts for a couple of dollars. I always sort my own alternators.”

Image Credit: Public Domain and is not under Copyright.

---End of Part 2

---End of Post: "Faulty Ignition? Is it the Battery or Alternator? + The first true automobile?"