With winter coming, vehicles often suffer, the most common scenario is to have difficulties starting your Opel Astra early in the day with very low temperatures. Generally speaking this is associated with problems recharging the battery of your Opel Astra . There are some factors that can describe why your battery does not recharge effectively anymore, and today we will try to help you to solve this problem that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To do this, first we will describe how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Opel Astra, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.
How does recharging the battery of a Opel Astra work?
Before we detail the different problems of recharging the battery on a Opel Astra , we will describe to you how its recharging system functions so that you can figure out the problems you are struggling with. A motor vehicle battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Opel Astra , turn on your headlights, play music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it may possibly deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To handle this problem, the engineers have developed a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy produced by the engine of your Opel Astra to create energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . However, keep in mind that this process can only work when your car is running, using electrical elements of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will decrease the energy reserve of your motor vehicle. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.
Problems recharging a Opel Astra’s battery
We will now describe the different battery charging problems on a Opel Astra you might be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is actually a problem in your electrical set up, we will now see the different cases.
Battery charging problem on Opel Astra: My battery is discharging regardless if I am recharging it with a particular charger
In this first case, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , indeed, if you manage to recharge your battery with a charger and your Opel Astra to start, the problem certainly comes from your alternator which should not be able to create any more current.
Battery charging problem on Opel Astra: My motor vehicle shuts off and does not start regardless if I have charged the battery
If you have recharged your battery and you have managed to start your Opel Astra but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the trouble with recharging the battery of your Opel Astra is that your battery no longer holds the charge .
Battery charging problem on Opel Astra: My battery is discharged although it is new
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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges while you’re driving, the problem most probably comes from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and consequently holds the charge. The second possibility is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.
How to solve the problem of battery charging on Opel Astra?
We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are struggling with. Here are the different problems and their solutions:
- Defective alternator: You can try with simple mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to see if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, replacing it is the best solution, depending on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This repair is feasible in the event your alternator is accessible.
- Battery that no longer holds the charge: In such a case, the purchase of a new battery is the only realistic solution. In actual fact, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be changed, count between 60 and 100 euros depending on your engine.
- Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Opel Astra but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a motor vehicle electrician is in this case required.
How to recharge an empty battery of a Opel Astra
Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Opel Astra there are only few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient solution, you can discover some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. Otherwise you can use cables that will only provide the energy needed to start.
If you want more guides on the Opel Astra, go to our Opel Astra category.
