Understanding the Alternator

THIS AUTOMOTIVE SERIES

ON ALTERNATORS HAS
BEEN DEVELOPED BY

KEVIN R. SULLIVAN
PROFESSOR OF
AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY
AT SKYLINE COLLEGE
SAN BRUNO, CALIFORNIA

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.autoshop101.com
 Understanding the Alternator

The • The charging system has three

Charging System major components. The
Battery, Alternator, and the
Regulator.

• This alternator works together

with the battery to supply power
when the vehicle is running.

• The output of an alternator is

direct current, however AC
voltage is actually created and
then converted to DC as voltage
leaves the alternator on its way
to the battery and the electrical
loads.
 Understanding the Alternator
Charging System Circuit

• Four wires connect the alternator to the rest of the charging system.
• B is the alternator output wire that supplies current to the battery.
• IG is the ignition input that turns on the alternator/regulator assembly.
• S is used by the regulator to monitor charging voltage at the battery.
• L is the wire the regulator uses to ground the charge warning lamp.
 Understanding the Alternator

Alternator Terminal Identification

“S” Terminal
Senses Battery
Voltage
“L” Terminal
Grounds
“F” Terminal Warning Lamp
Regulator Bypass
Full Field Testing

“B” Terminal
Alternator Output
Terminal to Battery
“IG” Terminal
Ignition Switch Signal
Turns Regulator ON
 Understanding the Alternator

Alternator Assembly
Drive Frame Cover Identification End Frame Cover
Label

Drive Pulley Regulator, Diode,

& Brush Cover

Circulation Vent

Alternator B+
Mounting Ear Output Terminal
Understanding the Alternator
Alternator • The alternator contains:
Overview
• A rotating field winding called
the rotor.

• A stationary induction winding

called the stator.

• A diode assembly called the

rectifier bridge.

• A control device called the

voltage regulator.

• Two internal fans to promote air

circulation.
 Understanding the Alternator

Alternator Design • Most regulators are on the inside

the alternator. Older models have
externally mounted regulators.

• Unlike other manufacturers, this

model can be easily serviced from
the rear on the unit.

• The rear cover can be removed to

expose internal parts.

• However, today’s practice is to

correctly diagnose the problem
and replace the alternator as a
unit, should one of it’s internal
components fail.
 Understanding the Alternator

Drive Pulley • Alternator drive pulleys either

bolt on or are pressed on the
rotor shaft.

• Both ‘V’ and Multi-grove types

are used.

• Note this alternator does not

have an external fan as part of
the pulley assembly.

• While many manufacturers do

use a external fan for cooling.
This alternator has two internal
fans to draw air in for cooling.
 Understanding the Alternator

Inside the Alternator

• Removal of the rear cover
Regulator Brushes reveals:

The Regulator controls the

alternator output.

The Brushes conduct current

to the rotor field winding.

The Rectifier Bridge converts

AC voltage to DC voltage.

Diode Rectifier Bridge

Slip Rings (part of the Rotor Assembly)
 Understanding the Alternator

Brushes • Two slip rings are located on one

end of the rotor assembly. Each
end of the rotor field winding is
attached to a slip ring. Thereby,
allowing current to flow through
the field winding.

• Two stationary carbon brushes

ride on two rotating slip rings.
Bushes are either soldered or
bolted
 Understanding the Alternator

Electronic
IC Regulator • The regulator is the brain of the
charging system.

• It monitors both battery and

stator voltages. Depending on
the measured voltages, the
regulator will adjust the amount
of rotor field current to control
alternator output.

• Regulators can be mounted

both internal or external.
Current technology uses an
internal regulator.
 Understanding the Alternator

• The Diode Rectifier Bridge is

Diode Rectifier responsible for for the
conversion or rectification of AC
voltage to DC voltage.

• Six or eight diodes are used to

rectify the AC stator voltage to
DC voltage.

• Half of these diodes are use on

the positive side and the other
half are on the negative side.

• Further details about the

rectifier bridge will be explained
later.
 Understanding the Alternator

Inside the Alternator

• Separating the case reveals:

The rotor winding assembly

rotates inside the stator
winding. The rotor generates
a magnetic field.

The stator winding develops

voltage and current begins
to flow from the induced
magnetic field of the rotor.

Rotor Winding Stator Winding

Assembly
 Understanding the Alternator

Rotor Assembly
Internal Cooling Fan Finger Poles Rotor Field Winding

Bearing Internal
Cooling Fan

Slip Rings Rotor Shaft

 Understanding the Alternator

Rotor Assembly
• A basic rotor consists of a iron
core, coil winding, two slip rings,
and two claw-shaped finger pole
pieces.

• Some models include support

bearings and one or two internal
cooling fans.

• The rotor is driven or rotated

inside the alternator by an
engine (alternator) drive belt.
 Understanding the Alternator

• The rotor contains the field

Rotor Assembly winding wound over an iron
core which is part of the shaft.

• Surrounding the field coil are

two claw-type finger poles.

• Each end of the rotor field

winding is attached to a slip
ring. Stationary brushes
connect the alternator to the
rotor.

• The rotor assembly is supported

by bearings. One on the shaft
the other in the drive frame.
 Understanding the Alternator

Alternating
Magnetic Field
• The rotor field winding creates
the magnetic field that induces
North Field voltage into the stator.

• The magnetic field is saturates

South Field the iron finger poles. One finger
pole become a north pole and
the other a south pole.

North Field • The rotor spins creating an

alternating magnetic field,
North, South, North, South, etc.
 Understanding the Alternator

Stator Winding
Stator Neutral
Lead Ends Junction

Laminated Iron
Frame

Three Phase
Windings
 Understanding the Alternator
Rotor / Stator
Relationship
• As the rotor assembly rotates
within the stator winding.

• The alternating magnetic field

from the spinning rotor induces
an alternating voltage into the
stator winding.

• Both the strength of the

magnetic field and the speed of
the rotor affect the amount of
voltage induced into the stator.
 Understanding the Alternator

Stator Windings • The stator is made with three sets

of windings.
Stator Lead Ends Three Windings
• Each winding is placed is a
different position compared with
the others.

• A laminated iron frame

concentrates the magnetic field.

• Stator lead ends that output to

the diode rectifier bridge.

Laminated Iron Neutral Junction in the Wye design can

Frame be identified by the 6 strands of wire
 Understanding the Alternator

3 Phase Windings • The stator winding has three

sets of windings. Each is formed
into a number of evenly spaced
coils around the stator core.

• The result is three overlapping

single phase AC sine wave
current signatures, A, B, C.

• Adding these waves together

make up the total AC output of
the stator. This is called three
phase output current.

• Three phase current provides a

more constant current output.
 Understanding the Alternator

Stator Design Delta wound stators can be identified

by having only three stator leads, and
each lead will have the same number
of wires attached.

Wye style has four stator leads. One

of the leads is called the Neutral
Two designs of stator winding Junction. The Neutral Junction is
are used. Delta and Wye. common to all the other leads.
 Understanding the Alternator
Wye Design Wye wound stators have three
windings with a common neutral
junction. They can be identified
because they have 4 stator lead
ends.

Wye wound stators are used in

alternators that require high voltage
output a low alternator speed.

Two windings are in series at any

one time during charge output.
 Understanding the Alternator

Delta Design Delta wound stators can be

identified because they have only
three stator lead ends.

Delta stators allow for higher

current flow being delivered at low
RPM.

The windings are in parallel rather

than series as like the Wye design.
 Understanding the Alternator

Diode Rectifier Bridge Assembly

Negative Diodes

Ground Points

“B” Terminal

“P” Terminal
Stator Taps
Attaches to
Stator Windings Positive Diodes
 Understanding the Alternator

Rectifier • Two diodes are connected to

each stator lead. One positive the
Operation other negative.

• Because a single diode will only

block half the the AC voltage.

• Six or eight diodes are used to

rectify the AC stator voltage to
DC voltage.

• Diodes used in this configuration

will redirect both the positive and
The Diode Rectifier Bridge is negative polarity signals of the
responsible for for the conversion or AC voltage to produce DC
rectification the AC voltage into DC voltage. This process is called
voltage. ‘Full - Wave Rectification’.
Understanding the Alternator

Diodes
• Diodes are used as one-way
electrical check valves. Passing
current in only one direction,
never in reverse.

• Diodes are mounted in a heat

sink to dissipate the heat
generated by the diodes.

• Diodes redirect the AC voltage

into DC voltage so the battery
receives the correct polarity.
Diodes
 Understanding the Alternator
Rectifier Operation
In red you can see B+ current
pass through to the rectifier as
it goes to the battery. In green
you can see the return path.

Now, in red B+ current passes

through to the rectifier
however, this time current has
the opposite polarity. In green
you can see the new return
path.

Even though it enters the

rectifier at a different location,
current goes to the battery in
the same direction.
 Understanding the Alternator
Electronic Regulator
Heat Sink “S” Terminal “L” Terminal
Senses Battery Voltage Warning Lamp

“IG” Terminal
Ignition Switch Signal
Turns Regulator ON

Regulator “B” Terminal

Ground Connects to Alternator
Output Terminal

“P” Terminal “F” Terminal Test Pad “F” Terminal

Senses Neutral Junction Full Field Test Point Connects Regulator
voltage of Stator to Rotor Winding
 Understanding the Alternator

Voltage Regulation • The regulator will attempt to

maintain a pre-determined
charging system voltage level.

• When charging system voltage

falls below this point, the regulator
will increase the field current, thus
strengthening the magnetic field,
which results in an increase of
alternator output.

• When charging system voltage

raises above this point, the
regulator will decrease field
current , thus weakening the
magnetic field, and results in a
decrease of alternator output.
 Understanding the Alternator

Regulator Types
• Any one of two regulator
designs can be used.

• The Grounded Field type.

The regulator controls the
amount of B+ going to the
field winding in the rotor.

• The Grounded Regulator

type. The regulator
controls the amount
battery ground (negative)
going to the field winding
in the rotor.
 Understanding the Alternator

Working Alternator The regulator monitors battery

voltage.
Regulator The regulator controls current
flow to the rotor assembly.

The rotor produces a magnetic

field.

Voltage is induced into the stator.

The rectifier bridge converts AC

stator voltage to DC output for use
by the vehicle.

Diode Rectifier Bridge

Contains the Rotor & Stator

Slip Rings (part of the Rotor Assembly)