How an Alternator Works: The Ultimate Guide

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⌚Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - What is an alternator?
01:27 - Alternator vs. generator
01:55 - Major components
02:15 - Rotor
02:59 - Stator
05:15 - Rectifier
06:48 - Diode trio and voltage regulator
=============================
In this video, we’re going to talk about a major component of many electrical power or charging systems, the Alternator. In particular, we’re going to look closely at a typical vehicle alternator.
We’ll look inside an alternator and examine all of its individual parts. Then we’ll discuss how these parts work together to do the work that the alternator is intended to do.
An alternator is a device that converts mechanical energy into AC electrical energy.
In a vehicle, the engine turns a drive belt that rotates a pulley attached to the alternator.
It’s probably safe to say that an alternator is a generator.
The alternator actually generates power for the vehicle. As the alternator rotates, it creates a DC voltage primarily to charge the vehicle battery. The battery provides the huge current required to start the vehicle engine.
Once the vehicle is running, the alternator assists by providing power to run the vehicle’s electrical systems.
There are differences in alternator construction and as such, there are a different number of components depending on the vendor.
Alternators have three major components and they are the Rotor, stator, and rectifier. There are more components and we’ll get to those as we progress through our discussion.
1. Alternator rotor
A drive belt pulley system spins the rotor on a shaft while the vehicle engine is running.
At the heart of the rotor is an electromagnet often referred to as field windings.
An electromagnet consists of a length of conductive wire wrapped around a piece of magnetic metal. Voltage is applied to the coiled wire creating a current in it. This creates a magnetic field around the coiled wire.
Much like a permanent magnet, there is a North and a South pole.
A rotor also has a series of alternating North and South finger pole pieces placed around the field windings that wrap around the iron core on the rotor shaft.
2. Alternator stator
The rotor fits inside the Stator. The stator is a stationary part of the alternator. The rotor spins inside the stator without physically touching it. On each end of the shaft sits a brush and a slip ring.
The Stator consists of three separate coil windings with one end of each winding connected together. The stator coil windings are evenly spaced at intervals of 120 degrees around the iron shaft.
There will be a voltage induced in each stator winding. The induced voltages will be AC because of the electromagnetic pole changing during the rotor rotation.
3. Alternator rectifier
How do we convert AC to DC? By using a Rectifier.
More often than not, the alternator rectifier has six diodes. The six diodes are mounted in a heatsinking material to protect them from burning up.
The diodes are configured in such a way that we rectify and convert both half-cycles of every stator voltage AC voltage.
A DC voltage is applied via the slip rings from two different sources.
The first source is from the battery when the engine is started. The second source is from the alternator itself once the rotor is spinning via a component called the diode trio.
Exactly like the rectifier, the diode trio input terminals are connected to each stator voltage output. The output terminal of each diode is connected together.
The diode trio converts part of the stator output voltages to a DC voltage.
The diode trio output is fed to the voltage regulator and becomes the energizing voltage for the rotor electromagnet once the engine has been started and is running.
The purpose of the voltage regulator is to adjust the electromagnet energizing voltage so that the stator output voltages are held relatively constant regardless of the rotational speed of the rotor.
The stator voltage is rectified and then used to charge the battery.
=============================
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#RealPars #Alternator #generator

Пікірлер: 108

  • @realpars
    @realparsАй бұрын

    Want to learn about industrial automation? Go here: www.realpars.com/individual-pricing Want to train your team in industrial automation? Go here: www.realpars.com/pricing-team

  • @brodieperrett8745
    @brodieperrett8745Ай бұрын

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  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Ай бұрын

    Glad it helped! Happy learning!

  • @tehuiasouthcoast8283
    @tehuiasouthcoast82833 ай бұрын

    Thank you I’ve spent two days in tafe and couldn’t understand the charging system lessons This 11 minutes was way more detailed and informative than my tafe teacher thank you so much

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    3 ай бұрын

    That's amazing to hear! Thank you so much for your support.

  • @oficinadoeletricista
    @oficinadoeletricista2 жыл бұрын

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  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome! That's an amazing compliment! Many thanks for your support

  • @leandrodutra4373

    @leandrodutra4373

    Жыл бұрын

    Im learning English too.

  • @vigneshs1529
    @vigneshs1529 Жыл бұрын

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  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

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  • @cobretticobra7911
    @cobretticobra7911 Жыл бұрын

    Man how did people design all those rectifier diodes and regulators impressive stuff

  • @arlenburgin2392

    @arlenburgin2392

    Жыл бұрын

    That's what I was thinking

  • @shashikantmahimkar9362
    @shashikantmahimkar9362 Жыл бұрын

    Really impressive presentation ! Subject is made very easy to understand for all levels of learners. Great job !

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you very much!

  • @arlenburgin2392
    @arlenburgin2392 Жыл бұрын

    How the heck did mankind come up with this stuff?

  • @twistedpears

    @twistedpears

    6 ай бұрын

    fr😂

  • @lemarz8006

    @lemarz8006

    6 ай бұрын

    It’s amazing how complex the things we interact with everyday are.

  • @babotond

    @babotond

    5 ай бұрын

    incrementally

  • @shahbozsherali8456
    @shahbozsherali8456 Жыл бұрын

    This is the best explanation I have seen so far. In fact, this video inspired me to subscribe your channel.

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Awesome, thank you!

  • @francisantony12
    @francisantony128 ай бұрын

    Beautifully explained. Thank you

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    8 ай бұрын

    Glad it was helpful! Thank you for your support

  • @ricardogarcia3900
    @ricardogarcia39002 жыл бұрын

    Congrats .Great work.

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, Ricardo!

  • @destinyovbiebo8988
    @destinyovbiebo89882 жыл бұрын

    Nice one

  • @michaelhealthsportstv4311
    @michaelhealthsportstv4311 Жыл бұрын

    Great explanation

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad you liked it!

  • @PaulR387
    @PaulR387 Жыл бұрын

    Excellent video thank you

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad it was helpful!

  • @namajkatiufputkata
    @namajkatiufputkata6 ай бұрын

    great explanation!

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    6 ай бұрын

    Glad it was helpful!

  • @seshachary5580
    @seshachary55802 ай бұрын

    very educative thank you regards

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @diwasshah7545
    @diwasshah7545 Жыл бұрын

    Dear Sir, I came here today and impressed with your videos. I pushed the like button in advance before watching full videos.

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    We are very happy to hear that, Diwas! Thank you for sharing

  • @hichamabhat9445
    @hichamabhat9445 Жыл бұрын

    underrated

  • @masproexkhan5630
    @masproexkhan56302 жыл бұрын

    Thanks a lot !

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    You are welcome!

  • @user-kx8rc3uq7l
    @user-kx8rc3uq7lКүн бұрын

    It's very detailed but I still have question in mind... Does it mean that without battery the alternator cannot produce electricity because there's no voltage to supplied in rotor to create an electromagnet from the start? Or can it still produce electricity? Because there's a generator like (Honda ER2500CX Petrol And Gas Generator) there's no battery in it and just start only pulling the cord Thanks by the way your video is very awesome👌hope you could answer my question

  • @maxfi1092
    @maxfi1092 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks you for this video

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome! Happy learning

  • @hotroadcol4166
    @hotroadcol41662 ай бұрын

    This is gold

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 ай бұрын

    Happy to hear that!

  • @mareysaad6597
    @mareysaad659711 ай бұрын

    So amazing ❤❤

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    11 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @shshakib3527
    @shshakib35272 жыл бұрын

    Thank u a lot 😍😍😍😍

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome!

  • @mrrobotech9969
    @mrrobotech99692 жыл бұрын

    Keep making videos on industrial robotics nd Automation

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your suggestion! :)

  • @javierferrer4634
    @javierferrer46342 жыл бұрын

    Nice video,

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks a lot!

  • @nabilhamdioui9819
    @nabilhamdioui98192 жыл бұрын

    Nice video as always. Can you tell us please what software used in it?

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Nabil, Thanks a lot for your kind comment! I am actually not sure about this, our animations are created by our Graphic and Animation department.

  • @johnodonnell4593
    @johnodonnell45932 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video but contains a major discrepancy. 0:44 and 1:32 defines an alternator as a device that converts mech energy to "AC" electrical energy. 9:38 defines it as a device that converts mech energy to "DC" electrical energy. Which is it?

  • @ricardogarcia3900

    @ricardogarcia3900

    2 жыл бұрын

    The formal definition of an alternator is "mechanical to electrical energy". But the case exposed in the video is about the alternator of a vehicle, where it must feed the electrical system in DC.

  • @angelodanielguevarabobadil7185

    @angelodanielguevarabobadil7185

    2 жыл бұрын

    Good morning John, at the begining of the process, an alternator convert mech energy to AC electrical energy, later the AC electrical energy is converted to DC electrical energy thanks to a rectifier and/or Diode trio. So both definitions are right in the case of vehicules. But I prefere the second one because it is more complete.

  • @samikpal5585

    @samikpal5585

    2 жыл бұрын

    Alternators are ac generators, while generators are machines those can convert mechanical energy in electrical energy (ac/dc) by the help of electromagnetic energy conversion.

  • @billyhorton5779

    @billyhorton5779

    2 жыл бұрын

    Before 1962, automobiles used a "generator" which produced a dc output with a commutator and brushes, much like what is inside a starter motor. These dc generators did not put out much amperage at low speeds. The "alternator" will produce amperage at lower speeds, alternator meaning "alternating current" but which has to be rectified into "direct current" or dc to charge the battery and power everything as explained above. An alternator requires dc to produce Ac, then rectifies it back into dc. Hope this helps

  • @IMQ567
    @IMQ5677 ай бұрын

    Excellent

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much!

  • @bhuvimahi623
    @bhuvimahi6232 жыл бұрын

    Thanks

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're very welcome, Boova!

  • @Is.Mwas17
    @Is.Mwas179 ай бұрын

    Awesome 👌

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    9 ай бұрын

    Thank you very much!

  • @richmond4884
    @richmond4884 Жыл бұрын

    Can you give more imformation about the relation between alternator and starter on the video. But thanks alot for the info.

  • @aminokamad1681
    @aminokamad16812 жыл бұрын

    🔥🔥🔥

  • @qusayqusay6371
    @qusayqusay6371 Жыл бұрын

    Amazing

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @user-vp3lw3xy7o
    @user-vp3lw3xy7oАй бұрын

    thank you

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Ай бұрын

    You're welcome!

  • @krishnakumarbatteryworld8631
    @krishnakumarbatteryworld8631 Жыл бұрын

    very nice

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @josecuevas8602
    @josecuevas86023 ай бұрын

    Correction: when the engine isn't running, the battery is the source of electrical power. Once the engine starts, the Alternator is the takes over as the source of electrical power and recharges the battery.

  • @ouchacho
    @ouchacho4 күн бұрын

    perfect

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    4 күн бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @OmarPerez-ru1eq
    @OmarPerez-ru1eq Жыл бұрын

    thanks

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    You're welcome!

  • @automotivetechnologyinorom1160
    @automotivetechnologyinorom11602 жыл бұрын

    10Q is a very good experience share for us

  • @Ravinder764
    @Ravinder7642 жыл бұрын

    👏👏👏

  • @tur2230
    @tur2230 Жыл бұрын

    What does it mean by (the rectifier output battery charge voltage rises) ?

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Hello @tur, Thanks for reaching out. I'll rephrase to hopefully clear up any misunderstanding. "The battery charge voltage at the rectifier output rises". Does that help?

  • @babarishaque8557
    @babarishaque8557 Жыл бұрын

    When the first starting initially needed battery voltage to drive the rotor, but when started, the alternator produced rectified dc voltage to charge the battery voltage. Then the selector switch turns off itself not provide a voltage to the rotor? Please answer

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Hi @Babar Ishaque. Thanks for reaching out. You are correct. Our circuit is drawn in a very simplified form. The Start selector switch will engage the battery to kick-start the rotor and then disengages or shuts off as you describe.

  • @babarishaque8557

    @babarishaque8557

    Жыл бұрын

    @@realpars Thanks for your kind reply.

  • @nilankamrajapaksha7700
    @nilankamrajapaksha77002 жыл бұрын

    💪

  • @gamelover2594
    @gamelover25942 жыл бұрын

    number of rotor poles should be as same as stator poles for generator ?

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi GameLover. What are you referring to as poles? The stator has 3 windings and the rotor has only one.

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    The number of magnetic rotor poles in an alternator can vary between vendors. Some rotors can contain as many as 20 poles

  • @easytravel6895
    @easytravel68952 жыл бұрын

    Make video on RTU

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi there, We have the following video on RTU on our channel kzread.info/dash/bejne/c6xlzLapYsfSabA.html Feel free to check that out. Happy learning!

  • @sssa7653
    @sssa76532 жыл бұрын

    Why do we call alternator as doubly excited machine. Do we give 2 supplies, one ac to stator and dc to rotor as here rotor is producing voltage in stator.

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hello Sssa. An alternator doesn't really have 2 supplies. There is one DC supply to excite the rotor. There is an AC output created by the spinning rotor interacting with the 3 windings of the stator. That AC voltage is rectified and becomes a pulsating DC voltage.

  • @samikpal5585

    @samikpal5585

    2 жыл бұрын

    Doubly excited machine means we give 2 types of input. One is mechanical (rotation/kinetic energy) and second is field excitation (dc electrical energy). Same thing can easily be explained in case of synchronous motors (which is just opposite of alternators) there we give AC input to stator and dc input to rotor and in the expense of these two excitation we get mechanical rotation. A singly excited machine is Induction motor. Where we only give one supply that is to the stator (ac supply to create RMF) which alone is enough to produce the rotation of the machine, i.e., mechanical power output.

  • @samikpal5585

    @samikpal5585

    2 жыл бұрын

    We obviously give dc to rotor but we don't give AC to stator in case of alternators. Actually we extract ac from stator while giving mechanical rotation to the shaft. What you're saying is exactly the principle of synchronous motor. Both alternator and synchronous motor are doubly excited machines

  • @fabrisoto
    @fabrisoto Жыл бұрын

    👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

  • @MuhammadNawaz-mu4iw
    @MuhammadNawaz-mu4iw2 жыл бұрын

    Do you have your app on play store. If not then please develop if yes then it is not appearing to in play store does it has any problem

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Muhammad, Thanks for your comment! We have recently optimized our learning platform which includes some highly requested features. We are happy to bring you these new improvements which will grant an even better learning experience, as a result we had to decide to no longer support the RealPars App. You can use our webpage to continue watching the video courses. Happy learning!

  • @LOLO-vu9qi
    @LOLO-vu9qi6 ай бұрын

    I have a problem When measuring the voltage on the battery terminals while the engine is running, it gives 14 volts, which means that the generator is working properly??? However, when I disconnect the battery cable, the car stops. What is the reason?

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    6 ай бұрын

    Hi there........ A reading of 14 volts, while the engine is running, is normal and means the alternator is working just fine. I’m not sure why you would disconnect the battery while the car is running, but I wouldn’t worry about the engine quitting. The alternator supplies power to the car, but some vehicles do so via the battery. Best to check with the dealership and ask if your car fits into this category. But, if it was me, I wouldn’t worry about it, and I wouldn’t disconnect the battery while the engine is running.

  • @LOLO-vu9qi

    @LOLO-vu9qi

    6 ай бұрын

    @@realpars Well, thank you very much 🙏🙏 for your interest and for clarifying the information for me💌👍👍💪💪

  • @NebulaTornado
    @NebulaTornado8 ай бұрын

    But there is a problem in understanding the electrical power. We give tension from the battery to the coil and then recover it from the second coils. So, where does the excess energy come from, knowing that the physics principle requires maintaining the amount of energy?

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    8 ай бұрын

    Hi there! Thanks for your question. As you say, the battery provides the initial field voltage. Once the engine is running, the alternator belt keeps the rotor spinning thus producing the continuing field voltage. I hope that answers your question.

  • @leandrodutra4373
    @leandrodutra4373 Жыл бұрын

    ✅👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽✅

  • @CarbonGlassMan
    @CarbonGlassMan Жыл бұрын

    This is a pretty fancy schmancy channel ya got here.

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you! :)

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    @taukirriyad31262 жыл бұрын

    Give me a coupon code, through which i can enroll your plc training program

  • @realpars

    @realpars

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Taukir, Thanks for your comment! We currently do not have any discount codes, however our annual subscription does naturally enjoy an almost 40% discount. Hope this helps!