Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/1/2014 to
Alternators
What does an alternator regulator do and how does it work?
An alternator regulator supplies current to the rotating part of the alternator. The rotating part is called the rotor, and when current is applied to it it becomes an electromagnet. Its rotation generates an alternating current in the fixed windings of the alternator, called the stator.
The regulator acts as a control mechanism by varying the amount of current in the rotor, called the field current, and thus controlling the output voltage of the stator.
Simple alternators were originally electromechanical devices that switched the field current on and off to control the output voltage of the alternator.
Today's alternator regulators are all semiconductor based, and the more sophisticated ones are controlled by an embedded computer chip. Many regulators are built in to the alternator, but this doesnt permit any adjustments, so the more sophisticated alternator regulators are all externally mounted.
Computerized alternator regulators read inputs such as battery voltage, battery and alternator temperature, and time, and relate them to the programmed requirements of battery type and other parameters. They aim to produce a three stage charge that optimizes alternator output and fully charges batteries. Many have digital readouts to facilitate programming and give a readout of progress.
Below is a video showing a Balmar ARS5 regulator in action:
1 Comments
Brian Edwards
Date
4/1/2019
If my battery is fully charged, would the alternator output be reduced such that a reading of 11.35 v be considered normal?
Peter Kennedy
Date
4/2/2019
There must be something wrong, that should never happen.
Peter Kennedy has been in business since 1991 designing, installing and servicing marine electrical systems. The purpose of this blog is to offer support to both professional installers and do-it-yourself boat owners who wish to undertake this work themselves.
SEARCH
You can subscribe to get automatic notifications of new blog posts, this is separate from a newsletter subscription.