ENGINEERING
Your first thought might have been the battery is dying. In a sense, you
would be right because the battery and the alternator are related, but the
battery tends to get all the press.
Alternators are typically found near the front of the engine and are
driven by the crankshaft, which converts the pistons' up-and-down
movement into circular movement.
Most cars today have a serpentine belt, or one belt that drives all
components that rely on crankshaft power. Most alternators are mounted
using brackets that bolt to a specific point on the engine. One of the
brackets is usually a fixed point, while the other is adjustable to tighten
the drive belt.
IG
ALTERNATOR COMPONENTS
1. The diode rectifier: The regulator distributes the power the alternator
creates, and it controls the output of power to the battery
3 .Slip rings
4. Brushes:
5. The alternator reveals a large cylinder with triangular finger poles around
the circumference. This is the rotor
•The rotor spins inside the stator.
Alternator stator
Serpentine belt
ALTERNATOR S ,THE POWER SUPPLIER
Alternators are less expensive than say, a power
steering pump or air conditioner compressor
Batteries can only be recharged so many times
before they'll lose their ability to hold a charge
A bad alternator will ruin a good battery if you
don't address it quickly.
High-output alternators have become popular
with custom car shops and in high-performance
cars.
Some custom shops are even installing dual-
alternator systems to handle the additional
Presented by,
Vedavyas P. Burli