A car generator is used to convert mechanical energy of movement, more precisely, the energy of rotation of the crankshaft into electrical energy. It forces the battery to charge and, in tandem with it, supplies electricity to all the electrical devices of the machine.
Motorists should be aware of the heart of a car's electrical system, the generator. After all, it is he, just like the heart in the body of a living creature, organizes blood circulation, "drives" electricity along the vehicle circuit, "pumping" an electric charge into the battery, from where voltage is supplied to all consumers of electricity in the car.
Generator device
The design of the generator includes a fixed core - a stator, which is a permanent magnet, and a rotor - a movable part equipped with a wire winding, at the ends of which voltage appears when rotating around the stator. Three-phase electric generators are installed on modern cars, where the electromotive force created in various parts of the winding is converted into direct current using a three-phase diode rectifier, which is supplied to the battery terminals.
Periodically check the voltage at the generator output and at the battery terminals. At the output of a car generator, the voltage should be 13-14 volts, at the terminals of a charged battery - just over 12.
The principle of the generator
The principle of operation of the generator is based on the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction. It consists in the occurrence of an electrical potential (voltage) difference at the ends of the wire winding of the moving part of the generator (rotor) during rotation around the fixed "core" - the stator. Theoretically, with the opposite effect - applying voltage to the ends of the winding - the rotor will rotate, that is, the principle of electromagnetic induction is valid in both directions.
"Collection" of electric current from the winding is performed using a brush-collector unit, which includes a collector (contacts located on the moving part of the generator), and brushes, which sliding along the collector, but being outside it, remove the electrical voltage from the contacts.
Do not swap the terminals when connecting the battery! When the polarity changes, the diodes of the generator "burn", and after that it may not be repairable at all.
When operating the vehicle, it is necessary to monitor the voltage at the generator output. When the voltage drops below a critical level, the battery icon usually lights up on the car dashboard. Be attentive to your car and enjoy driving only!
