Charge warning light

Charge warning light

If the charge warning light is on, it means your charging system is not
producing enough current to meet

the electrical needs of your vehicle and to

keep the battery charged. That, in turn, means your vehicle is

running on

borrowed time off the battery alone. You can keep on driving as long as the
battery has enough juice left in it to keep the ignition system, fuel injectors, fuel
pump and other electrical accessories working. But sooner or later, the battery
will run down and your engine will die. How long this might take is anyones
guess. If youre driving during the daytime and arent listening to the radio or
running the air conditioner, the battery alone might keep you going for a few
hours. On the other hand, if its nighttime and you have the lights on, the heater
or air conditioner and radio, you might run the battery dead in an hour or two.
A warning light should not be ignored. It usually means something has failed
and needs to be fixed the sooner the better in this case.
Sometimes the alternator warning light will come on, (or the amp or voltage
gauge will show discharge) when nothing is really wrong with the charging
system. Its a gauge or light problem. One way to tell is to turn on the headlights.
If the headlights shine with normal intensity and do not change as you rev the
engine, alls well with the charging system and the problem is in the warning light
or gauge circuit. But if the lights are dim or get brighter as you rev the engine,
you have a charging system problem that requires further diagnosis. Bills Auto
can provide a free auto consultation and diagnosis call 801.484.8211 if this
warning light continues.
Any of a number of problems can cause the alternator warning lamp to come on.
If the alternator drive belt is slipping, has broken or flipped itself off the pulley,
the alternator will cease to produce current and the warning light will come on. If
the regulator that controls the alternators output has failed, the warning light will
come on. And if theres a wiring problem in the charging circuit, the light will
come on.

We should now have the engine running, so it is time to get the battery
charging. To do this we need to connect the alternator.

CHARGING SYSTEM ALTERNATOR

Unless one has a very basic boat where the charging system is only used
to charge an engine battery for the next start a dynamo is not really up to
the job. In any case dynamos became obsolescent over 30 years ago
service and parts will be very difficult to find.
The original alternators fitted to most British marine/marinised engines
from the late 1960s were the Lucas 10AC or 11AC, the 11AC having a
higher output. These alternators used external voltage regulators,
energising relays, and warning lamp controls. Many used a "rising oil
pressure switch" to energise them when the engine started and thus
produced oil pressure. Later their control system was modified to use a
special relay in place of the warning lamp control. Even if you have one
of these units, the benefits of fitting a modern alternator with its much
simpler circuit after a failure, will outweigh the cost. The basic operation
is as described below, except the alternator only uses 6 diodes and has
an external regulator and energisation circuit.

Alternator Makes
The vast majority of alternators readily available today follow
the same basic design:Three generating coils (phases) star
connected.

Six main output diodes

Three field diodes feeding a spinning
electromagnet
12 spinning magnetic poles (6 north & 6
south) but this can vary. You only need
to know this if you want to fit or set up
an alternator sensed revcounter.
Integral Voltage regulator
The requirement for a small current
feed to the spinning electromagnet to
start the machine generating.
The Leece-Nevill brushless units may not conform to this
common design.
A number of older designs from Italy, France and Japan also
differed with external regulators etc.
This book only deals with the common design.

ALTERNATOR PARTS

This is an illustration of the ROTOR. It

consists of:a coil of wire to form an
electromagnet
Metal fingers that form the
north and south poles.
Two brass or copper slip
rings, each end of the coil
connects to one ring.
A pair of small
copper/carbon brushes.
These are small rectangular
blocks made from a mixture
of copper and carbon dust.
They pass current from the
outside world to the
spinning magnet.
Two bearings, one at each
end of the shaft.
The brushes do wear over considerable
periods of time, as do the slip rings. The
ease of gaining access to the brushes
indicates the potential for DIY brush
changing. This is often very successful,
but if the slip rings are worn the brushes
might suffer very rapid wear. Always try
to inspect the slip rings when changing
brushes.
The alternator drive belt drives the
alternator from the engine crankshaft.

This is the main part of the outer body. It is

made from soft iron laminations so do
not go forcing them apart and has three
coils of wire running through it. I know it
looks like loads of small coils, but they
form three big coils.
It is known as the STATOR.
These coils generate the current when the
rotor spins its magnetic field inside the
stator.
The stator is usually only clamped between
the two aluminium end brackets.
The end brackets (known as the drive end bracket and the slip ring end bracket)
play no part in the operation of the alternator apart from housing the bearings,
providing a means of mounting the alternator to the engine, and also providing a
convenient mounting for other parts.
The pulley is important make sure it is not worn, and is small enough to allow
optimum performance without overloading the engine at low speed if it is too
small (usually the crankshaft pulley is too big in the cases under discussion) the
engine will not be able to rev up when the batteries are a bit flat!
The fan is vital because it draws cold (I hope) air through the alternator to cool it
try to ensure it gets an adequate supply of cool air.
If the blades run out on the radiuses of the fan, it can be driven in either direction.
If they are at a slight angle to the radiuses look on the fan to find the direction of
rotation arrow make sure it is going in that direction.
If alternators are allowed to overheat they can easily damage their rectifier diodes.
Two typical diode or rectifier packs are illustrated on the next page.

The diode or rectifier pack

This pack is typical of those found on LUCAS

ACR alternators. These are the ones with a
large plastic cover over the brush/slip ring
end.
This one uses a plastic upper plate with metal
conductor strips mounted on it . The field
diodes are typical, small, electronic type
diodes mounted either above (not shown) or
below the plate. Earlier packs used another
metal plate like the two lower plates.
The stator windings (phases) are soldered to
the metal strips.

This is a very generic design that gives a

good idea of what most other diode packs
look like.
The heat sinks may well have extra terminals
mounted upon them.
The field diodes will again be small electronic
types. These are often covered with rubbery
"protection compound".
In all cases the diodes must be kept cool they generate an awful lot
of heat when working at maximum output, so they are mounted on
metal plates to conduct the heat away and the alternator fan is
constantly drawing air over them.
NOTE Take great care with engine soundproofing and "boxing in".
The alternator MUST have a supply of cool air. In my view the best
way of achieving this is to place a large baffled vent in the casing
beside the alternator. This should have a minimum of six square
inches area and 12 would be better. Then allow the engine to draw its
combustion air through this vent, over the alternator. Just make very
sure that there is minimal obstruction to the airflow for the engine.
Operation of the diodes
The diodes only let electricity flow in one direction. The stator
produces ac current that keeps reversing its direction. By
feeding this current through the diodes the current is blocked
from flowing "backwards", and so it all flows one way, thus
giving us the dc that we need for battery charging.

The way this is achieved using the 3 positive and 3 negative

diodes takes quite a time to explain, so it is probably best just
to accept that is what the diodes do. If you want any more
information look up "Full Wave Rectification" in an
encyclopdia.
The diodes always have to work in pairs, so its easy to see that
the main diodes are paired into positive and negative. The three
field diodes are all positive, and are also paired with the main
negative diodes.

Current Regulator
Any generating system needs the two main electrical units
controlled:- current and voltage.
Current control or regulation is for the benefit of the generator. Its
sole aim is to prevent the generator (alternator in our case) burning
itself out by producing too high a current. Fortunately modern
alternators are self-regulating for current so we do not need to use a
current regulator. The self-regulation stems from the fact that ac
current is generated, which produces a pulsing magnetic field around
the generating coils. This pulsing magnetic field produces a "back
voltage" that gets higher as the current flow increases. The result of
this is that the higher the output, the lower the maximum voltage the
alternator can produce.
As the alternator output gets to maximum the voltage it produces will
be down to about 12 volts (not enough to charge a serviceable
battery) so the current that the voltage can push round the system
falls as the output voltage falls.
Never believe people who tell you that Advanced Alternator
Controllers can burn out alternators the above shows they can not.
People who do not ensure a cool air supply for the alternator do burn
them out!

Voltage Regulation
The voltage regulation prevents damage to the batteries and the electrical
equipment on the boat, so the alternators are equipped with a voltage
regulator. Nowadays they are electronic and are built into the alternator
itself. The brushes and their holder are often mounted on modern voltage
regulators.

If the brushes are not mounted on the regulator you are likely to have a
number of wires running to it Always draw a picture of where these wires
go to BEFORE disconnecting them. It is very likely that you will need to
remove at least some of these wires if you need to change the brushes.
The brushes mounted on the regulator are far easier to change.

These are typical of the internal voltage regulators found on the LUCAS ACR
series of alternators.

Do not take any notice of the number or colours of the wires. These vary
from two to about six.
If you are going to do anything with these regulators (like disconnect some
of the wires to get at the brushes) DRAW A DIAGRAM first.
Most up to date alternators have the voltage regulator fitted to the slip ring
end bracket and visible externally. They usually have the brushes and brush
holders mounted at the back and the whole thing, brushes & regulator is
supplied as one unit. Some of these are illustrated on the next page.

These diagrams should help you identify the

voltage regulators that are mounted
externally and have the brushes and holders
fitted to their backs.
Some are in aluminium and some in
plastic mounted on a metal plate.
Beware that some have a blade
connection that needs to be removed
when the regulator has been unfixed
and moved slightly.
If you just try to pull them out, you
WILL snap the brushes you need to
lift the back end and twist them
towards you as you remove them.
They may be mounted at any angle
on the back of the alternator,
although fortunately most are either
directly above or below the centre of
the machine.
The brushes will be pointing towards
the centre shaft, so tip the regulator
so they lift clear of the slip rings.
Just take your time and do not apply
any force. Then you will eventually
wiggle the brushes out of the
machine.
If all this sounds too hard, just take a
faulty alternator to your local
specialist and let them struggle. They
should also have all the parts they
need.

If we put all the parts together we get the exploded view shown on the
next page.

THIS IS THE WIRING DIAGRAM FOR A TYPICAL ALTERNATOR

Note the alternative positions for the voltage regulator and also the surge quench
diode.

The Surge Quench Diode

When an alternator has its output disconnected whilst the engine is
running, the sudden stopping of current flow through the stator
causes the magnetic field that was being produced by the generated
current to collapse. This causes a high, momentary, voltage surge
that will damage the electronics in the regulator and the diodes.
If this happens one hopes that the surge quench diode (if one has
been fitted) "opens" to let the voltage surge "run away to earth" so it
is safely quenched.
It is probably safest to assume that any particular alternator is not
fitted with one, so never disconnect the alternator, battery, or switch a
master switch whilst the engine is running you have been warned.
Occasionally the surge quench diode (when fitted) works, but
destroys itself in so doing. If it fails open circuit you will not know
because everything works until the next time someone does
something silly! If it fails short circuit the alternator will not charge. In
an emergency, locating it and disconnecting it (if fitted) will restore
charging until the next time someone does something silly!

Alternator Circuit Operation

The voltage regulator may be in the positive (position 1 on diagram)
or in the negative (position 2) side of the rotor circuit. This is of no
consequence until you fit an advanced alternator controller or similar.
In theory, the majority of alternators fitted on small craft will not start
to charge unless they get a little extra magnetism in their rotors in
practice, given a sound engine and a strong nerve, they may well, as
long as the engine is revved high enough. I do not condone this
practice, but it can get you out of trouble.
Normally the extra magnetism is provided by the current flowing
through the warning lamp when the ignition is switched on.
Older boats may well have a rising oil pressure switch that sends this
current to the rotor as the engine starts especially if it has no
ignition switch and a push button start.
1. The ignition switch is turned on so the warning lamp
current flows through the rotor causing a small amount
of magnetism.

2. The engine starts and the rotor spins. The spinning

magnetic field starts to generate ac electricity in the
stator
3. As soon as the stator voltage gets to about 0.7 volt the
field diodes "open" and direct stator output to the rotor.
This increases the rotor current flow and thus the
strength of the spinning magnetic field, so the stator
output rises.
4. As the stator output rises it not only flows through the
rotor, but also TRIES to flow backwards through the
warning lamp bulb, reducing the current flowing through
the bulb, so the bulb starts to dim.
5. Once the stator output rises above the battery voltage the
warning lamp will be out and the main diodes will "open"
so current flows to the battery and commences charging.
6. As the stator current falls (because the battery is
becoming more fully charged) the output voltage starts to
rise. Eventually it reaches a level that would damage the
battery if allowed to continue.
The voltage regulator then starts to turn the rotor
current off and on very rapidly.
The longer the rotor is turned off; the lower the
average magnetism in the rotor so the lower the
output voltage.
Expect the regulated voltage to be between 13.6 and 14.2 volts with a
well-charged battery and a "normal" voltage regulator.

WIRING THE ALTERNATOR

There is no universal identity convention for alternator terminals the best I can
do is give a table showing some of the markings in use.

MARKING
+ B+ BAT BAT+
9mm male blade

PURPOSE/COMMENT
Main positive output connection going TO THE
BATTERY (master switch)

D+

As long as there is NO B or B+ this is the main

positive output connection.

D+

If there IS a B or B+ this is an auxiliary output

connection for external control gear or split charge
relays.

- B- E Gnd Bat-

Main negative connection. This either runs to the

engine block or the battery negative terminal.
Warning lamp connection.

6mm male blade F

DF
61 Ind L Aux
W AC

Auxiliary output for external control gear or split

charge relays etc.
Phase tap for alternator sensed rev-counter.

The main output terminals will be about 6 to 8mm diameter studs or 9mm male
blades (note that they may well be imperial or BA sizes, but the 6 to 8mm should
help identify them).
There may well be no negative terminals, in this situation the alternator case itself
is the main negative "terminal".
The other terminals will be about 4mm diameter or a 6mm male blade.
If you have a Lucas ACR alternator (large plastic cap on back end) and the original
fitter knew what he was doing, the alternator just might be battery sense (see
later). If this is the case we can only use one of the two large blades, if it is not the
case we can use either, so first we must check.
Set the meter to buzz or diode check. Connect the red wire to the alternator case
and touch the black wire to each of the large terminals in turn.
If both large terminals give a buzz or a similar reading (not the "I" for infinity) both
are output terminals, otherwise you can only use the one that buzzed or gave a
reading probably the upper one.
The wiring diagram for battery sensing is shown further on.
The letters on the alternator are likely to be different on any particular alternator
these are only used to show the main and warning lamp terminals.
It is usual to wire the alternator to the main starter leads because this gets the
current into the large leads as quickly as possible, thus minimising voltdrop.

Do not use a cable size of less that 120/0.30 for the main leads and with high
output alternators you will need thicker cable!
If the alternator has no negative terminal omit the negative wire.
If the main negative is connected to the engine block it is quite in order to run the
negative alternator wire to any suitable nut or bolt on the engine that is closer to
the alternator than the starter do not loosen a cylinder head bolt!
The size of the warning lamp cable is not critical because it carries a very low
current. The warning lamp bulb will protect this cable in the event of damage, so
no fuse is required. Do not use an LED for the charge warning lamp, it will not
pass enough current. The minimum wattage should be about 2 watts.
If you are of an electrical bent, you can solder a 100 ohm, 5 watt resistor across
the warning lamp connections. This will supply the initial current to the alternator
if the bulb blows and keep the charging system working.
The main output cable is not normally fused in the interest of minimising voltdrop
and joints in high current cables (for reliability).

Alternator Service
1. Ensure a cool and plentiful supply of air for the fan.
2. Check all terminals and connections are clean, secure and tight.
3. Check the drive belt has about 10mm deflection in the centre of its
longest run it is vital that you do not over-tighten it if the belt also
drives an engine water pump, otherwise you will shorten the pump
bearings life.
Belts that do not drive a water-pump may be done a LITTLE tighter,
but you risk damaging the alternator bearings.
4. Check pulleys are in line.
5. Check that the belt is not sitting in the bottom of the pulley (V belts
even the many grooved polyV belts drive on the sides, not the bottom.
6. Check belt for condition.
7. Check there is no sign of black dust this is often a sign of slipping
or badly aligned pulleys.

Alternator fault finding

1. And its always number 1 Ensure all cables are undamaged, connections
are tight, clean and secure. Check alternator drive belt for tightness and
actually being in place!
2. And its always number 2 ensure the battery is well charged and in good
condition.
3. Switch on, all other lights and gauges on, but charge warning lamp stays
off:a. Remove warning lamp wire from alternator.
i.

Bulb on = short circuit between bulb wire and negative

between bulb and alternator.

b. Touch to either the case or alternator negative terminal

i.

Light on = faulty alternator probably brushes, slip rings,

or rotor.

ii.

Light off = blown bulb, loose terminal or broken wire

between switch and alternator

4. Run engine a little above a fast idle

a. Charge warning light on brightly
i.

Drive belt loose or missing

ii.

Alternator faulty

b. Charge warning lamp on dim

i.

Resistance (worn out/dirty/burnt) in ignition switch,

connections between battery, ignition switch, and engine
fuses, fuse box.

ii.

Faulty diode(s) in alternator.

Symptom
Scream/screech

Possible Fault
Loose drive belt

when engine
revved after
initial start

Worn drive belt section or belt too thin for

pulley(s)
Worn pulleys (belt should NOT touch the
bottom)
Occasionally worn alternator bearings.

Charge light
stays on bright

Faulty alternator
Short circuit to negative between bulb
and alternator

Charge light
comes on
intermittently

Worn brushes or sliprings

Charge light
glows dimly often
when engine is
revved

Faulty alternator diodes

Loose/dirty connection in main charging

circuit.

Worn ignition switch

Bad connection between battery and
engine electrical circuits

Charge light
stays off

Blown bulb
Worn brushes or sliprings
Faulty rotor
Broken wire in warning lamp circuit

Black dust
around front of
engine

Loose drive belt

Worn drive belt or pulleys
Pulleys out of alignment

Thwacking noise
from front of
engine

Drive belt split or fraying

FAULT FINDING USING INSTRUMENTS

If the above does not indicate a fault then instruments must be used. These
procedures take some time because of the need to check maximum output for which you need a discharged battery, and the need to check the voltage
regulator for which you need a well charged battery.
1. Clip clammeter (A on diagram below) onto the alternators main
charging lead, as far away from the alternator as possible (keeps it
clear of magnetic fields that can cause incorrect readings).
a. Do something that will force the alternator to give maximum
output. This will depend what it is charging. On a split charge
relay, blocking diode system or with a single battery bank;
operate the stop and spin the engine on the starter for a few 30second bursts. On a wholly domestic system with its own
alternator put all the lights and other normal electrical loads on
for two to three minutes and do the test with them still on (or if
you have a large inverter use that to power something like a
drill or saw for a time).
b. Rev the engine and note the clammeter reading. It should be
within 85% to 90% of the rated output of your alternator (100%
or more is even better). If this is low, suspect faulty diodes in
the alternator.
c. Stop the engine as soon as you can.
2. Still with the alternator giving a high output connect the voltmeters as
shown as V1 and V2 on the diagram below.

Neither voltmeter should give a reading of much more than about 0.25
volt. If they do the circuit (positive for V1 and negative for V2) is
suffering from voltdrop. Start looking for loose and dirty connections
or undersize cables.
Turn off all loads.

You now need to get the battery fairly well charged so that the self
regulation or current does not give a false reading.
Rev the engine at a little above fast idle and note the readings on the
clammeter (A) and voltmeter V3.
When the clammeter is showing less than 10 amps (it might take
some time to drop that far) the voltmeter should be showing between
13.6 and 14.3 (exact figures depend upon make of alternator).
If an advanced alternator controller is in use expect up to 14.5 whilst it
is operating.
If the reading is too low either the voltage regulator or the alternator is
faulty (remove and have tested by a specialist).
If the reading is too high the voltage regulator is faulty, disconnect
any advanced controller and re-check BEFORE trying to change the
regulator.

NOTE British (Lucas) alternators usually are set to between 13.8 & 14.2 volts.

MACHINE & BATTERY SENSING

Sooner or later you will hear the term Machine Sensed or Battery
Sensed applied to an alternator system. The concept is simple, but
the ramifications are somewhat complex especially when some split
charging systems are in use.
Machine Sensed
This means that the alternators voltage regulator is
measuring the output voltage at the alternators (the
machines) output terminal.
With a simple single battery bank system, and care taken
over regularly checking that there is virtually zero
voltdrop between the alternator and battery(s) both the
positive and negative cables then a machine sensed
alternator will give perfectly good service.
Machine sensing should also be fine with either relay or
manual switch charge splitting to more than one battery
bank as long as the relay or switch is regularly checked
to ensure virtually zero voltdrop on the charging circuit.
However it the charging leads (positive and negative)
are:1. More than two or three metres long
2. In any way undersized
3. Have loose or poorly made connections
or if a diode splitter is in use then machine sensing is a
recipe for poorly charged batteries and then the resultant
sulphation.

Case studies
1. An alternator circuit has a diode splitter in use and the rest of the
circuit is in perfect condition.
Diodes always cause a voltdrop its inherent in the way they
work which traditionally has been quoted as 0.6 to 0.7 volts,
but even if we halve this and use 0.3 volts - see what happens

The alternator senses the voltage and regulates it at 14.2volts at

the alternator output terminal. The diode drops the 0.3 volts so
now we only have 13.9 volts trying to push charging current
through the battery. The battery will never reach the potential
full charge because we lost that 0.3 volts.
If we take the 0.6 voltdrop figure we actually end up with 13.6
volts trying to charge the battery bank, again it will never reach
its full potential.

2. An old charging system is up-rated by fitting a new "high output"

alternator, but nothing has been done to the existing circuit. Again the
regulator is limiting the output voltage to 14.2 volts at the alternator.
Careful measurement shows 0.2 voltdrop across the master
switch, 0.3 voltdrop across undersized cables, and 0.4 voltdrop
across a series of poorly made, loose or dirty connections.
In this case we lose 0.9 volts, so we are trying to charge with
only 13.1 volts at the battery, and as a fully charged battery
should provide 13.2 volts you see that the new alternator has
been wasted.
Things are not quite as bad as the above appears to make out,
because the voltdrop is dependent upon current flow. As the battery
charges, the current flow drops, so the voldrop also becomes lower.
At the very least this will ensure very, very long charging times, even
if you ever managed to get a reasonable charge into the battery.

Battery sensed
These alternators have an extra connection so that an extra wire can
be run from the battery positive terminal (actually the master switch
output terminal for strict compliance with the BSS) back to the
alternators voltage regulator. This wire carries virtually zero current,
but it does allow the voltage regulator to measure the voltage at the
battery.
Battery sensing simply means that the regulator measures the battery
voltage and not the alternator output voltage.
In case study 1 the regulator would only see the 13.9 volts at the
battery and increase the alternator output to 14.5 volts, the 0.3 volts is

lost in the diodes, but the battery still receives 14.2 volts to push the
charging current through it.
In case study 2 the regulator sees 13.1 volts and increases the
alternator output voltage to 15.1 volts. This again ensures you get full
charging voltage at the battery.

Battery sensing helps cover up the odd bit of slack maintenance to

ensure reliability and is also vital if it is decided to use diodes to split
the charge. I would always specify battery sensed if I could (but see
advanced regulators later).
Some alternators are supplied as battery sensed, some can be
converted, whilst those with external regulators can usually be wired
as battery sensed.
If you have a thin, extra wire running between battery/master switch
and alternator, it is probably a battery sensing wire.
The extra cost of battery sensed alternators is probably not worth
paying because of the greater advantages provided by suitable
advanced alternator controllers that nearly always convert the
alternator to battery sensing (see later).
The three dotted lines show possible sensing wire connections.
A is definitely fully BSS legal.
B removes any voltdrop across the master switch, but
MIGHT need changing to A for BSS inspection.
C takes all the wiring voltdrop into account, but might be
more difficult to change if demanded by the BSS
inspector.

B&C will both produce a very low, but permanent, current drain on the
battery, but no more than a cars machine sensed regulator does. If
you leave your boat for long periods A might be the best because the
master switch fully isolates the battery. If you decide to use method B
or C it is vital to ensure the cable is always kept well insulated and out
of harms way, and is also checked regularly for frays and chaffing.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE

A broken, "fallen off" or resistive sensing wire will cause overcharged
& possibly destroyed batteries.
As you SHOULD regularly inspect your critical wiring for problems
and also check your batteries this is, in real life, a very minor problem.
In any case any decent advanced controller will be measuring output
voltage and warn you if it exceeds a safe level. Unfortunately a
standard battery sensed alternator system will not do this.

Rover 825SD 800 Coupe 825i SD1 and Land Rover Web Site

A non-technical explanation (as much as possible!) and some testing / fault

finding
The diagram below is a general representation, not a specific alternator.

1. The stator windings, this is a 3 phase machine, it has 3 sets of coils.

2. Main rectification diodes, sometimes referred to as the rectifier stack or pack.
3. Field diodes.
4. Field coil, the winding on the rotating shaft in the alternator, connected via the slip rings and
carbon brushes to the regulator circuit.
5. Surge protection diode stops the output voltage rising above a predetermined safe level.
6. Dashboard warning lamp.
7. Ignition switch.
8. Battery, stores the charge provided by the alternator. It should be noted that the battery is
always connected to the alternator though the main lead
9. To vehicle systems, usually distributed to the circuits via the vehicle's fuse box(es).
Description
The alternator is a self exciting type, or in other words it supplies its own field or exciting current
once it is running. But it still needs a source of field current before it can start the generating
process. This is where the ignition warning lamp comes in, yes the dashboard light is part of
the charging circuit. Should the bulb blow there would be theoretically no charge available
(although there is usually enough residual magnetism in the field coil to allow it to work). To
prevent any chance of it not working because of this, a resistor is fitted in parallel with the light
bulb. When the ignition is turned on current passes through the bulb, field winding on the rotor
and the regulator to earth (-VE). This small current in the field produces a weak magnetic field,
enough for the alternator to start generating current when it turns.
Three separate stationary windings, the stator, produce three-phase alternating current, six
diodes 2 (full-wave bridge rectifier) convert this to direct current, which is used to supply the
needs of the vehicle and charge the battery. The other three diodes 3 give a reference output to
the control part of the circuit and are called field diodes. These do an identical job to the rectifier
stack, except these smaller diodes only have to provide sufficient current for the alternator to

supply its own field current. On Diesel 825 models a signal for the tachometer (rev counter) is
picked up from a connection from the back of one of these diodes, the ripple in the current
translates directly to the speed at which the alternator is turning, this signal is sent to the
dashboard instrument which converts this into an accurate indication of engine speed.
The rotating field coil 4, forms part of the rotor which is mounted on the shaft and spins inside
the stator coils 1, the weak magnetic field from the bulb current produces an output from the
alternator, some of this current is fed back to the field, reinforcing it and increasing the output
and thus again reinforcing the field current. As soon as the alternator is producing the required
output, and the voltage at the output of the field diodes is the same as the voltage at the ignition
switch side of the bulb there is no voltage difference across the bulb so it is extinguished,
showing that the alternator is charging.
The alternator is a pretty well self contained machine which automatically adjusts itself to the
needs of the electrical load on the car but things can go wrong with them, fortunately not very
often.
A few things you should not do
Before electrical welding of any type. Always disconnect the battery and if possible remove
the wiring plug from the alternator before welding anything on the car.
Never disconnect the battery with the engine running. Doing a battery "hot swap" for
example, in theory the surge protection diode will stop any damage from occurring, however it is
very far from unknown for this diode to fail, if it does you will then need to replace the alternator.
It is not obvious from the electrical manual drawings if a surge protection diode is fitted on all
the alternators used on the 800 series, so be warned.
You should
Disconnect the battery leads, before using a high amperage charger on the battery.
When using jump-leads to start the car, follow the instructions in the car's handbook.
A few thing you might consider worthwhile
Keep battery terminals battery and earth leads and connections clean and tight. Copper grease
or silicone grease or Vaseline applied to the battery terminals will exclude moisture prevent
them from oxidising and maintain a good connection.
Check drive belts for wear and correct tension.
Some of the things that can go wrong
Don't overlook the obvious, many of these faults can be caused by a slipping or broken drive
belt. Faulty car batteries can also be a cause of some of these problems.
No charge to the battery at all. On the 800s in the engine compartment fuse box, there is a
100 amp fusible link protecting the alternator output. This can fail.
Warning light problems. First check 10 amp fuse in the dash fuse box, the bulb itself (if it does

not light) there is also a diode that has been known to fail in the instrument pack, in the wiring
from the ignition light to the alternator, which can cause some odd faults.
If the ignition lamp flickers when the engine is running, this can mean the slip ring brushes
are worn out and need replacing.
The ignition lamp does not go out. Rectifier stack or the field diodes faulty / burned out.
The ignition lamp stays on but at reduced brightness. This usually means that one or two of
the charge diodes or field diodes have failed (sometimes the alternator will still charge the
battery to some extent).
If the ignition lamp gets brighter when say the headlamps are turned on. Usually this again
means one or two of the rectifier stack diodes or field diodes have gone faulty. It can also be
some problem concerning the ignition switch or associated wiring .
If there is a problem with the battery discharging when the car is not running (say when parked
overnight) this can be due to faults in the rectifier pack on the alternator (which can sometimes
still charge the battery when the engine is running).

Basic test
Simple test that requires a voltmeter, a low priced multi-meter from somewhere like Maplins or
other electrical / electronic outlet will do the job. This test is a guide only, it is not intended to
give a definitive result, but is useful for a quick check.
The car should not have been running for about 15 minutes before this test is done.
Connect the meter set to D.C. voltage range across the battery terminals, it should show about
12 volts.
Start the engine and gradually increase the rpm, around 2,000 to 3,000 rpm should be enough.
The meter reading should rise from about 12 volts to more than 13.5 volts, typically 14.3 volts
depending on the accuracy of the multi-meter...
If this is what happens then things are looking good. To be a bit more sure, let the engine tick
over and turn on all the electrical load you have, main beam head lamps, fog lamps, heated
screen etc. Let the engine tick over for a few minutes like this, then without switching anything
off increase the engine rpm as in the first test, if the voltage rises to at least 13.5 volts then it is
almost certain the alternator is working correctly.
Less than this could mean a failed diode(s) in the rectifier stack, which results in the alternator
not being able to supply the high current needed.
Thanks to Andy Rybka for this:
If the voltage is higher than 15 volts when the engine is revved, and climbs even further the
higher the engine is revved, then the regulator is faulty and should be replaced as soon as
possible to prevent boiling the battery (in extreme circumstances it could explode!) and
damaging other electrical items. An early warning of a failed regulator is that the headlights

seem brighter than normal and get even brighter when the engine is revved hard.

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2. Alternator FAQ, Frequently Asked Alternator Questions Answered

3. Understanding Alternators. What is an Alternator and How Does It Work

Understanding Alternators.
What is an Alternator Generator and How Does It
Work?
By AlternatorParts.com

ALTERNATOR WARNING LIGHT

"What does that little red light that says ALT mean when it comes on?" Very basically,
it means that either the alternator output voltage is lower than the battery voltage, or
the battery voltage is lower than the alternator output voltage. If the light gets dimmer
as you rev up the engine, then you most likely have a problem with the alternator. If it
gets brighter, then the battery is most likely bad.
That's all well and good, but just exactly what does all that mean? To get a good idea,
it is first necessary to understand how an alternator works. You don't need an
engineering degree, just a basic understanding of the general principles. Figure 1,
below, is a block diagram, or a "functional" diagram, of an alternator, and its
connections to the remainder of the automobile electrical system. Following the figure

is a description of the various components that make up an alternator, and a

description of how each operates to keep the battery charged in your car.

ALTERNATOR ROTOR
We'll start our tour of the alternator where it all starts in the alternator itself - at the
alternator rotor. The rotor consists of a coil of wire wrapped around an iron core.
Current through the wire coil - called "field" current - produces a magnetic field around
the core. The strength of the field current determines the strength of the magnetic
field. The field current is D/C, or direct current. In other words, the current flows in one
direction only, and is supplied to the wire coil by a set of brushes and slip rings. The
magnetic field produced has, as any magnet, a north and a south pole. The rotor is
driven by the alternator pulley, rotating as the engine runs, hence the name "rotor."

STATOR
Surrounding the rotor is another set of coils, three in number, called the stator. The
stator is fixed to the shell of the alternator, and does not turn. As the rotor turns within
the stator windings, the magnetic field of the rotor sweeps through the stator
windings, producing an electrical current in the windings. Because of the rotation of
the rotor, an alternating current is produced. As, for example, the north pole of the
magnetic field approaches one of the stator windings, there is little coupling taking

place, and a weak current is produced, As the rotation continues, the magnetic field
moves to the center of the winding, where maximum coupling takes place, and the
induced current is at its peak. As the rotation continues to the point that the magnetic
field is leaving the stator winding, the induced current is small. By this time, the south
pole is approaching the winding, producing a weak current in the opposite direction.
As this continues, the current produced in each winding plotted against the angle of
rotation of the rotor has the form shown in figure 2. The three stator windings are
spaced inside the alternator 120 degrees apart, producing three separate sets, or
"phases," of output voltages, spaced 120 degrees apart, as shown in figure 3.

OUTPUT DIODES (BRIDGE

RECTIFIER)
A/C voltage is of little use in a D/C system, such as used in an automobile, so it has
to be converted to D/C before it can be used. This conversion to D/C takes place in
the BRIDGE RECTIFIER . Diodes have the property of allowing current to flow in only
one direction, while blocking current flow in the other direction. The BRIDGE
RECTIFIERconsist of six diodes, one pair for each winding. One of the pair is for the
negative half cycle, and the other for the positive half cycle. As a result of this diode
rectification, the output of the alternator looks as shown in figure 4.
Surprisingly enough, the output of the alternator is not a pure D/C as one might
expect, but a pulsating D/C. Because there are three windings, each with a positive
and a negative half, by the time the voltage is passed through the diodes, there are
six pulsations for each rotation of the rotor. This is close enough to D/C for most
automotive components. Critical components, such as radios, have their own internal
filtering circuits to further smooth out the waveform to a purer D/C.

DIODE TRIO
The diode trio consists, as the name suggests, of three diodes, one per phase, which
provides field current to the alternator regulator. This output will be discussed in more
detail later in the "field current supply" section.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR
The regulator has two inputs and one output. The inputs are the field current supply
and the control voltage input, and the output is the field current to the rotor. The
regulator uses the control voltage input to control the amount of field current input that
is allow to pass through to the rotor winding. If the battery voltage drops, the regulator
senses this, by means of the connection to the battery, and allows more of the field
current input to reach the rotor, which increases the magnetic field strength, which
ultimately increases the voltage output of the alternator. Conversely, if the battery

voltage goes up, less field current goes through the rotor windings, and the output
voltage is reduced.

FIELD CURRENT SUPPLY

Field current supply is provided from two different sources - from the alternator itself,
via the diode trio, and from the battery, via the alternator warning lamp. When you first
get in the car and turn the key on, the engine is not running and the alternator is not
spinning. At this time, the voltage/current source for the field current is from the
battery, through the ignition switch, and through the warning lamp. After the engine is
started, and the alternator is up to speed, the output of the diode trio is fed back to
the regulator, and serves as a source of current for the field current. At this time, the
alternator is self sustaining, and the battery is no longer needed to power the
automobiles electrical system WARNING!!! This is theoretical only - in actual practice,
the voltage surges resulting from disconnecting the battery can seriously damage the
regulator circuitry. All alternator manufacturers strongly advise NOT doing this! This
test will not prove the functionality of the alternator anyway, as the engine may still run
with a weak alternator output.

WARNING LAMP

This brings us back full circle to the starting point - the alternator warning lamp. As
can be seen from figure 5, a schematic for an actual alternator, there is a path to
ground from the field current supply input [1] to the regulator. As a result, when the
key is turned on, current flows through the warning lamp, through the resisters,
transistors, and field coil, and then to ground, causing the lamp to illuminate. Once
the alternator is at full output, voltage from the diode trio, also applied to [1], equals
the battery voltage. At this time, with 12 volts on both sides, the lamp is out.
If the alternator should fail, voltage from the diode trio would drop, and once again the
lamp would light from the battery voltage. If the alternator output is only a little low,
the lamp will be dimly lit. If the alternator fails completely, and the output voltage goes
to zero, the lamp will be lit at full brilliance. Conversely, if the battery should fail, and
the battery voltage drops, with the output voltage of the alternator on one side and the
low battery voltage on the other, the lamp will also light.
As stated earlier, if the light grows dimmer as the engine is revved up, it is because
the alternator voltage is rising with the RPM, producing more voltage on the alternator
side of the lamp. The closer the output voltage gets to the battery voltage, the dimmer
the bulb becomes. By the same way, if the light gets brighter with increasing RPM, it
is because as the alternator voltage increases, it is getting higher than the battery
voltage. The higher the voltage with respect to the battery voltage, the greater the
voltage difference across the lamp, and the brighter it gets.

SUMMATION
In summary, then, we can say that field current through the rotor coils produces a
magnetic field, which is coupled over to the stator coils, producing an AC voltage.
This AC voltage is converted by the output diodes into pulsating DC voltage, which
charges the battery.
The field current is supplied from either the battery, via the warning lamp, or from the
diode trio. The amount of field current allowed to pass through the regulator to the
rotor, or field coil, is controlled by the voltage feedback from the battery.
And there you have it - the complete operation of an alternator in a nutshell. The next
time you see the little red light, you will know exactly what it is trying to tell you.

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