INSTALLER-CYL 6V2179 - Caterpillar

Never operate the alternator without the battery in the circuit. Making or breaking an alternator connection with heavy load on the circuit can cause damage to the regulator.
Illustration 1 g00285111
Alternator components (typical example)
(1) Regulator
(2) Roller bearing
(3) Stator winding
(4) Ball bearing
(5) Rectifier bridge
(6) Field winding
(7) Rotor assembly
(8) Fan The alternator is driven by a belt from an auxiliary drive at the front right corner of the engine. This alternator is a three-phase, self-rectifying charging unit. Regulator (1) is part of the alternator.This alternator design has no need for slip rings or brushes, and the only part that moves is rotor assembly (7). All conductors that carry current are stationary. The conductors are field winding (6), stator windings (3), six rectifying diodes, and the regulator circuit components.Rotor assembly (7) has many magnetic poles. Air space is between the opposite poles.The poles have residual magnetism that produces a small amount of magnetic lines of force between the poles. As rotor assembly (7) begins to turn between field windings (6) and stator windings (3), a small amount of alternating current (AC) is produced in the stator windings. This current is from the small magnetic lines of force that are made by the residual magnetism of the poles. This AC is changed to direct current (DC). The change occurs when the current passes through the diodes of rectifier bridge (5). Most of this current completes two functions. The functions are charging the battery and supplying the low amperage circuit. The remainder of the current is sent to field windings (6) which are wires around an iron core. The flow of DC through the field windings increases the strength of the magnetic lines of force. These stronger lines of force increase the amount of AC that is produced in stator windings (3). The increased speed of rotor assembly (7) also increases the current and voltage output of the alternator.Voltage regulator (1) is a solid-state, electronic switch. The regulator senses the voltage in the system. The regulator opens and the regulator closes the field current many times in one second in order to control the field current to the alternator. The output voltage from the alternator supplies the needs of the battery and the other components in the electrical system. The rate of charge cannot be adjusted.