bc.gold 3,399 #26 Posted June 6, 2020 The only advantage a generator has over an alternator is that the generator will charge a battery which is stone dead while the alternator requires the battery to have enough life in it to excite the field. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternator_(automotive) Advantages over dynamos Alternators have several advantages over direct-current generators (dynamos). They are lighter, cheaper, more rugged, and can provide useful charge at idle speed. They use slip rings having greatly extended brush life over a commutator. The brushes in an alternator carry only DC excitation current, a small fraction of the current carried by the brushes of a DC generator, which carry the generator's entire output. A set of rectifiers (diode bridge) is required to convert AC to DC. To provide direct current with low ripple, a polyphase winding is used and the pole-pieces of the rotor are shaped (claw-pole). Automotive alternators are usually belt-driven at 5-10 times crankshaft speed, much faster than a generator. The alternator runs at various RPM (which varies the frequency) since it is driven by the engine. This is not a problem because the alternating current is rectified to direct current. Alternator regulators are also simpler than those for generators. Generator regulators require a cutout relay to isolate the output coils (the armature) from the battery at low speed; that isolation is provided by the alternator rectifier diodes. Also, most generator regulators include a current limiter; alternators are inherently current-limited. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
71_Bronco 1,072 #27 Posted June 8, 2020 Wasnt able to do much on the engine this weekend due to some other things going on. Was able to get the old exhaust pipe off though, so that's a win. Here's some pics of the motor from the FB ad where I found it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
