BermanTec alternator parts delivery program

In BermanTec’s previous article “How the Alternator got its name” we answered two essential questions: “what is an alternator?” and “how does an alternator work?”. Today we will disassemble an alternator, go over the components and tell you all about the parts we supply at BermanTec.

Parts of the Alternator

Let’s first go through all the essential parts of an Alternator. We supply all the individual components mentioned below. If you need any assistance in selecting the appropriate component for your Alternator, contact us here. With expertise that spans over 40 years, we can point you in the right direction in no time.

The Rotor, a rotating magnetic field, is the part of the alternator that spins. It’s an electro-mechanical component. The reason why an alternator only functions when the engine is running, is because the rotor needs the engine belt to make it spin. Within the alternator rotor, magnets spin along copper wires at a very fast speed to create the electromagnetic flow. Find our assortment of rotors here.

Quick fact: the first rotor was invented by Hungarian Ányos Jedlik in 1826-27

The stator, as the name suggestions, is the static part of the alternator and does not move, as it’s attached to the alternator’s shell. It consists of an outer frame, stator core and stator winding. The rotor spins inside the windings, creating an alternating current. Because of the high voltage induced in the stator, it is highly insulated. The rotor on the other hand, has low insulation.

As we have seen, an alternating current is produced by the stator and rotor. However, AC is of little use in a DC system (like vehicles), so the alternator needs a rectifier to convert the AC to DC. It is equipped with diodes and comes in both a positive and negative polarity variant, all of which we sell at BermanTec. The output flow generated by the rotor goes through the rectifier before it reaches the battery and other electrical systems.

Quick fact: the rectifier can come with 3, 6 or even 8 diodes.

The voltage regulator has two inputs, namely the field current supply and the control voltage input, and 1 output, the field current to the rotor. If the battery voltage drops, the alternator voltage regulator allows more of the field current input to reach the rotor. This increases magnetic field strength, which then increases the voltage output of the alternator. Alternatively, if the battery voltage goes up, the output voltage is reduced.

The regulator forces the alternator to maintain a voltage between 13.5 and 30.5 volt. This protects the electrical circuits and recharges the battery safely.

Other essential components of the alternator, such as bearings, brushes, brush holders, diodes, fans, and others can be found on our website. We supply a wide variety of parts for brands such as Delstar, Prestolite and Bosch.

Keep an eye out for our next article, where we discuss the signs of a faulty  alternator!