Re: AC/DC (was Pertronix perplexia)

[Joe Worsley <worsley@ebicom.net>]

James Charles Ruwaldt wrote:
> 
> I understand all that, but why do we call them "alternators", when they
> produce direct current?
> Jim Ruwaldt
> '72 TR6 CC79338U
> Bloomington, IN
> 
>

They are really 3 phase AC generators.  The stator winding produces the 
AC when the rotor magnetic field cuts the stator windings. The output is 
fed to a 3 phase rectifier to produce the DC.  

The reason for the change from generators to alternators is efficiency 
and smaller size.

Joe Worsley
80 TR8
72 TR6
Tupelo, MS