"The alternator from the YM1110D has a bridge circuit (the guys at Auto Electric called it the diode pack) also. This does the chopping and folding so that you have only positive voltage, but it still is not DC."
Not to get technical here.. but current flow in only one direction is DC. Whether it is half or full wave rectification matters not.
" In simple systems, the regulator is nothing but a solid state relay that grounds the alternator when the battery voltage goes above some threshold."
There are many ways to accomplish voltage regulation.. too numerous to mention and describe here. The method that you refer to, shunting over voltage to ground, is generally accomplished with zenir diodes, and is not the practice of choice for automotive charging systems, due to the waste and engine load. Althought the older style 2 and 3 position regulators were not much more than predetermined taps on a coil, and a handfull of support hardware. A series pass regulator circuit is more probable , and many ( most )systems use some sort of feedback based variable regulation.
" These simple systems use the capicitance of the battery to do the smoothing so there is no real rectifier. However, the "
Simply speaking, a rectifier blocks current flow in one direction. A diode for example( lets say, silicon ) has an anode, and a cathode. A positive voltage applied in a circuit to the cathode will not result in current flow.A negative voltage applied in the same circuit will result in current flow, and there will be a forward voltage drop due to the silicone junction. Generally forward voltage drops range from .2 to .6 volts. Zenirs and other diodes like schotkey barrier diodes, and epoxy rectifiers have special rules and properties. Older style selinium rectifiers also have different characteristics. In general, if a conversion from ac to dc has happened.. a rectifier is present.
Generally in low end charging systems, like NiCad or NiMhyd, a capacitor is not used because the curent is flowing into a load anyway, and a capacitor will do no good, as the voltage between the half or full wave crests are already averaged.
A higher end charging system like that in a car however, will employ capacitors and inductors 'chokes' in combination to eliminate emi and rfi which may interfere with computerized ignition, engine cpu, and the radio.
"guys at Auto Electric said my voltage regulator was actually a rectifier as well, but I find that hard to believe as the one lead from the alternator goes directly to the battery.
Greg "
Sounds like it was just a regulator, and they were extremely clueless.
If this was fun.... look at DC generators as opposed to alternators...
Soundguy
