<VV> Alternator question

[JVHRoberts at aol.com]

I agree, connecting to a battery is the safest thing. But alternators are  
funny things. I hear ya on the turns ratio thing, but remember WAY back, when  
there were conversions to get 120 volts DC out of a standard alternator? The  
rotor didn't have anything special done to it, it's just that alternators are  
usually connected to SERIOUS current sinks. Remove the sink, and the voltage  
goes way up. 
But, like you said, a bit of research goes a long way. 
 
 
In a message dated 4/11/2006 6:51:48 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
corvairduval at cox.net writes:

Well,  I'm going to have to disagree on this until I do more research. From 
my fields  learning way back when this doesn't seem possible to produce that 
much voltage  to endanger the diodes when the turns ratio hasn't changed. 

Anybody  else have experience running an alternator with no connections? Of 
course the  easiest and non controversial method would be to simply connect the 
output of  the alternator to the + terminal of the battery that is running 
the ignition  system!

Frank DuVal

_JVHRoberts at aol.com_ (mailto:JVHRoberts at aol.com)  wrote:  
 
the issue has to do with residual magnetism possibly producing enough  
voltage in an unloaded stator circuit to blow the diode on overvoltage.  
As such, there won't be enough current to damage anything in an  alternator 
if the output is shorted to ground. But unloaded, alternators can  make a LOT 
of volts if unloaded. 
 
A generator is a whole 'nuther story, and you're right, you'll smoke it  if 
you short the output. But then again, a generator doesn't have diodes,  nor 
will its output voltage in an unloaded circuit be enough to damage  anything if 
it runs open circuit.