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True - wrong term, but Posted by Ari [Email] ![]() ![]() In Reply to: There is no commutator, only two slip rings., JohnB, Wed, 20 Jun 2001 14:02:44 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Commutator for a generator, slip rings for alternator. Sorry.
But I have seen the contacts (whatever their name) get dirty and pit. If the brushes get bad, the contact area decreases, and the current/square inch increases.
It could be the ground, but not likely - the current to energize the field coils is much less than when sourcing current to the other car loads - lights, charging, blower fans - if there was a ground problem, it would show up under load conditions.
It pretty much has everything with how much current the alternator can produce a low engine speeds with minimal coil excitation. Most probably it has something to do with the Battery Light bulb. That bulb determines the field coil excitation from the battery. Yes, it's a special wattage bulb, but I'm sure there is a pretty wide tolerance in bulbs. (in fact, I know there is a wide tolerance). It's probably a combination of a slightly higher resistance bulb with a slightly tired battery.
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