From the earliest days of motoring, cars have evolved dramatically. The very first car envisioned by Carl Benz bears little resemblance to the vehicles we drive today; since then, engineers have found ...

If you can turn a wrench and operate an electric drill, you can build this simple generator in two days. Turn a car alternator into a homemade wind turbine by building this cheap and easy DIY wind ...

Modern automotive alternators have a voltage regulator built into them. Typical car alternators generate the field using a DC current through slip rings. The field current is much smaller than the ...

An alternator is a generator that produces the electricity stored in a vehicle’s 12-volt battery and powers the starter motor for the engine and the various computers, lights, power windows and locks, ...

The charging system in a car is often the most confusing part of the whole electrical system, but its purpose is actually pretty easy to understand. There are three main components in a charging ...

Vehicle alternators are interesting beasts. Produced on a massive scale, these electric machines are available for a minimum of cost and contain all kinds of great parts: some power electronics and a ...