Alternators; Testing And Troubleshooting - Westerbeke 29.0 EGED 60Hz Operator's Manual

_A~TERNATORS
TESTING/TROUBLESHOOTING
1#10 ORANGE 8
TO STARTER SOLENOID
DESCRIPTION
ALTERNATOR
· '5DAMP
GROUND
REFER TO THE WIRING
DIAGRAM IN THIS
MANUAL FOR ALL
WIRING CONNECTIONS
'The following inforination applies to the staijdard alternators
that are supplied with WESTERBEKE'S Engines and
Generators.
ELECTRICAL CHARGING CIRCUIT
The charging system consists of an alternator with a voltage
regulator, an engine DC wiring batness, a mounted DC
circuit breaker and a battery with connecting cables. Because
of the use of integrated circuits (IC's}, the electronic voltage
regulator is very compact and is mounted internally or on the
back of the alternator.
It is desirable to test the chargfug system (alternator and
voltage regulator) using the wiring harness and electrical
loads that are a permanent part of the system and will then
provide the technician with an operational test of the
charging system
as
well
as
the
major components of
the
electl;;ical system. · ·
ALTERNATOR DESCRIPTION
,The stator is connected.to
a
three-phase,.full-wave bridge
rectifiey package which contains
six
diodes, The bridge ·
converts the AC generated in the stator to a DC output for
battery charging and accessories,
Power to the regulator and. the field of the integral regulator
alternator is provided
by
the field .diode (or diode trio)
p~kage
contained in the alternator.
These alternators produce a rated output of
50
amps. Rated
output is achieved at approxiillately 6000 alternator rpm at an
ambient temperature of 75° F (23.8°
C).
The alternators
are
designed to operate in an ambient temperature
range
of -40o to
212° F ( -40o to 100°
C).
VOLTAGE REGULATOR
The integral voltage regulator is an electronic switching
device which senses the system voltage level and switches
the voltage applied to the field in order to maintain a proper
system voltage.
The regulator design utilizes all-silicon semi conductors and
thick-film assembly techniques. After the voltage has been
adjusted to the proper regulating valve, the entire circuit is
encapsulated to protect the circuit and the components from
possible damage due to handling or vibration.
ALTERNATOR TROUBLEsHOOTING
Use this troubleshooting section to detennine if a problem
exists with the charging circuit or with the alternator. If
it is
determined that the alternator or voltage regulator is faulty,
have
a
qualified technician check it · '
A
WARNING:
A working altemator runs
bot.
A failed
altematot can beciJIIIB very
bot.
Do not touch the
alternator
until
if
has cooled.
LOW BATTERY/FAULTY CIRCUIT
If the starter only moans or makes a clicking
sOund
instead
of spinning the engine to life it is likely a low battery or a
faulty connection in the starting circuit and not an alternator
problem.
PREUMINARY INSPECTION
Before starting the actual alternator and voltage regulator,
testing the following checks are recommended.
1. Make certain your alternator is securely
mounted. .
2. Check the drive belts for
pioper tension. Replace the beh
if it is worn or glazed.
3.
Check that all terminals, connectors and plugs are clean
and tight Loose or corroded connections cause high
resistance and this could c_ause overcharging,
undercharging or damage to the charging system. Badly
corroded battery cables could prevent the battery
from
reaching a fully charged condition.
4.
Check
the
condition of
the
battery and charge if necessary.
A low or discharged battery may cause false or misleading
readings in the tests.
NOTE:
An isolator with a diode, a solenoid, or a battery
selector switch is usually mounted
in
the circuit to isolate
the batteries so the starting battery is not discharged along
with the house batteries.
If
the isolator is charging the
starting battery but not the hOJlSe btlttery, the altemator is
OK and the problem·is i1i the
batt~'ry
charging circUit. ·
,,.,• I
I..,.,.,.IWESTERBEKE
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