the alternator has many failure modes. dead, weak , or a huge nasty noise generator, (not sonic noise, but output electrical noise)
we scope all Alternators, and all fuel pump (same deal there bad motor commutator., see current drop out here , bad pump motor!) i digressed but is same class of testing. (for noise)
Really on cars, for sure cars. the ALternator needs to be checked first.( if it makes noise, all others test may not make any sense)(dog chases tale acts)
Do not confuse, normal ripple with bad diode ripple. ALL 3phase bridges make small noise the battery hides,
rules . do not attempt running the car, with battery removed,(say after it starts and runs>> old 1960s trick is not allowed now.
#2 do not attempt to hot wire the alt, on any running car, or blow the PCM/radio and all other electronics up to Kingdom come),<< stop , steel yourselves.
TODO: 101
if the main ALT 3-phase diode bridge, 1 diode shorts or opens, it makes a huge noise, we have photos of it here.
when it does this noise wreaks havoc on , all electronics in the car, PCM and more.
The battery tends to shunt this noise ,yes,but not always.
here are some links (YT vids) to noise. alt. link1, 2volts ripple bad.. next up bad #2.
motor mag, covers it;
in electronic world, power is first , it must be at spec DC and no noise, 200mV is not noise, 2000mV is.
history:
(we ended real DC generators to use ALT that make huge power at very low RPM, so we used alternators for many decades)
tools:
I don't need $3000 tools, all my 3x $50 scopes all see this noise easy,. (no 5vdc cheap scopes work !hear) a.k.a a lab-scope. 300v min spec scopes only/
also know that using the car AM radio, off station static heard, volume up hear that ALTernator whine? oops
some folks even see all lamps on the car twinkle oddly and flash, alternator bad bad bad.
many videos, show only a good alternator not bad,. silly that. (good bad both matter , looking at a scope)
the low level hash noise is normal
we look for huge negative voltage excursions below 13vdc even to near 0vdc, (negative pulse) this is a bad ALT.
In fact the battery will hide the excursion below 12vdc, the battery is working so 15v to 12vdc so 3vdc noise is possible, and bad.
3phase ALT are not DC generators, they are AC gens. the diode pack creates 3phase pulsating DC. if 1 phase dies, you get hit,hit miss, hit ,hit ,miss over and over again and that is NOISE MAX.
AC INPUT, AND PULSATING DC OUT, BUT tiny < 500mV ripple , the battery filter out most of normal ripple. 3 phase rectification
also if 90amp at is bad (1 diode ) it is now 60amp alt now, so is double bad.
we scope all Alternators, and all fuel pump (same deal there bad motor commutator., see current drop out here , bad pump motor!) i digressed but is same class of testing. (for noise)
Really on cars, for sure cars. the ALternator needs to be checked first.( if it makes noise, all others test may not make any sense)(dog chases tale acts)
Do not confuse, normal ripple with bad diode ripple. ALL 3phase bridges make small noise the battery hides,
rules . do not attempt running the car, with battery removed,(say after it starts and runs>> old 1960s trick is not allowed now.
#2 do not attempt to hot wire the alt, on any running car, or blow the PCM/radio and all other electronics up to Kingdom come),<< stop , steel yourselves.
TODO: 101
if the main ALT 3-phase diode bridge, 1 diode shorts or opens, it makes a huge noise, we have photos of it here.
when it does this noise wreaks havoc on , all electronics in the car, PCM and more.
The battery tends to shunt this noise ,yes,but not always.
here are some links (YT vids) to noise. alt. link1, 2volts ripple bad.. next up bad #2.
motor mag, covers it;
in electronic world, power is first , it must be at spec DC and no noise, 200mV is not noise, 2000mV is.
history:
(we ended real DC generators to use ALT that make huge power at very low RPM, so we used alternators for many decades)
tools:
I don't need $3000 tools, all my 3x $50 scopes all see this noise easy,. (no 5vdc cheap scopes work !hear) a.k.a a lab-scope. 300v min spec scopes only/
also know that using the car AM radio, off station static heard, volume up hear that ALTernator whine? oops
some folks even see all lamps on the car twinkle oddly and flash, alternator bad bad bad.
many videos, show only a good alternator not bad,. silly that. (good bad both matter , looking at a scope)
the low level hash noise is normal
we look for huge negative voltage excursions below 13vdc even to near 0vdc, (negative pulse) this is a bad ALT.
In fact the battery will hide the excursion below 12vdc, the battery is working so 15v to 12vdc so 3vdc noise is possible, and bad.
3phase ALT are not DC generators, they are AC gens. the diode pack creates 3phase pulsating DC. if 1 phase dies, you get hit,hit miss, hit ,hit ,miss over and over again and that is NOISE MAX.
AC INPUT, AND PULSATING DC OUT, BUT tiny < 500mV ripple , the battery filter out most of normal ripple. 3 phase rectification
also if 90amp at is bad (1 diode ) it is now 60amp alt now, so is double bad.